In a season where it’s been met with pleasant weather all along, Mother Nature had other plans on Thursday at the KHSAA Class A state track and field meet in Lexington.
The track and field stars had to deal with wet, windy and cold conditions as they were visibly seen with shivers and teeth clinching.
Despite the conditions, Northern Kentucky teams and individuals had themselves a day at University of Kentucky’s Outdoor Track and Field Complex.
Beechwood’s boys took home the team title with Bishop Brossart coming in second. The Tigers scored 63 points to the Mustangs 41, Brossart clinching second on the final race of the day as they placed second in the 4×400 relay.
Beechwood was led by their sprinters as they collected 37 points in either the 100, 200, 4×100 or 4×200 events.
“We just have some really solid sprinters, and in the distance group has they’ve gained a lot of traction this year, so it just kind of was a perfect storm,” Tigers coach Marsha Parke said. “Couple things fell in the right place. Aylor and Pabst both score in the 100 and Aylor pulled off the win in the 4×200. We had a four by eight win, so just everybody. The list goes on and on, everyone just showed up today and they did it for each other.”
PHOTOS: Slideshow provided by Charles Bolton
Beechwood’s girls finished runner-up to Lexington Christian Academy while Brossart’s girls placed third on the day. Walton-Verona’s girls placed fifth, St. Henry sixth and Newport Central Catholic eighth.
Beechwood was led by Caroline Nordman and Lily Parke, the two combining for 48 of Beechwood’s 77 points.
“Caroline is just amazing,” Marsha Parke said. “She is a girl who no matter what you do, she is going to compete. Not just Caroline and Lily, but we have a whole group of girls that are just getting started. We’re a pretty large team, so I think we still have some years to come, especially with the eighth graders moving up soon.”
Parke etches her legacy in stone
As if there was any doubt that Beechwood’s Lily Parke is one of the most accomplished runners in Northern Kentucky all-time, she added two more state titles to her name on Thursday.
Parke won the 1,600 and 800 in times of 5:01.58 and 2:18.03, respectfully.
The final tally for Parke’s illustrious high school track career is six outdoor titles and five indoor titles. There would have been most likely more in the trophy case, but she missed the indoor season this season due to injury.
While she ends her high school career at the Outdoor Track and Field Complex at University at Kentucky, it’s where she’ll begin another, set to run for Kentucky next season.
“I felt a little bit of pressure” Parke said. “But it was really cool. It just meant more being here this year.”
Adding to her storied career, in cross country Parke won two state titles and finished runner-up twice. She closed with Class A state titles in her junior and senior year.
“It’s been an awesome four years,” Parke said. “I’m a little sad today though. Mainly because my brother is my teammate, my mom’s my coach, so it’s kind of the last for all of us. It’s like a little bit of family sappiness, I guess.”
Nordman posts a big day
Beechwood’s Caroline Nordman scored 28 points herself with two first place finishes in the 100 and 400, and placed second in the 200.
The 100 result even surprised herself, finishing in 12.73.
“I really didn’t think I was gonna win the 100 especially because that’s really not my event, I was seeded seventh,” Nordman said. “It’s the weather, anything can happen. I mean, my region time wasn’t great, I had a really bad start, so it kind of did set me back in the one. But anything can happen in such a short race like that, like one off step, and your whole race is gone.”
The junior followed it up with gold in the 400, the lone girls runner on the day to clear the minute-mark in the event in a time of 58.58.
Aylor stuns in the 200
It’s very rare someone from the second heat ends up winning a state title. With the state meet, most events are broken up into three heats, the third being the fastest eight times from around the state.
Beechwood’s Brody Aylor entered with the 11th fastest time, therefore was in the second heat. Not only did Aylor win his heat, but he took home the top spot in the 200 meters in a time of 21.73, edging out Lexington Christian’s Paxton Gray by .03 hundredths of a second.
It even stunned Aylor when he looked up and saw the times after the final heat was run. It kind of came out of nowhere.
“You’re not kidding,” Aylor said. “Anything is possible. My coaches always tell me you can do whatever you put your mind to. It’s a lot right now. I wasn’t expecting a win out of the second heat. It took me a while to register that I just won from the second heat,”
Aylor can now say he claimed an individual title on top of three straight 4×100 relay titles. He was also a two-time state champion his junior and freshman year for Beechwood’s football team.
“Freshman year to now, following in Luke Erdman’s footsteps, it was special being on the team with him,” Aylor said. “He was always such a leader to me and always pushing me in practice, making sure I’m the best version of myself, and it really paid off. Really thankful for him, thankful for all my coaches and my teammates, always pushed me to the best version myself.”
Three-peat for Beechwood boys’ 4×100 relay team
For the third straight year, the Beechwood 4×100 relay team took home the top spot. Nathan Pabst, Cole Hoskins, Chase McDaniel and Aylor finished in a time of 44.05.
