Sunday, June 06, 1999
Bishop Brossart wins 3rd straight track title
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEXINGTON, Ky. — So much for a rebuilding year. When the Bishop Brossart girls track team made its annual victory lap Saturday around Kentucky's Shively Track, it was easy to forget how unlikely the scenario seemed.
The Lady 'Stangs found a way to replace nine key members of last year's team and claim a third consecutive Class A championship.
“We didn't expect anything like this,” coach Dave Schuh said. “But this team amazed me. It always found a way to get the job done.”
Brossart is the only Northern Kentucky girls team to win three straight titles. The only local boys team that can make that claim is Bellevue, which won from 1991-93.
“This is the sweetest,” said senior Laura Roach, who along with senior Cheryl Gerde are the only members of all three title teams. “No one expected us to do anything this year.”
Brossart's 99 points edged St. Henry's 961/2. With the outcome in doubt entering the last race, the 1,600-meter relay, it was fitting that little-used Brossart senior Abby Neary ran in the clinching event.
“I've been hurt almost the whole last two years, and I just got in this relay two weeks ago,” she said. “This is extra special for me.”
Gerde won the 100 hurdles (16.36), finished second in the 300 hurdles and third in triple jump; she won the long jump Friday. Senior Cara Kopp took second in 100 hurdles and third in 300 hurdles.
Sophomore Katie Schwegmann won the 800 in 2:24.11, placed fifth in the 1,600, and ran on the 3,200 and 1,600 relays which both took third.
St. Henry senior Amy Franks was the meet's star, winning the maximum four events. She took the 400 (57.39) and 200 (26.40), then teamed with Carla Tabeling, Bethanne Murphy and sister Laurie Franks to win the 1,600 relay (4:07.8).
St. Henry sophomore Bethanne Murphy took second in the 800.
“It's always close between us and Brossart,” St. Henry coach Matt Curless said. “This week, they just happened to get us.”
Class AAA
Scott held commencement exercises Saturday night. Earlier in the day, seniors Anna Ryan, Heather Lueke and Ehren Reagor helped the Eagles graduate to the AAA elite.
They and four underclassmen mustered 47 points for a third-place finish, believed the highest ever by a Northern Kentucky AAA school. North Hardin won with 90.
“These girls kept coming back,” coach Jerry Mohr said. “They gave it all they got.”
Freshman Jennifer Wilson finished second in the 800 in 2:18.10, ran the anchor leg of the 1,600 relay that finished third and Friday ran on the winning 3,200 relay.
Ryan capped her seven-year track career by placing second in the 3,200 (11:39.92) and fifth in the 1,600. The 3,200 finish was her best since winning the AA 3,200 title in 1994.
“I'm happy, because I'm running better times now than when I won (in '94),” she said.
Class AA
Newport seniors Amy Goodall and Kristen Lane finished second and fifth, respectively, in the 300 hurdles, and Lane also finished fourth in the 100 hurdles.
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