By RICHIE HALL
LAFAYETTE – Lafayette Jefferson’s Scheumann Stadium heard something last night that no one had ever heard before: The cheers of a Noblesville girls track and field team after winning a regional title.
The Millers made history Tuesday night by winning their first-ever regional championship. Noblesville had been keeping pace with defending champion Hamilton Southeastern and Carmel through the night, then pulled ahead once the results of the high jump and pole vault came in.
The Millers had the most event wins of the night with four. But it was truly a team effort for Noblesville, as a happy first-year coach Jim Pearce pointed out.
“We just did well all night,” said Pearce. “We’ve just been talking about staying relaxed the whole time and just being a team and doing things for the team. We had so many kids that scored small points in here. We had kids in seventh, sixth place scoring points. That’s what it takes and we’re really trying to build that team part.”
Leading the way for Noblesville was junior Kiana Siefert. She swept both hurdles events, winning the 100 hurdles in 15.09 seconds and the 300 hurdles in a new Millers school record time of 45.21 seconds. Siefert also placed second in the long jump with a best effort of 18 feet, 2.75 inches.
“I’m happy with it,” said Siefert. “That was my new PR and school record, so that was super exciting. I’m hoping that I can get to mid 18s by state and just do even better.”
Siefert qualified for the state meet in all three events, as the top three finishers in each event advance to state, which takes place next Saturday, June 5 at Ben Davis. Noblesville had seven state qualifiers, including two in the high jump. Rylee Hassan won while Malina Miller placed second. Both sophomores cleared 5 feet, 5 inches; Hassan won on misses.
“I’m so excited,” said Hassan. “At first I wasn’t really confident in myself, but then I got the energy and I was super excited when I cleared 5-5, and going on to 5-6, I thought I was really close. And I can’t wait to go to state.”
“It feels so good,” said Miller. “I’ve been wanting this for a while and I thought I was going to get it last year, but obviously things got cut a little short. But I’m glad to be going this year.”
Freshman Hannah Alexander won the discus with a winning throw of 127 feet, 5 inches. Senior Parker Davis placed second in a loaded pole vault by clearing 11 feet, 9 inches. The top five athletes in the pole vault all made at least the state standard of 11 feet, 3 inches and will all go to state.
Hamilton Southeastern placed second with 66 points. The Royals had one event win, but it was a big one: Senior Halle Hill won another battle with Hamilton Heights’ Maria Mitchell in the 1600 run. Hill finished in a time of 4:52.72, a new regional record. She also placed second in the 3200 to advance to state in both events.
“I think I ran really well,” said Hill. “That was a PR and a school record. I’m really happy with my time, just because my past few 1600s, I haven’t necessarily taken out fast, so I’m happy that I could close fast and start it off fast, too.”
Southeastern finished with six state qualifiers. Ally Elsbury was second in the 100 hurdles. Regan Wans placed third in the 400 dash, then joined Alyssa Barker, Annice McFarland and Madisyn Etheredge to place second in the 4×400 relay. The Royals also took third in the 4×800 relay, with Olivia Brown, Grace Newton, Maggie Powers and Allie Latta running in that race.
Carmel took third as a team with 62 points. The Greyhounds had two event wins, and the 4×800 relay was the first one. Annie Christie, Jasmine Klopstad, Mahalet Zeruesenay and Abbey Grogan won that race in 9:18.82, well below the state standard of 9:24.45.
That was just the start of a great night for Christie. The senior placed third in the 1600 run, then ran away with the 3200 in a new regional record time of 10:35.17.
“I felt pretty good,” said Christie. “I was definitely tired because I ran two races before it, so I could definitely feel those two races. I felt good for the circumstances.”
Carmel had a total of six qualifiers for state. Cara Naas also made it in the 3200 by finishing third. Tristan Barr placed fourth in the pole vault, but made the state standard of 11-3 to qualify. Carmel’s 4×400 relay of Ellie Marsella, Claire Swigart, Zeruesenay and Grogan also placed third.
Fishers finished fifth with 51 points. The Tigers won three events, starting with Ella Scally. The junior took care of business in the dashes, winning the 100 in 12.30 seconds. She also was first in the 200 in 25.04 seconds, edging out Avon’s Alana Springer by 0.02 seconds.
Senior Alison Casey placed first in the pole vault, with an effort of 12 feet, 3 inches.
“I think I did pretty good,” said Casey. “I definitely think I can do a lot better. There’s still a few more things that I can work on, which is a good thing. But overall, I think it went pretty well.”
The Tigers also got two relays out to state, as both finished second: The 4×800 relay team of Vera Schafer, Megan Mybeck, Anna Runion and Elizabeth Barrett, and the 4×100 relay team of Myah Donaldson, Maya Taylor, Scally and Genesis Bowers.
Westfield was eighth as a team and had two state qualifiers. Freshman Lucy Hauser placed second int eh 300 hurdles, while Princess Campbell took third in the 100 dash.
Hamilton Heights had three qualifiers. Mitchell advanced after placing second in both the 1600 and 800 runs, while Kelsey Smith took third in the high jump.
Guerin Catholic had two sixth place finishers: Bridget Gallagher in the 3200 and Alyssa Chang in the pole vault. University’s Abby Hannon took ninth in the discus.
Team scores: Noblesville 77, Hamilton Southeastern 66, Carmel 62, Zionsville 54, Fishers 51, Harrison 50, Brownsburg 39, Westfield 34, Plainfield 28, Lebanon 25, Hamilton Heights 23, Mooresville 18, Benton Central 17, Avon 15, McCutcheon 13, West Lafayette 12, Lafayette Jefferson 7, Guerin Catholic 6, North White 6, Cascade 5, Carroll 4, Tri-County 3, Faith Christian 2, Danville 2, Monrovia 2, Seeger 1, Western Boone 1, Clinton Prairie 1.
