Franklin’s Lauren Klem and Whiteland’s Tori Jackson jockey for position in the 1,600-meter run during Tuesday’s Mid-State Conference meet.
Sam Findley | For the Daily Journal
The Whiteland girls track and field team had experienced its share of disappointments while trying to regain conference supremacy for the first time since 2012.
On Tuesday, the Warriors finished the job.
By accumulating 142 points, coach Brandon Bangel’s team won the Mid-State Conference championship meet at Whiteland. Plainfield placed second with 135 points, followed by Franklin and Mooresville.
Bangel, whose 2021 squad was two points shy of the title, couldn’t praise his athletes enough.
“You look across at almost all the events and we outscored where we were seeded,” Bangel said. “The girls have been phenomenal. If you would have told me going into this year we would have a chance to win the conference, I would have said no way.
“Our girls really showed up and competed at a high level today.”
Warriors senior Drew Mallory certainly did, winning both the shot put and discus. She went 42-1 in the shot put and prevailed in the discus with her toss of 140-3.
Mallory claims not to have a preference between her two specialties.
“Honestly, it just depends on the day,” Mallory said, laughing. “I’ll have a good discus day and a bad shot put day, or I’ll have a good shot put day. This season has definitely had its ups and downs. I’ve had my highs, my lows.
“I’m definitely not where I want to be.”
Whiteland also won the 4×100 relay as the quartet of Sydney Rogers, Emma Gill, Brooklyn Franklin and Gabby Vargo produced a time of 51.33 to edge runner-up Martinsville. Bella Fuentes, a Whiteland freshman, rallied to claim the 3,200 in a time of 12:03.88.
Franklin junior Brooke Coffman won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.11 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 48.65. Coffman’s busy night also included finishing second in the high jump to Greenwood sophomore Ellie Irwin, who made it to 5-5.
Like all runners on Tuesday, Coffman had to run into the teeth of a stiff westerly wind the final 100 meters.
“It was a little tough, but not too bad. We’ve done it before,” Coffman said. “We haven’t had great weather this season. This was actually better weather.”
In the boys meet, fourth-ranked Plainfield lived up to its pre-meet billing, rolling up 172 points to easily outdistance runner-up Mooresville with 104. Perry Meridian secured third place, followed by Whiteland.
Greenwood, which finished sixth in the final team standings, swept the shot put and discus events in the form of seniors Dylan Mayhew and Brayden Gardner, respectively. Mayhew won with a top put of 55 feet, 10 inches, while Gardner uncorked a best of 146-1 to top his discus competitors.
Mayhew’s performance established a new personal best.
“I won last year, but I only threw like a 51,” Mayhew said. “The guy who came in third place (Tuesday), I lost to two weeks ago in the county meet. This past week, I’ve been preparing and fixing some little mistakes I had in my finish, and it all just came together.
“Before the season is over, I’m pushing for, like, a 58 because that would be a couple inches past our school record.”
Gardner, meanwhile, wasn’t able to duplicate or surpass his personal best of 154-8, set last week in a meet against Martinsville and Plainfield.
All the same, being a conference champion isn’t to be taken lightly.
“I really wanted to win conference this year, especially because I know a lot of these guys and are friends with them,” Gardner said. “It’s always good competition.”
