Area track athletes rise to the top

FLATWOODS - Eastern Kentucky track and field athletes lived up to the billing in the annual Meet of Champions on Tuesday night.

Russell's boys and girls teams each won team titles with 123 points, while other individuals such as Ashland's Aris Rogers, Johnson Central's Andy Lewis and Fairview's Maddy Rymer delivered sparkling efforts at Henry R. Evans Stadium.

The meet format differs from others in that each school is limited to one entry per event.

Rogers won the high-point award in the boys division with 28. Maddie Roark of Russell led all girls by scoring 30.5.

Roark, a junior, continued her season-long area domination in both hurdle races. She also anchored Russell's winning 1,600-meter relay team and placed second in the high jump.

"Maddie had another awesome night,'' said Russell coach Angie Fultz. "We always put her as the anchor in the relay because she will run down whoever is in front of her.''

Russell's girls finished 12 points ahead of runner-up Mason County. Third-place Fairview scored 106, followed by Ashland's 86.

Fultz said she was pleasantly surprised by how Russell's girls fared while missing a key athlete.

Senior Rachel Conley filled in on the 1,600 relay, joining Sarah Hanson, Gabrielle Cassity and Roark.

Overall, Cassity and Hanson accounted for 22.5 points apiece to tie Fairview's Brooklyn Bowen for second on the girls' high-point list.

Cassity, a freshman, went 31 feet, 4 inches in the triple jump to edge Ashland's Ali Merritt by an inch and was runner-up in the high jump. Hanson captured the 200-meter dash in 22.79 seconds and placed second in the 100.

Fairview's Bowen swept the 1,600-meter run (5:42.09) and 3,200 meters (12:15.65).

For Russell's boys, Tanner Alexander ran a personal-best of 10:10.23 in the 3,200 meters.

"That was his goal, to go 10:10 or under,'' Fultz said.

Russell also won the 3,200 relay, 110-meter hurdles (Brad Gross) and 1,600 (Matt Collins).

"I'm proud of our boys and girls again,'' Fultz said. "Hopefully it will carry over to the conference meet (Friday at South Point) and regionals.''

Ashland's Rogers wouldn't change the last four days. He was named Prom King on Saturday and followed up with a big night of jumping at the Meet of Champions.

"I feel like a champion a little bit,'' Rogers said. "Twenty-eight points out of 30 is not bad.''

He won the high jump at 6 feet, 2 inches and set personal bests in the triple jump and long jump. Rogers broke 40 feet in the triple jump for the first time by sailing 40-6.25 for a victory.

"I just started doing that event this year,'' he said. "This is maybe the fourth of fifth time. It makes me feel good. Now I want to get to 41 feet, or 42.''

Rogers also set a new personal mark of 19-9.5 in the long jump to finish behind Greenup County's Dustin Linthicum, who went 20-0.5.

Johnson Central's Lewis, ranked No. 1 in 100-meter dash in Class 2A, flashed his speed by sweeping the 100 (11.06 seconds) and 200 (22.79). He has been clocked under 11 seconds this season.

"My goal is to go to college, keep improving make it to the Olympics,'' Lewis said.

He plans to sign today with Morehead State University.

"I'm hoping to be state champion in both events this year,'' Lewis said. "The faster the competition, the faster I go.''

Rymer, a seventh-grader at Fairview, came from behind to win a photo finish in the 800 meters.

"There were four of us together and I thought I was going to be stuck,'' Rymer said. "I was thinking that's not good. I got into second and then told myself I had to get first.''

Rymer's time of 2:34.36 sliced a few seconds off her previous best. She finished three-hundredths of a second ahead of Ashland's Mariah Carley.

"That was exciting,'' said Fairview coach Becca Stacey. "Maddy started coming along during the cross country season. "She has that hard work ethic.''

Rymer also joined teammates Julia Terrell, Kaitlin Bridges and Bowen to win the 1,600 relay in 10:35.88.

Boyd County's Shelby Kenser swept the girls' discus and shot put.

Ashland's Merritt won the pole vault to go along with her second place in the triple jump.