GIRLS TRACK: Eastern's Brooks, NW's Moore earn medals at state meet

East junior Makenna Brooks and Northwestern senior Hannah Moore won medals Friday at the IHSAA women’s track and field state championships at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Brooks finished sixth in the long jump, taking a place on the podium and posting the best result among all local participants in the competition. She reached the final of the long jump and reached 18 feet 0.75 inches. The top nine finishers in each event win medals. It was her second trip to the United States and her first medal.

“I’m very proud of Makenna,” East coach Anne Kantz said. “She is an extraordinary athlete and a great example of what hard work and mental toughness can achieve.”

Warren Central senior Jila Vaden won the long jump by a wide margin, posting a jump of 20-0.75 to win by eight inches.

Moore capped her Northwestern career with her first medal and a school record. She finished ninth in the 3,200m in a school record 10:37.94 to reach the podium for the first time in three appearances at the state track and field meet.

“The run went great and I don’t think I could be happier with how my final season as a Tiger went,” said Moore, a Butler University recruit. “Excited for what’s to come and very grateful for my last four years at Northwestern. »

Ava Jarrell of Pendleton Heights won the 3,200 in 10:10.05.

Brooks also ran two sprints. She finished 24th in the 100m in :12.74, improving her regional time, and 26th in the 200m in :26.75. Fisher senior Maya Taylor won the 100 in :12.101, just two thousand seconds ahead of Vaden. De’Janay Lane of Evansville North won the 200 in :24.79.

Eastern assistants Makhai Reed and Jake Cooper coach Brooks’ events and texted about her performance: “In the long jump, she had her second best jump of the entire season on the biggest stage of her track career and placed sixth in the state, so we were proud of that performance. Makenna has been a great asset to our team as she has taken on a leadership role this year. Our community and our team are proud of her. We can’t wait to see what she has in store for her senior year.

In throws, Western sophomore Ellyse Walden improved her seed by four spots by taking 14th place in the shot put. She posted a best effort of 39-4 at the state meet, improving her regional and sectional distances.

Walden also competed in the discus, where she finished 26th with a 104-11 effort. Maconaquah senior Lauryn Merritt finished 20th in the discus with a distance of 119-9.

Bloomington North senior Hadley Lucas won both throws, setting state meet records in both. She won the discus with a toss of 169-6 and won the shot at 51-11.

Cass sophomore Aftin Griffin finished 14th in the 800 in 2:16.10, improving her seed by three spots. Delta senior Nicki Southerland won in 2:06.50.

Northwestern senior Lexi Hale finished 17th in the high jump, with a score of 5-2. Heritage Christian junior Kya Crooke was the champion, with a score of 5-11.