As the school year wraps up, so too do spring sports.
Kentucky high school track and field has seen a swath of record-breaking performances this year, but there are still two more chances for athletes to stamp their names in the history books.
With regional meets taking place May 12 through 21 and the state championships on May 29, 30 and 31, here are five talking points for the postseason.
Can Will Sheets end his high school career on top of the podium?
It’s hard to believe, but the University of Virginia commit has just one individual state title, winning the Class 3A 3,200-meter run in 2023.
When Covington Catholic reclassified to Class 2A, he finished second place to Thomas Nelson’s Riku Sugie at both 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters in 2024.
Looking to finish off a completely healthy senior season, Sheets has displayed previously unseen speed. He won the Class 2A indoor 3,200-meter title and has set new outdoor personal bests at 1,600 meters (4:07.48), one mile (4:07.23) and 3,000 meters (8:11.6). He also beat Sugie for the first time, edging him by two seconds at the Kentucky Dream Mile.
He will most likely compete in the 1,600-meter race at state, but may double with the 3,200-meter run. His contributions will also be a key factor as the Colonels look to stay undefeated in Class 2A. Since they reclassified before the 2023-2024 school, the Colonels have won every cross country, indoor track and outdoor track team title.
KHSAA Class 1A girls have an impressive team title streak
Class 1A, Region 4 has an impressive streak, not matched by any other region in the state. Northern Kentucky has won every small school girls team title since 2018.
In fact, Beechwood, Bishop Brossart, Newport Central Catholic and St. Henry have combined for 20 girls team titles since 2000.
Beechwood will aim for its third straight team title. The Tigers won by 13 points in 2024 and beat Bishop Brossart by 32 points in 2023.
Here’s how the Class 1A team trophy can stay in Northern Kentucky.
The Tigers have a few exceptional sprinters in Ruby Fries, Lana Holt and Caroline Nordman, and a deep distance roster that features multi-time state champion Lily Parke, Nora Wilke and Charli Gerrein. Beechwood will need to score points in the field events; the Tigers haven’t scored more than four points in that area each of the last two years. Chloe Kuebel has increased her shot put and discus marks all season. Winter Wyant was a long jump state placer last year.
Bishop Brossart could get 20 points from Ava Walters, who currently has the top ranking in the state in both the discus and shot put. Anna Curtsinger and Maria Everett are among the top pole vaulters in the state. Long jumper Peyton Trauth and high jumper Josie Golden could also score points. Lexi Braun, Hadley Eviston, Tessa Hafer, Kaitlyn Kramer and Zoey Woosley are the Mustangs’ top runners. Brossart has also won four straight regional titles.
St. Henry returns just three placers from last year’s state meet. Lizzie Casey took third place in the triple jump and seventh place in the long jump, Hayden Harlan was the high jump runner-up and Stella Flick took fourth place in the 300-meter hurdles and eighth place in the 100-meter hurdles. Gabby Pitsic, Ava Oleson and Kora Zimmer will also be valuable contributors in the postseason.
Luke Erdman, Charlie Ford headline Class 1A sprinting battle
Erdman had a memorable 2024. He set new personal bests in the 100-meter dash (10.77 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (22.02 seconds) to win two individual state championships. He then had 662 receiving yards and five interceptions on the football field to help Beechwood win the Class 2A state championship.
Ford led the Thoroughbreds with 448 receiving yards last fall. He has made the most of his senior track season, winning 16 of his 18 100- or 200-meter races. New personal bests of 10.87 seconds at 100 meters and 22.07 seconds at 200 meters rank him in the top three in the state.
Ford has won all three head-to-head matchups this season and figures to be the favorite for the regional titles. But at state, where the field is wider, anything can happen.
Walton-Verona sophomore Tyson Smith is also a name to watch. He’s the younger brother of Jackson Smith, who won two state titles in 2023. Tyson has personal bests of 11.26 seconds at 100 meters and 23.09 seconds at 200 meters.
Which field event athletes can repeat as state champions?
In addition to Ava Walters, here are a few more athletes who can add to their medal collection.
Dixie Heights’ Ari Carter won the Class 3A discus title as a freshman in dramatic fashion. Her final throw of 2024 cleared 122 feet, over a foot better than second place. Her new personal best of 124 feet, 6 inches ranks her second in Class 3A this season.
Simon Kenton sophomore Alexis Howard needed a tiebreaker to win the 2024 Class 3A long jump title. Howard and West Jessamine’s Aly Doyle both jumped 18 feet but Howard’s second farthest jump was one inch better than Doyle’s. Howard currently has the fifth-best long jump in 3A this season at 18 feet, 0.5 inches. She also ranks second in the triple jump (38 feet, 2.25 inches).
Two other athletes worth mentioning are Simon Kenton’s Brayden Polly and Bellevue’s Marcelo Herald.
Polly took second place in the long jump and fourth in the high jump last year. He recently tied his season’s best of 6 feet, 2 inches in the high jump and is ranked ninth in Class 3A in the long jump.
Herald took fourth place in the long jump and fifth in the high jump last year. He currently has the third best high jump height in Class 1A (6 feet) and has had a steady season in the long jump, recording a season’s best of 20 feet, 5.75 inches.
Class 3A, Region 5 runners go the ‘distance’
Northern Kentucky has multiple chances to bring home state championships in the distance events this season.
Cooper’s Paul Van Laningham has top-five times in the state at 800 meters, 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters. The Jaguars’ 4×800-meter relay team is ranked fifth in the state.
Dixie Heights’ Nicholas Kopp (1:55.9) and Conner’s Nathan Hopper (1:56.27) are also ranked in the top 10 for the 800-meter run.
For the girls, Campbell County’s Olivia Holbrook has been the fastest 800-meter runner in the state. Her school record time of 2:11.44 is two seconds faster than Woodford County’s Addison Moore. She also has the fourth-best 1,600-meter time in the state and has dabbled in the 200- and 400-meter dashes to hone her speed.
Holbrook, Aidan Christopher, Lila Dunlevy and Allison McKee also own the top 4×800-meter relay time in the state (9:29.94). Notre Dame, Conner and Ryle are also ranked in the top 10 in that relay.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kentucky high school track and field: 5 things to watch in 2025 postseason
Reporting by Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