Pabst kicked things off with Hoskins and McDaniel following, despite a shaky handoff from McDaniel to Aylor, they were able to recover and claim gold.
“It’s just really rewarding,” Pabst said. “We’ve worked our butts off these past three, four years just putting in relay work, like handoffs, things teams don’t really like to do and it pays off in the end.”
Walters caps off elite throwing career for Brossart
Ava Walters doubled once again in the discus and shot put and claimed the shot put title for the third consecutive year, giving her five outdoor titles in her high school career before she heads to throw for Eastern Kentucky University next year.
She’s progressed so much as a thrower, she can critique herself on her technique in meets and that’s exactly what she did on Thursday.
“When I was younger, it’s kind of harder to figure out some technical things, but I think for me now I know that one throw is bad, it does not define the rest of the meet,” Walters said. “You just got to forget about that one and go on with the next one. I think that’s something I definitely learned as I grew as thrower.”
The adjustments worked as she got through the qualifying rounds and hit deeper marks as the event went on. She won the shot put by an inch over Russellville’s Demiyah Allen with a throw of 38-feet.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking,” Walters said. “It’s kind of putting my all out there in all my throws and I know she was too very good competitor.”
Her discus win was a bit more comfortable with a throw of 133-feet, nine-inches, clearing the field by six-feet, eight inches and setting a new Class A state meet record. The previous record was held by St. Henry’s Anna Guard with a throw of 132-07 in 2024.
Beechwood 4×800 wins gold
Gannon Parke, Elijah Muck, Braxton Lindloff and Charlie Skeen got Beechwood’s day started with 10 points as they took first in the 4×800 relay. They finished in a time of 8:27.88, nearly nine seconds better than runner-up Brossart.
Walton-Verona girls 4×200 wins gold
Abrielle Hooten, Maci Pettit, Josie Holztapple and Maggie Meyer took the top spot in the girls 4×200 in a time of 1:47.50. They defeated Lexington Christian by 2.2 seconds.
The same four also placed second in the 4×100 relay in a time of 52.07, runner-up to Lexington Christian.
So close
Other runner-up finishers from Northern Kentucky on Thursday were:
Logan Blau, Bishop Brossart — 110-meter hurdles (15.64)
Bishop Brossart’s girls 4×800 relay team of Tessa Hafer, Addison Geiman, Callie Ochsner and Larrah Callahan (9:53.00)
Bishop Brossart’s boys 4×800 relay team of Evan LeBeau, Parker Litmer, Owen Doyle and Adam Tarvin (8:36.57)
Beechwood’s boys 4×200 relay team of Nathan Pabst, Chase McDaniel, Westin Wyant and Brody Aylor (1:32.10)
Andrew Kowcheck, Walton-Verona — boys 300-meter hurdles (41.30)
Beechwood’s girls 4×400 relay team of Sammy Grubish, Lily Parke, Ella Schneider and Caroline Nordman (4:14.36)
Bishop Brossart’s boys 4×400 relay team of Kyle Piscitello, Reid Thompson, Owen Doyle and Max Leuderalbert (3:33.98)
Max Watson, Villa Madonna — boys shot put (48-8.75)
Stella Flick, St. Henry — girls long jump (16-07)
Anna Curtsinger, Bishop Brossart — girls pole vault (8-06)
Justin Bezold, Bishop Brossart — boys pole vault (10-06)
Who else reached the podium on Thursday?
The top eight finishers in each event reached the podium, earned a medal and got points for their team.
