A year ago, just making it to the girls track and field state finals might have been enough to satisfy Shelby Wingler. Now that she knows what she’s capable of on the big stage, though, the Center Grove junior wants more.
If her performance during Tuesday night’s Franklin Regional is any indication, there’s nothing that isn’t within her reach.
Wingler played a leading role in Center Grove’s second straight regional championship, taking the shot put with a meet-record heave of 46 feet, 10 3/4 inches to complement her earlier victory in the discus (142-1).
She’s hoping to turn in another gold-medal performance next Friday at Indiana University.
“It’s definitely big going into state,” Wingler said of her regional effort. “It makes me feel more confident in competing for the title and putting me in a really good position. Last year in the discus, I was seeded in the first flight, which mentally was a really big challenge, so now I get to go in and do what I know how to do.”
Wingler will have plenty of company from her fellow Trojans, who rolled to the team title with 116.5 points — well ahead of runner-up Columbus North (67).
Madi Kramer continued her winning ways in the 100-meter hurdles for Center Grove, finishing first in 14.76 seconds. She also finished second in the 200 meters (25.34) and ran on the Trojans’ 4×100 relay along with Alana Riley, Kristen Lavergne and Skyler Sichting; that group placed second (49.34).
Kate Henselmeier won the 400 meters (57.86) and joined Hallie Mimbela, Marissa Pogue and Bella Hodges on the second-place 4×400 relay. Hodges also qualified for state in the 800, finishing second (2:16.63).
The Trojans’ 4×800 relay team of Lara Phipps, Mimbela, Pogue and Diana Hodges also placed second (9:44.78). Suhk Chahal (third in high jump) and Khloie Walker (third in pole vault) also punched individual state tickets.
Franklin was fifth in the team standings with 50 points, followed closely by Whiteland (44) and Greenwood (33).
The Grizzly Cubs’ Brooke Coffman claimed a surprise victory in the 300 hurdles, hitting the line in a school-record time of 46.37 seconds, and collaborated with Olivia Nicoloff, Ainsley Botkin and Lauren Klem to win the 4×400 and set another school standard (4:04.04).
“I was seeded seventh in the 300 hurdles, and I don’t know what came over me,” Coffman said. “That was pretty awesome, especially since last year I broke my pelvis during the 300 hurdles. … The 4×400, I just knew I had to get out there and do it too.”
Morgan Sandrock finished third in the high jump for the Grizzly Cubs and Aubrey Runyon was third in the 100 hurdles.
The Woodmen got first-place finishes from Ellie Irwin in the high jump (5-7) and Amy Luttrell in the pole vault (11-6).
“I started out a little slow,” said Luttrell, whose previous best was 11-3, “A little nervous at the start; had to take my breathing down and really get focused, but I got the hang of it as it went on.”
Makena Cruse was second in the 400 (58.23) for the Woodmen. Emma Gardner also earned a trip to Bloomington, reaching the state standard in the discus (127-1).
For Whiteland, Sydney Rodgers was second in the 100 meters (12.60 seconds). Drew Mallory finished third in the shot put and also reached the state standard in the discus (127-2). Brooklyn Taylor hit the state standard to move on in the shot (40-10 1/2).
Indian Creek advanced to state in the 4×800 relay; the quartet of Hannah Seitzinger, Paige Iaria, Phoebe Dowty and Samuela Grosso placed third in 9:49.14.
