Published: May 07, 2008 12:16 am            

GIRLS' TRACK: New Albany captures HHC crown

NEW ALBANY — It seemed somehow appropriate for Election Night, as the Hoosier Hills Conference came together for a race that was too close to call most of the way.

In the end, host New Albany got the nod.

The Bulldogs overtook Columbus East midway through and held on, outscoring the second-place Olympians 123-115 to win the HHC girls’ track meet on Tuesday at Buerk Field.

“If you follow the seed sheets, it would have been close,” said New Albany coach Emily Hatton. “But we would not have won. I was pleasantly surprised.”

New Albany got its typical dominating performances from sophomore Hali Alexander — the champion in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles — and Carissa Martin, who dominated the 800 and 1,600.

“Hali stepped up,” Hatton said. “This was a great meet for her. She knew she’d have competition coming in and she sometimes gets nervous against that competition. But she stepped up and took it. Carissa had a phenomenal meet, which is the case anytime you sweep two events.”

But while Alexander and Martin are expected to place high, the Bulldogs got points from unexpected places, such as Danielle Hutchinson’s seventh-place finish in the 400 and Hannah Finchum’s fifth in the 300 hurdles. Both came out of the slower heats to claim points for the team.

“When you aren’t expected to get points, but you come out and score that’s just awesome,” Hatton said.

Hatton said the Bulldogs have had their struggles in the field events this season, but overcame that obstacle as well when Anjelica Groves and Jenise Wehmiller placed first and second in the long jump.

Mired in fourth place much of the evening, Jeffersonville passed Madison near the end to outscore the Cubs 95-91 for third place. They were followed by Seymour (67 1/2), Floyd Central (64), Bedford North Lawrence (53 1/2) and Jennings County (14).

While the victory gave New Albany a chance to build momentum for next week’s sectional at Corydon, Jeff managed to do the same by outscoring Madison, historically the Devils’ biggest competition in the sectional round.

The Devils got individual titles from Shanice Gholson, who blew away the field in the 100 and outdueled Floyd Central’s Meghan Jones in the 200, and from Andrea Newcom, who set a new HHC record in winning the pole vault.

“Overall, we did a pretty good job,” said Jeff coach Tom Kendall. “We’re very glad we beat Madison. Maybe we put it in their heads that they can’t beat us at sectionals.”

The biggest story for Jeff was overcoming the loss of two big sources of points. Brooklyn Kinnaird had a false start in the 100 — costing Jeff a chance to finish 1-2 in the event — and high jumper Austina Smith didn’t compete for undisclosed reasons.

Kinnaird still came back to finish third in the 200, and teamed with Gholson, Kaya Gallahar and Shar’licia Harbin to win the 400 relay.

“We knew it would end up with the top four schools battling it out,” Kendall said. “There wasn’t a big point spread and that’s pretty much how we thought it would play out.”

Floyd Central did not win an event, but got a second from Becky Kennedy in the 400 and a third from Kennedy in the 100. Nikki Roberts was third in both the 100 and 300 hurdles.

Still, with the team taking a victory lap on its own track, it was plain to see this was New Albany’s day after picking up its first HHC crown in seven years.

“This is definitely good momentum moving into sectionals,” Hatton said. “It’s been a long time since New Albany has won the conference.”



HOOSIER HILLS CONFERENCE MEET

GIRLS’ VARSITY

Team scores — New Albany 123, Columbus East 115, Jeffersonville 95, Madison 91, Seymour 67.5, Floyd Central 53.5, Jennings County 14.

100 hurdles — 1. Alexander (NA) 15.21, 2. Housel (CE), 3. Roberts (FC).

100 — 1. Gholson (JE) 12.49, 2. White (M), 3. Kennedy (FC).

1,600 — 1. Martin (NA) 5:15, 2. Stephan (M), 3. Schneckenberger (CE).

1,600 relay — 1. Columbus East 4:09, 2. New Albany, 3. Seymour.

200 — 1. Gholson (J) 26.64, 2. Jones (FC), 3. Kinnaird (J).

300 hurdles — 1. Alexander (NA) 46.32, 2. Housel (CE), 3. Roberts (FC).

3,200 — 1. Gillespie (BNL) 12:21, 2. Rairdon (NA), 3. Stephan (M).

3,200 relay — 1. Columbus East 9:50, 2. New Albany, 3. Jeffersonville.

400 — 1. Armstrong (CE) 59.34, 2. Kennedy (FC), 3. Moravec (S).

400 relay — 1. Jeffersonville 50.16, 2. Madison, 3. New Albany.

800 — 1. Martin (NA) 2:23, 2. Blackburn (J), 3. Grimes (M).

Discus — 1. Rollins (BNL) 106-02, 2. Lienhoop (CE), 3. Rickerson (M).

High jump — 1. Moravec (S) 5-0, 2. Lienhoop (CE), 3. Chilman (JC).

Long jump — 1. Groves (NA) 16-05, 2. Wehmiller (NA), 3. Davidson (S).

Pole vault — 1. Newcom (J) 10-06, 2. Rickerson (M), 3. Unger (S).

Shot put — 1. Rollins (BNL) 34-09, 2. Unger (S), 3. Welmer (CE).

        

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