Greenwood’s Emma Gardner gets set to throw the shot put at last year’s state meet.
Daily Journal file photo
The math-themed stickers on Emma Gardner’s water bottle aren’t a random act of decoration.
A state finalist last season in the shot put and discus, the Greenwood junior desires to be up to speed on angles, rotations, acceleration and any other way she can integrate her favorite subject into competition.
It’s a tactic that has so far produced far more plusses than minuses.
“Emma dove into the science of it, the intricacies, and it’s been pretty cool to see,” Woodmen coach Blaine Williams said. “At practice, she works on fine-tuning a lot of the little things. Just the way that she studies throwing.”
Gardner is already a two-time state finalist, making to the Indiana University campus as a ninth-grader in the discus (placing 13th with a best toss of 119 feet). She returned last June in both the discus and the shot put but fell short of the awards podium.
Now regarded as an upperclassman, she hopes to medal not once, but twice, this season.
“I’m hoping to be down there again this season,” said Gardner, who’ll get her first taste of outdoor competition when Greenwood hosts a three-way meet against Roncalli and Mt. Vernon on April 2. “I’m hoping to be top five in both.”
Gardner achieved both of her career bests as a sophomore at the Bloomington North Invitational, airmailing the discus 130 feet, 1 inch and going 41-4 in the shot put. She wants to increase those distances this spring to 140 feet and between 44 and 45 feet, respectively.
Both of Gardner’s siblings are familiar with the shot put and discus facilities at Greenwood. Her brother, Brayden, a 2022 graduate, was a thrower, as is younger sister Mya, a sophomore on the Woodmen girls squad this season.
“I’ve been doing track since sixth grade. My brother was a thrower, so it’s something I’ve always just been around,” Emma said. “Mya and I are 13 months apart. I would say it makes us close, and it pushes us because when she gets better, I get better.
“I don’t want her to catch me.”
Gardner, who averaged 6.5 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds as a starting forward for the Woodmen in girls basketball this winter, could soon be in line to do some catching of her own.
“Emma also has her sights set on breaking both of Emily Bonser’s school records,” Williams said. “She came so close last year in discus, only 5 inches off, and she’s about a foot and a half away in the shot put.
“It would be a weight off her shoulders, I think, and allow her to cross that goal off her list that she’s had since her freshman year and just focus on getting better in practice every day and peaking at tournament time.”
With former Center Grove thrower Shelby Wingler now at Kentucky and Whiteland graduate Brooklyn Taylor at Ball State, the stage is set for Gardner to be the chasee for the first time in her career.
Just refer to it as the new math.
“We definitely want to get back to the state meet again this year,” Williams said. “Emma has been there for each of her first two seasons, so we want to keep that streak going, obviously.”
SCOUTING THE COUNTY
Center Grove Trojans
Coach: Wes Dodson
Key returnees: Dee Biddings, Lilly Brunsman, Allison Cohen, Madi Kramer and Elizabeth Madden, seniors; Suhk Chahal, Rachel Graham, Diana Hodges, Hallie Mimbela, Marissa Pogue, Alana Riley, Hannah Smith, Emerson Vlcan and Khloie Walker, juniors; Luci Barile, Dayzia Clark, Channing Hazzard, Jessie Jasek, Annabelle Kemerling, Emma Lidy, Olivia O’Haver and Andra Veleta, sophomores
Top newcomers: Beatriz Gubert, sophomore; Gretchen Meisberger, Alexis O’Barr and Mackenzie Pierce, freshmen
Outlook: The Trojans, who reached new heights last June by placing fifth in the final team standings at the state meet, are excited to see what can be accomplished in the weeks ahead. Jasek, Kramer and Hazzard continue to battle back from injuries, but there is still no shortage of talent. Pogue was a state finalist in the 800. Hazzard and Riley were part of the state-qualifying 4×100 relay, Pogue and Mimbela in the 4×400 and Pogue, Mimbela and Hodges in the 4×800. Also back is Walker, a third-place state medalist in the pole vault; Smith also qualified for state in the same event.
