RANDY HISNER
WZBD.com
Note: Our coverage of the IHSAA Track & Field tournament series was only made possible because of the generous support of the following businesses: DDD Maintenance & Repair, Fleming Properties, IronClad Metal Worx, Landis Farm Drainage, Glaser & Ebbs, Miz Lehman Auction & Realty, Miller Land Surveying, Miller Supply in Decatur and Two Brothers Bar & Restaurant.
Bellmont’s Hailey Cole capped off her brilliant high school athletic career with a seventh-place finish Friday at the IHSAA Girls’ State Track and Field Meet at Indiana University.
It’s a pretty safe bet that Cole was the only shot putter on the medal podium—and likely the only thrower in the field—in her first year of track and field competition.
The three-sport star enjoyed the experience. “I am super grateful that I even had the chance to be able to participate today let alone place at the state meet in my first year of track,” she said. “Wish I would have beat my PR, but I’m very happy with my performance.”
Cole’s toss of 43-5 was the second-best of her season and only two inches from her regional-winning effort last week.
She delivered the big throw under a lot of pressure. In the trials, she fouled on her first attempt, and her second went 41-5.25, a good effort but not far enough to guarantee a spot in the finals. (Ten qualify for the finals, and ten in the field had thrown over 42 feet in the regional.)
But on her third and final throw in the trials she came through with the 43-5, which turned out to be her best of the day and enough to earn her medal.
The two other Z-Landers in the shot put competition—Heritage seniors Maya Gerber and Madilyn Scheumann—did not reach the finals, but Scheumann, seeded 16th, came close, finishing 12th with a huge PR of 40-6.75. Her previous best was 39-6.25, set last week in the Carroll Regional.
“If I had one goal today it was to touch 40,” said Scheumann, “and I met that, so I’m super ecstatic about it. I could definitely feel the adrenaline rush down my body as I was getting ready to step into the ring and throw, but it’s a good feeling.”
“She told me yesterday, oddly enough, that she just couldn’t do it,” said a smiling Heritage throws coach Jason Habisch of Scheumann’s quest for 40 feet. “I like it when they push through those challenges and have those kinds of performances.”
Gerber placed 19th at 37-11.5. She also placed 22nd in the discus with a throw of 116-08.
Bloomington North’s Hadley Lucas, the top-ranked high school shot putter in the nation, won the competition with a state-record 51-11. Emarie Jackson of Greensburg was runner-up at 48-9.
The University of Wisconsin-bound Lucas set the discus record too, winning that event by over 17 feet with her 169-6. Jackson took second there also.
Third-ranked Warren Central won the team title with 57.5 points. Bloomington North was second with 41, top-ranked Hamilton Southeastern third with 29. Carroll, fourth with 26 points, was the top area team. The Chargers won the 4X100 relay in 47.46. The only other winner from the Carroll Regional was Concordia’s 4X800 relay team, which ran 9:00.52.
Delta senior Nicki Southerland was a double winner, taking the 800 meters in 2:06.5 and the 1600 meters in 4:41.98.
Shot putter Logan Teichman of Heritage will represent Z-Land Saturday in the boys’ finals, also at Indiana University. Field events start at 3:00 P.M.