New champions, more dominance: What we learned from the Mount Vernon girls track sectional (2024)

MOUNT VERNON, Ind. —An IHSAA girls track and field girls sectional has returned to Posey County.

Mount Vernon's Memorial Stadium was lively once again as Castle took home its third-straight sectional title. The Knights have previously four-peated from 2005-09. Two of its seniors, Amaya Royal and Gretchen Hurt, took home three combined titles while freshman Isabel Land also impressed in her first postseason meet.

Here's more on the Knights and other takeaways from Mount Vernon:

Broken records, titles, results: What we learned from the SIAC girls track and field meet

Knights clinch another title behind pair of wins from Hurt

It has been a good senior year for Hurt so far.

She was on the state runner-up volleyball team and the Mental Attitude Award recipient and was a huge contributor in track winning its first Southern Indiana Athletic Conference title in 15 years. There's a chance the Navy signee can advance to state in one more sport.

Hurt once again swept shot put and discus, throwing for 38 feet, 11 inches and 122 feet, nine inches, respectively. While Hurt was last year's regional champion in both events, her job still isn't finished. Going to state in multiple sports is her ultimate goal. She's going to work the little things to get back to Bloomington.

"The weather definitely posed a bit of an issue," Hurt said of winning two sectional titles. "But (I just) relied on my technique and trusted myself and was successful."

There are new sectional champions in sprints and distance

Last year's sectional at Central High School was loaded as all of the sprints and distance champions were state qualifiers. One of those qualifiers ended her career as a state champion in the 400.

More faces get to shine even brighter in this postseason. Four seniors —Royal, Signature School's Ava Olamajeye, Evansville Christian's Abrielle Richard and Reitz's Cordelia Hoover —have all qualified for state before and all won sectional titles. North sophom*ore De'Janay Layne still dominates as she once again broke meet records in the 200 and as the 4x100 relay anchor.

Land won two championships of her own in the 1,600 and 4x800 relay. While her time in the 1,600 was a few seconds lower than at the SIAC, she knows there is still room to improve.

"It gives me a lot of hope for my upcoming years just knowing that I have so much potential," Land said. "Improving is what I'm really looking forward to right now."

North's Alishia Darrett sweeps hurdling events once again

The sophom*ore started hurdling just last season for the Huskies. But what a run she's having so far.

Darrett already won two city and two SIAC titles in hurdles this season. She's now a four-time sectional champion in those events and won another title as the second leg of the 4x400 relay.

She thanks all of her coaches for guiding her to where she is now. Darrett sprinted out of her blocks faster than what she normally does at the sectional. She also snapped down, worked on her arm position, ran more on her tippy toes and sprinted faster down the line.

All of those techniques were crucial in Darrett winning titles.

"I'm proud of myself. I didn't think I would really make it this far," Darrett said. "The coaches got me there. (I love the) encouragement from my coaches, teammates and parents."

Evansville Christian has pair of sectional champions

The Eagles' program has built up some successful athletes in recent memory.

Two names that stick out are Richard and junior Ann Elise Sloan. Both of the athletes were state qualifiers this past season. They also have a chance to make another trip to Bloomington.

Sloan is now a two-time sectional champion in the pole vault while Richard won a title in the 800. The girls love reveling in each other's and their other teammates' success. Richard has also qualified for regionals in the 1,600.

"To go out there and feel confident in what I'm about to do and strong in the entire race is something that I worked really hard for," Richard said. "I'm grateful to feel that way in the postseason.

"It means a lot. It means I'm getting better (and I'm) still able to do my thing," Sloan added. "So it's exciting to stay on top."

RESULTS FROM THE MOUNT VERNON GIRLSSECTIONAL TRACK MEET

Tuesday at Mount Vernon

Team:Castle 146, North 114, Memorial 59, Evansville Christian 46, Central 45, Boonville 42, Mater Dei 42, North Posey 36, Reitz 29, Mount Vernon 27

Individual winners

100:Amaya Royal (Castle) 12.30

200:De'Janay Layne (North) 24.64*

400:Ava Olamajeye (Signature School) 57.0

800:Abrielle Richard (Evansville Christian) 2:20.2

1,600:Isabel Land (Castle) 5:24.21

3,200:Cordelia Hoover (Reitz) 11:33.7

100 hurdles:Alishia Darrett (North) 15.60

300 hurdles:Alishia Darrett (North) 46.51

4x100 relay:North (Ja'Shonti Boyd, Vanessa Nankenya, Iana Tecson, De'Janay Layne) 47.83*

4x400 relay:North (Mia Porter, Alishia Darrett, De'Janay Layne, Iana Tecson) 4:04.39

4x800 relay:Castle (Anna Seibert, Isabel Land, Molly Yunker, Brooklyn Lutz) 10:24.32

High jump:Claire Townsend (North) 5-04

Pole vault:Ann Elise Sloan (Evansville Christian) 11-06

Long jump:Katy Beer (Castle) 17-07

Shot put:Gretchen Hurt (Castle) 38-11

Discus:Gretchen Hurt (Castle) 122-09

*-new meet record