Edinburgh Lancers
Coach: Jordan Bowman
Key returnees: Alanna Hobbs and Alix Streeval, seniors; Shyleigh Gobel, junior; Addison Crawhorn and Kenna Streeval, sophomores
Top newcomers: Bailey Nelson and Kyah Streeval, seniors; Mya Denton, freshman
Franklin Grizzly Cubs
Coach: Ray Lane
Key returnees: Emma Bertel, Lauren Klem, Hailey Stewart and Sydney Woodward, seniors; Ainsley Botkin, Kathleen Lacy, Hannah Lindsay and Aubrey Runyon, juniors; Sami Frazier, Addie Martin, Ava Ott and Hannah Stewart, sophomores
Top newcomers: Madi Chase and Gracie Price, freshmen
Outlook: The Grizzly Cubs graduated a sizable portion of their points potential but return state finalists Klem and Runyon, who’ll be counted on to lead this season’s squad. Klem took second at regional in the 1,600-meter run before going on to place 11th at state. Runyon established herself as one of the state’s premier hurdlers as a sophomore, finishing eighth at state in the 100s and also qualifying in the 300s after placing second at regional. Others potentially on the verge of a breakthrough season are regional qualifiers Botkin (sixth in the 400), Bertel (seventh in shot put), Frazier (eighth in the 200) and Lacy (ninth in the 1,600).
Greenwood Woodmen
Coach: Blaine Williams
Key returnees: Amy Luttrell, Danielle Suiters and Abby Willham, seniors; Makena Cruse, Olivia Ford, Emma Gardner and Ryann Marker, juniors; Addy Burcham, Marin Burton, Mya Gardner and Lily Rollings, sophomores
Top newcomers: Nataly Quintero, junior; Kate Hankins and Addison Lipp, freshmen
Outlook: The Woodmen feature plenty of returning talent in Emma Gardner, a state qualifier in the shot put and discus, and Luttrell, who was fifth at the state meet in the pole vault last June. Among those knocking at the door of an impressive postseason include Cruse, who took fourth at the Franklin Regional last year in the 400-meter dash. Meanwhile, Rollings gained valuable experience by placing fifth at regional in the 1,600 and sixth in the 3,200. Luttrell could also be poised to make it to state in the long jump (she was fifth at regional).
Greenwood Christian Cougars
Coach: Andre Dobson
Key returnees: Izzy Cameron and Carmine Mina, seniors; Danielle McLaughlin, Olivia Miller and Savannah Taulman, juniors; Kaylynn Tremblett, sophomore
Outlook: Led by Anderson University soccer recruit Cameron, the Cougars are on pace for good things this season. Cameron, the team captain, will participate in the 100, 200, 400 and sprint relays, while classmate Mina competes in sprints, long jump and relays. McLaughlin, last season’s team MVP as a soph, will run sprints and long jump. Miller is GCA’s top thrower, Taulman (long jump, sprints and relays) is back after missing last season due to injury and Tremblett is among the team’s most improved sprinters.
Indian Creek Braves
Coach: Brady Devine
Key returnees: Phoebe Dowty and Molly Margison, seniors; Brooke Ulerick and Alivia White, juniors; Savanna Chapman, Libby Dowty and Haylie Knight, sophomores
Top newcomers: Alaina Hughes and Maddie Rummel, freshmen
Outlook: Libby Dowty has a tough act to follow — her own — after winning the state cross country championship in the fall. She will be counted on in the distance events, as will Phoebe Dowty, now in her fourth season of varsity competition. The sisters comprised half of the Braves’ state-qualifying 4×800 relay, so, that too could be one of the team’s better events. Devine is also counting on Margison to produce points in sprints and jumps, while Rummel is going to benefit Indian Creek in sprints and hurdles. Senior Ella Taylor, a regional qualifier last spring in the 300 hurdles and high jump, is out due to a season-ending injury.
Whiteland Warriors
Coach: Brandon Bangel
Key returnees: Emma Gill, Tori Jackson and Sydney Rodgers, seniors; Maleah Bostoch, Addison Emberton and Marissa Kratowicz, juniors; Ashley Cooprider, Sophia Dyer, Elnora Stevenson and Carly VonDielingen, sophomores
Top newcomers: Claire Coryell, senior; Madison Fleury, sophomore; Annibelle Gilbert, freshman
Outlook: The Ball State-bound Jackson returns for her final season after finishing fourth in the 800 at the state meet as a junior. Stevenson, too, could be primed for a special season after taking seventh in the state in the long jump as a freshman, while Emberton was eighth at state in the discus and made it to regional in the 300 hurdles. Rodgers emerged last spring as one of the county’s top sprinters, placing fifth at regional in the 100-meter dash. Rodgers, Gill, Kratowicz and Stevenson all return after teaming to make it to state in the 4×100 relay.
