By Ian Hayes ’16, Contributor
Both Boys’ and Girls’ track teams were district champions and sent large contingents to the regional meet in Piqua, Ohio this weekend, where juniors Shelley Menifee and Paige Bennett along with senior Brian Burnett and both the boys’ and girls’ 4X100 relay teams all qualified for the state meet next weekend in Columbus.
In Piqua yesterday, Shelley Menifee finished second in the 300-meter hurdles and third in the 100 meters. Paige Bennett finished third in the 1600 meters. The girls’ 4X100 relay team of Shelley and Sydney Menifee ’14, Kaitlin Harden ’15 and Haven Watson ’16 finished third. Brian Burnett finished fourth in the 100 meters and the boys’ 4X100 relay team of Burnett along with fellow senior co-captain Trent Babb, junior Carter McMaster and freshman Darryn Jordan finished second. All of these athletes will compete at the state championship next weekend.
It has been an incredible year for both teams.
The Indians excelled this season under the leadership of Shelley and Sydney Menifee and Paige Bennett, and won both MVC and district titles under seasoned coach Steve Conner, MVC Coach of the Year. These titles of the 2013 season mark the 22nd district title (four in the past five years) and the 30th MVC championship for the girls’ track team.
The boy’s track team has also had quite a season under the incredible leadership of senior captains Trent Babb, Brian Burnett, and Edwin Sam! Head coach Howard Brownstein led the squad to its second consecutive district title. The team excelled in the sprints and relays to earn a spot on the podium as a team. This weekend, the squad sent an astounding twelve athletes to the regional meet. Here’s a recap of both teams’ performances this year.
Boys’ Track
The 2013 boys’ track team started out their season with a fantastic showing at the Country Day Invitational. The boys finished first place in 11 events and swept the meet. The squadron carried their momentum two weeks later into the Reading Invitational, receiving top finishes in all four relays as well as in seven other events. But the team would not stop there with the accumulating accolades. At the Mariemont Invitational seniors Sam and Burnett out-competed athletes from 18 schools to earn first place in the 110m hurdles (15.00) and 100m dash (10.99) respectively. The team also took gold in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays. The team finished off the regular season narrowly missing the MVC championship by two points, finishing second to North College Hill with first place finishes from Mantero Moreno Cheek ’15 in the shot put and Sam in the 110m hurdles.
At the Division III District Meet, hosted by New Richmond High School, the boys blew away the competition and took the top spot on the podium, sealing the deal on their second consecutive district title with a whopping 120 points. In track, the top four finishers from the district continue on to compete at the regional meet. The 2013 Boys’ Track squad is sending an astounding twelve athletes to the regional meet in Piqua, Ohio. Under the leadership of Burnett and Babb, both the 4×100 and 4×200 relays won first place and qualified for the regional meet with members Carter McMaster ’14 and Darryn Jordan ’16. Babb also qualified for the district meet in the 4×400 relay (with Davis McMaster ’16, Carter McMaster, and Cooper Ebersbach ’16) as well as with a first place finish in the high jump. Burnett finished second in the 100m with Jordan in a close third, both qualifying for regionals. Burnett also finished first in the 200m and Carter McMaster came in fourth, both qualifying yet again for the regional meet. Ebersbach qualified in the 800m for the regional meet. Sam, with a first place finish in the 110m hurdles, is offered a chance at redemption and a possible trip to the state meet after a disappointing fall last year in the regional finals. Also qualifying for the regional meet was the 4×800 relay team of Ebersbach, Davis McMaster, Ishan Ghildyal ’14, and Nate Gibson ’15. In the field events, Moreno-Cheek qualified for regionals with a fourth place finish in the shot put, while Alex Warner ’15 and Ian Hayes ’16 did the same in the pole vault, with finishes of second and third respectively. The team looks forward to an amazing 2014 season with several outstanding underclassmen already on the roster and well as experienced juniors (rising seniors).
Girls’ Track
The success for this young track squad started early in the season at the Cincinnati Coaches Classic. Junior Shelley Menifee led the 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams to first place among top D II and D III schools in the area. Shelley also won the 300m hurdles and junior Paige Bennett took first in the 800m run, followed by sophomore Kaitlin Harden in second .
Later at the Anderson Invitational Shelley Menifee broke two school records in the 100m and 200m dashes. With a time of 12.3 seconds, she broke current assistant coach Brittany Wood’s record of 12.5 seconds, which was set in 2002. Shelley Menifee also anchored the 4×100 relay (Harden, Haven Watson ‘16, Sydney Menifee ’15) which placed fifth, won the 300m hurdles, and she was later named Female Runner of the Meet. Bennett also won the 800m dash and narrowly missed setting the school record. The girls overall finished fifth and established themselves from the get-go.
The girls’ squad also had a very strong showing at the Mariemont Invitational. The girls finished second in the meet after setting two meet records and winning gold in four events. The 4×100 team consisting of Shelley and Sydney Menifee, Moriah Boyd ’15, and Watson set a meet record with a time of 51.43. Shelley Menifee also set the meet record in the 300m hurdles, while Bennett won both the 800m and 1600m events.
The girls topped off the regular season with a remarkable win in the MVC Championships. With 142 points the Indians took home the trophy and one school record, with Bennett breaking the school record in the 1600m with a time 5:10.49 in a photo finish of second place. Shelley Menifee also won both the 300m hurdles and 100m dash.
At the Division III track meet, the Indians took home the trophy with a 108 point victory over Williamsburg. Shelley Menifee qualified for regionals winning the 300m hurdles and setting a district record. She also finished third in the 200m and helped to lead her 4×100 team to second, qualifying in both for regionals. Other members of the 4×100 relay team are Sydney Menifee, Harden, and Watson. Both Shelley and Sydney Menifee qualified for regionals in the 100m, finishing in first and fourth respectively. Harden and Bennett qualified for regionals in the 800m run with finishes of first and second respectively. Bennett also qualified in the 1600m with a first place finish. The girls 4×200 team (Kelsey Zimmers ‘14, Boyd, Watson, Sydney Menifee) and 4×400 (Harden, Bennett, Boyd, Zimmers) relay teams also finished in the top four and earned a trip Piqua, OH for the regional meet. In the field events Kira Hughes ’15 and Abby Bryant ’16 finished second and fourth in the pole vault respectively, also qualifying for regionals. The Indians look forward to continued success next year with rising and experienced seniors as well as several underclassmen with varsity experience under their belts.