3rd place — Newport Central Catholic girls 4×800 relay team of Caroline Rust, Grace Mumper, Maggie West and Ava Willen (10:19.87)
3rd place — Beechwood’s Brody Aylor, boys 100 meters (11.13)
3rd place — Bishop Brossart’s girls 4×200 relay team of Brooke Lehman, Larah Callahan, Peyton Trauth and Mackinley Scott (1:51.25)
3rd place — Bishop Brossart’s Kyle Piscitello, boys 400 meters (51.87)
3rd place — Bellevue’s Dakarai Minor, boys 300-meter hurdles (41.34)
3rd place — Walton-Verona’s Maggie Meyer, girls 200 meters (26.12)
3rd place — Bishop Brossart’s girls 4×400 relay team of Larah Callahan, Aubrey Bevan, Tessa Hafer and Mackinley Scott (4:15.26)
3rd place — Beechwood’s boys 4×400 relay team of Elijah Hornsby, Charlie Skeen, Westin Wyant and Anderson Durrett (3:34.96)
3rd place — Villa Madonna’s Max Watson, boys shot put (139-09)
3rd place — Newport’s Zaequan Sharpe, boys long jump (19-8.5)
t-3rd place — Bellevue’s Austin Brocket,boys high jump (6-00)
3rd place — Bishop Brossart’s Paislee Litmer, girls pole vault (7-06)
4th place — St. Henry boys 4×800 relay team of Bryson Colyer, Mason Dunwoody, Logan Vaniglia and Evan Parhad (8:40.34)
4th place — Beechwood’s girls 4×200 relay team of Avery Woolridge, Sarah Gigliotti, Ella Schneider and Olivia Schneider (1:51.64)
4th place — Holy Cross’ Jenna Pennington, girls 400 meters (1:02.05)
4th place — Villa Madonna’s Norie Barker, girls 800 meters (2:23.07)
4th place — Walton-Verona’s girls 4×400 relay team of Josie Holtzapple, Ava Hargett, Maggie Meyer and Abigail Hooten (4:20.29)
4th place — Beechwood’s Winter Wyant, girls long jump (16-5.5)
t-4th place — St. Henry’s Stella Flick, girls high jump (4-08)
t-4th place — Newport Central Catholic’s Kolbey Kohrs, girls high jump (4-08)
t-4th place — St. Henry’s Hayden Harlan, girls high jump (4-08)
4th place — St. Henry’s Alyson Yuskewich, girls pole vault (7-06)
5th place — Beechwood’s girls 4×100 relay team of Avery Woolrdige, Sarah Gigliotti, Emma Smith and Olivia Schneider (53.11)
5th place — Bishop Brossart’s Larah Callahan, girls 800 meters (2:23.68)
5th place — Bishop Brossart’s Callie Ochsner, girls 3,200 meters (11:44.02)
5th place — Bishop Brossart’s Peyton Trauth, girls long jump (16-00)
5th place — Beechwood’s Dylan Topmiller, boys high jump (6-00)
6th place — Beechwood girls 4×800 relay team of Nora Wilke, Lupita Maldonado, Alex Reis and Lily Parke (10:38.02)
6th place — Beechwood’s Winter Wyant, girls 110-meter hurdles (16.79)
6th place — Newport Central Catholic boys 4×800 relay team of Grant Kevill, Ian Darnell, Harrison Rust and Colin Desmond (8:44.94)
6th place — Beechwood’s Nathan Pabst, boys 100 meters (11.25)
6th place — Villa Madonna’s Abigail Ford, girls 1,600 meters (5:34.92)
6th place — St. Henry’s Emmanuel Addison, boys 400 meters (52.51)
6th place — Newport Central Catholic’s Maggie West, girls 800 meters (2:28.17)
6th place — Newport Central Catholic’s Grant Kevill, boys 800 meters (2:03.22)
6th place — Villa Madonna’s Alex Chadwick, boys 3,200 meters (10:15.37)
6th place — Newport Central Catholic’s girls 4×400 relay team of Grace Mumper, Lucy Kennedy, Maggie West and Caroline Rust (4:24.21)
6th place — Bellevue’s Chloe Meyers, girls discus (112-06)
6th place — Beechwood’s Carson Eshelman, boys shot put (129-11)
6th place — Newport Central Catholic’s Jordyn Reckers, girls pole vault (7-00)
t-6th place — St. Henry’s Caleb Brockman, boys pole vault (10-00)
t-6th place — Newport Central Catholic’s Noah Meyers, boys pole vault (10-00)
7th place — Bishop Brossart’s girls 4×100 relay team of Peyton Trauth, Brooke Lehman, Emma Ritter and Mackinley Scott (53.43)
7th place — Bishop Brossart’s Audrey Bevan, girls 400 meters (1:02.72)
7th place — Beechwood’s Anderson Durrett, boys 400 meters (53.20)
7th place — Walton-Verona’s Josie Hotlzapple, girls 300-meter hurdles (50.12)
7th place — Bishop Brossart’s Logan Blau, boys 300-meter hurdles (43.60)
7th place — Bishop Brossart’s Adam Tarvin, boys 800 meters (2:03.43)
7th place — Villa Madonna’s Jasmine Cozmanciu, girls 3,200 meters (11:54.91)
7th place — Walton-Verona’s Ava Kendall, girls discus (109-09)
7th place — Ludlow’s Andre Englemon, boys high jump (5-10)
7th place — St. Henry’s Korra Zimmer, girls pole vault (7-00)
8th place — Villa Madonna girls 4×800 relay team of Norie Barker, Emily Barker, Abigail Ford and Jazmine Cozmanciuc (10:49.36)
8th place — Holy Cross’ Morgan MacDonald, girls 100 meters (13.24)
8th place — Villa Madonna’s Jasmine Cozmanciu, girls 1,600 meters (5:35.63)
8th place — Beechwood’s Charlie Skeen, boys 1,600 meters (4:43.01)
8th place — Beechwood’s Winter Wyant, girls 300-meter hurdles (51.04)
8th place — St. Henry’s Korra Zimmer, girls triple jump (31-5.5)
8th place — Ludlow’s Nicholi Abbott, boys triple jump (40-04)
For full results, visit here