Takeaways from Tuesday's girls track and field sectional in Mt. Vernon

Treasure Washington
Evansville Courier & Press

MT. VERNON, Ind. — As Castle coach Jake Bennett simply put, it was a great time to be a Knight.

Just days after the boys won a Southern Indiana Athletic Conference title in track field, the Knights' girls won a sectional championship of their own.

"We're just really excited," Bennett said. "We have a group of strong senior leadership at the top. And the core of our team (are our) freshmen and sophomores. You kind of don't know what to expect when you have the youth, but we're excited about their potential and they just performed great tonight."

One sophomore, in particular, is Amaya Royal, who recently defended her conference title in the 100-meter dash at the sectional round. The race was tight between her, North's Jaidn Green and Reitz's Taylor Johnson. But Royal was able to break out into celebration at the end.

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The first handoff of the 4x800 meter relay during the 2during the 2022 IHSAA Girls Track and Field sectional 32 meet at Mount Vernon High School Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

"I felt pretty good," she said. "I knew there was going to be strong competition out here, but I knew if I just ran my race that I could pull through with the finish."

As a senior, Sydnee Skinner was excited about her team's win.

The Knights have been within the top five as a team in the last three sectionals, but they consistently finished behind Memorial, who won those titles. The Tigers ended up taking third place this year at Mt. Vernon.

"Everybody kind of really pushed and we knew where we were at with North and Memorial," Skinner said. "And so pushing and getting there felt really good."

Bennett added: "(Sydnee) is just a leader by example. She has a great personality. She's first to motivate the younger girls and incorporate them and just be a leader. She's just kind of the real leadership that we need from the few seniors that we have."

Bosse’s Alexia Smith runs in the 400 meter dash during the 2022 IHSAA Girls Track and Field sectional 32 meet at Mount Vernon High School Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Smith took first in the event with a time of 56.78 seconds.

Bosse's Alexia Smith breaks a sectional record

There is constant talk of Smith being one of the best track and field athletes in the state.

The junior as well as her coach, Jennifer Martin, would agree.

Smith didn't know initially she broke a sectional record in the 400-meter dash. It took a while for the Mt. Vernon public address announcer to reveal the result. But even with her record-breaking time of 57.31 seconds, Smith said she could be faster.

"I was a little disappointed with the time," she said. "But a record's a record. My name is in the paper now. So that's good."

In addition to Smith's win in the 400, she won titles in the 200 and long jump. With a distance of 18 feet even in the long jump, Smith nearly broke another sectional record.

"The records are absolutely something that we love to go for," Martin said. "She is jumping well and running well. So that's the goal. Keep running well and keep doing well. And if we're able to break some records, then that's what we'll do."

Memorial’s Jacqueline Brasseale races to the finish line to take first in the 1600 meter run during the 2022 IHSAA Girls Track and Field sectional 32 meet at Mount Vernon High School Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

Memorial's Jacqueline Brasseale wins multiple distance titles

The Tigers' senior continues to be a force and show out for her team.

While Memorial didn't four-peat as sectional champions, Brasseale was once again a winner in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.

The Tigers also were sectional champs in the 4x800-meter relay. Brasseale credits the hard work of her teammates for a successful meet.

"This is such a fun meet," Brasseale said. "I felt like my teammates did amazing, and it was a beautiful night to compete."

Memorial coach Brandon Artis mentioned the resiliency of Brasseale as she goes into her final meets.

"She works hard and does what she's supposed to do," Artis said. "She's always just a light for our team and she's always doing the right thing."

Runners compete in the 100 meter hurdles during the 2022 IHSAA Girls Track and Field sectional 32 meet at Mount Vernon High School Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

Harrison's Madison Farmer continues to show out in final season

Another senior who will be missed in the Evansville area is Harrison's Madison Farmer.

Back when she was a freshman for the Warriors, Farmer placed outside the top-five in shot put and discus throw. Now, she consistently wins both events. She won another sectional title in shot put and placed within the top three in discus.

Farmer learned a lot from her freshman season to now.

"(I just) make sure that I put the work in and listen to my coaches and listen to my teammates that have helped me along the way," she said.

For Harrison coach Matt Barker, winning sectional titles is not enough for Farmer. After coming up short in qualifying for shot put and discus at state last season, the goal for Farmer is to make it to Bloomington in her senior season.

"It's been a pretty good year for her," he said. "She broke the school record last year (at sectional) and she continued to add to the school record this year. We're close (to state), but we just need to be a little better at regionals so she can get out there and experience (that)."

Kyrhea Heyward, who was a City champion in the 100-meter hurdles, won the event again.

"She's come a long way also," Barker said. "(She was) a girl coming out of middle school that was four-stepping the entire way. And the she's really brought her hurdle form around to where she's three-stepping the whole way. We're looking forward to seeing her next season as a senior."

Courier & Press sports reporter Treasure Washington can be reached via her email, treasure.washington@courierpress.com, and on Twitter @Twashington490.

MT. VERNON GIRLS TRACK SECTIONAL

Team: Castle 83, North 82, Memorial 79, Reitz 77, Signature 52, Mater Dei 49, Boonville 42, Bosse 41, Mt. Vernon 41, Harrison 35, Central 27, North Posey 11, Day School 1

Individual winners

100: Amaya Royal (Castle) 12.60

200: Alexia Smith (Bosse) 25.53

400: Alexia Smith (Bosse) 57.31*

800: Kaden Leverenz (Signature) 2:26.48

1,600: Jacqueline Brasseale (Memorial) 5:17.25

3,200: Jacqueline Brasseale (Memorial) 11:34.70

100 hurdles: Kyrhea Heyward (Harrison) 16.75

300 hurdles: Natalie Brumley (Mater Dei) 49.19

4x100 relay: North 50.35

4x400 relay: Reitz 4:11.72

4x800 relay: Memorial 10:30.90

High jump: Lyndsey Gentil (North Posey) 5-02

Pole vault: Hallie Fecteau (North) 9-06

Long jump: Alexia Smith (Bosse) 18-0

Shot put: Madison Farmer (Harrison) 38-04.50

Discus: Hannah West (Mt. Vernon) 115-06.50

*-new meet record