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By Cindy Reilly
For The Jessamine Journal
The West Jessamine Lady Colts Track and Field team took the overall title at the Class 3A Region 7 meet in Somerset May 21.
“The girls have finished third overall the past two years, and we knew that we had a great shot to do something that no West Jessamine girls track team has done before,” said coach Jason Moncer.
The girls were led by stellar performances from their seniors Anna Hylen and Madi Hawley.
Hylen took first overall in four events: 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, high jump, and anchored the 1600 meter relay team to a season-best time of 4:14.58.
Madi Hawley was the lead leg for the 3200-meter relay that finished second overall, She also took second place in the 800-meter dash, and was the lead leg of the 1600-meter relay that took first place.
“Part of our strategy was to utilize our depth and not put too much burden on any one athlete,” Moncer said. “Seventeen out of 21 girls on the regional roster scored points for the team. The second part of that strategy was to have two athletes score points in every event; those points add up.”
The top two athletes in an event automatically qualify for the KHSAA state meet on Saturday at the UK Track & Field Complex.
They are:
3200-meter relay (second place) — Madi Hawley, Ava Miller, Kate Wilson, Esther Kratzer, (alternates Kiersten Stryker, Rebecca Dunlap)
100-meter hurdles — Anna Hylen (first place)
800-meter relay (second place) — Margaret Bellew, Caroline Absher, Ashleigh Teater, Ella Miller (alternates Sophie Jatau, Madi Hawley, Sienna Lyon-Baldwin, Sydney Corum).
300-meter hurdles — Anna Hylen (first place)
800-meter dash — Madi Hawley (second place)
1600 meter relay — Lillian Hodge, Anna Hylen, Ella Miller, Madi Hawley (alternates Caroline Absher, Margaret Bellew)
Pole vault — Lillian Hodge (second place), Abby Rexford (third place)
High jump — Anna Hylen (first Place), Ashton Wyatt (third place)
The WJHS boys track team had two qualifiers for state:
Laytham Mangham – 400-meter dash
John Sowers – 300-meter hurdles