4×800 relay: 1. Carmel (Annie Christie, Jasmine Klopstad, Mahalet Zeruesenay, Abbey Grogan) 9:18.92, 2. Fishers (Vera Schafer, Megan Mybeck, Anna Runion, Elizabeth Barrett) 9:30.34, 3. Southeastern (Olivia Brown, Grace Newton, Maggie Powers, Allie Latta) 9:32.18, 4. Noblesville (Paige Hazelrigg, Mya McGavic, DeLaney Boles, Summer Rempe) 9:33.65, 10. Westfield (Lizzie Hirschfield, Julia Clark, Margaret Barnett, Ashley Baldwin) 10:00.10, 12. Guerin Catholic (Allison Wozniak, Sophia Woods, Macy Lips, Rosie Barrett) 10:19.04.
100 hurdles: 1. Kiana Siefert (N) 15.09, 2. Ally Elsbury (HSE) 15.20, 4. Makenzie Loftin (HSE) 15.77. Prelims – 10. Ella Ewing (HH) 17.19, 11. Sophia Sullian (C) 17.38.
100 dash: 1. Ella Scally (F) 12.30, 3. Princess Campbell (W) 12.62, 7. D’Ahni Branch (C) 13.18. Prelims – 12. Emersen Jennings (GC) 13.44, 13. Lydia Powers (HSE) 13.53.
1600 run: 1. Halle Hill (HSE) 4:52.72, new regional record, 2. Maria Mitchell (HH) 4:53.65, 3. Christie (C) 4:55.02, 4. Alivia Romaniuk (C) 5:10.62, 6. Sophie Porter (W) 5:25.26, 9. Newton (HSE) 5:33.91.
4×100 relay: 2. Fishers (Myah Donaldson, Maya Taylor, Scally, Genesis Bowers) 48.31, 4. Westfield (Kierstyn Ballard, Lucy Hauser, Jadeyn Hammes, Campbell) 48.86, 7. Southeastern (Jadyn Durden, Alyssa Barker, Jocelyn Davis, Daniela Rios-Rojas) 49.89, 9. Noblesville (Olivia Boe, Siefert, Maddie Coates, Jenna Chatterton) 49.98, 10. Guerin Catholic (Kennedy Eloms, Mia Chang, Jennings, Emma Bock) 50.24.
400 dash: 3. Regan Wans (HSE) 58.82, 6. Abbey Grogan (C) 59.80, 8. Barker (HSE) 1:00.18, 9. Boles (N) 1:00.60, 10. Cambell Wamsley (C) 1:00.96, 13. Joelle Klavon (GC) 1:03.42.
300 hurdles: 1. Siefert (N) 45.21, 2. Hauser (W) 46.11, 7. Loftin (HSE) 47.90, 10. Reagan VanDermark (C) 48.25, 11. Ava Sinex (C) 48.69, 13. Reagan Wilson (N) 49.02.
800 run: 2. Mitchell (HH) 2:16.47, 4. Klopstad (C) 2:18.87, 7. Rempe (N) 2:20.94, 8. Latta (HSE) 2:20.97, 9. Brown (HSE) 2:21.39, 10. Jamie Klavon (C) 2:24.73.
200 dash: 1. Scally (F) 25.04, 7. Davis (HSE) 26.86. Prelims – 11. Chatterton (N) 27.15, 12. Ashlyn Guerrant (C) 27.52.
3200 run: 1. Christie (C) 10:35.17, new regional record, 2. Hill (HSE) 10:59.24, 3. Cara Naas (C) 11:06.49, 4. Barrett (F) 11:08.71, 6. Bridget Gallagher (GC) 11:25.83, 7. Hazelrigg (N) 11:44.88, 8. Powers (HSE) 11:48.46.
4×400 relay: 2. Southeastern (Barker, Annice McFarland, Madisyn Etheredge, Wans) 3:58.16, 3. Carmel (Ellie Marsella, Claire Swigart, Zeruesenay, Grogan) 3:59.40, 6. Noblesville (Boles, Wilson, Elana Chatterton, J. Chatterton) 4:05.21, 8. Heights (Camryn Runner, Kelsey Smith, Victoria Lopez, Mitchell) 4:06.11.
Long jump: 2. Siefert (N) 18-2.75, 4. Sydney Black (W) 17-1.5, 5. Jehnea Mirro (HSE) 16-7.75, 9. Megan Feltner (N) 16-1.5, 11. Hannah Debusk (HSE) 15-8.5, T12. Ewing (HH) 15-6.75.
High jump: 1. Rylee Hassan (N) 5-5, 2. Malina Miller (N) 5-5, 3. Smith (HH) 5-5, 8. Etheredge (HSE) 5-0, 9. Elsbury (HSE) 5-0.
Discus: 1. Hannah Alexander (N) 127-5, 5. Alli McEvoy (W) 119-9, 8. Marina Alphin (HSE) 110-0, 9. Abby Hannon (University) 103-11, 11. Olivia Norris (F) 100-0.
Shot put: 5. Taylor Reagor (C) 39-5.75, 8. McEvoy (W) 37-3.25, 11. Rosiebella Fiabema (HSE) 36-1, 13. Grace Carroll (F) 34-10.25.
Pole vault: 1. Alison Casey (F) 12-3, 2. Parker Davis (N) 11-9, 4. Tristan Barr (C) 11-3, 6. Alyssa Chang (GC) 11-0, 8. Ballard (W) 10-6.