Sunday, June 03, 2001
Kentucky girls track highlights
Brossart girls win fifth straight crown
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
LEXINGTON — If you want to see a dynasty in local high school track and field, head for Alexandria and take a look at Bishop Brossart's girls team. The Mustangs added to their legacy Saturday at the University of Kentucky — their fifth consecutive Class A title, a 106-63 victory over Trigg County.
Brossart's 43-point vic tory margin Saturday was one point more than last year's 117-75 win over St.Henry.
Coach Dave Schuh said this year's win was a result of work done in the winter.
“I believe you win meets in practice, and so we've worked awfully hard,” Schuh said.
Brossart has another reason, too: superior depth.
Mustangs athletes won three events Friday and Saturday: the 3,200-meter relay, junior Megan Uebel in triple jump and senior Jennifer Hartig in pole vault. And they took second in four others — Kris ten Enzweiler in the 100 hurdles, the 800 relay, Tara Sanker in the 400 and Stephanie Clark in the 800.
“Every event we had somebody,” said Hartig, who's headed to the University of Louisville this fall.
Hartig considered herself the least likely champion, though her leap of 10 feet, 6 inches broke the meet record she set last year.
“Everybody looks at me and says, "You don't look like a pole vaulter,'” Hartig said.
Class AAA
Boone County senior Christen Jones won two Class AAA races — the 100 hurdles in 14.94 seconds
and the 300 hurdles in 46.47. She took third in the 200 dash in 26.26. But she shed more than a few tears as she walked down the backstretch Saturday.
“I came out here to run my hardest,” said Jones, who is leaning toward attending Louisville next fall. “I thought I could have run harder.”
Jones started the 100 hurdles the way she did all year — she had taken the lead by the second hurdle. In the 200, she suffered a flashback from Friday's false start disqualification in the 100 dash, resulting in a slow start.
“I didn't want to jump out of the blocks,” Jones said.
After a minute or so, Jones found a reason to smile. Her 300 hurdles victory came in her least favorite event.
“I can't run it in perfect form, but I try my hardest,” Jones said. “Before I get to the hurdle I stop, then jump.”
More titles
Four others, Ryle's Susanne Funken (5-4 in AAA high jump), St. Henry's Julie Armstrong (15.73 in the Class A 100 hur dles), Newport's Valerie Raisor (36-9, AA shot put) and Ludlow's Beth Blackburn (34-0 1/2 in the Class A shot put) also won gold.
Funken, who won the high jump in 1999, got her win on what will be her home track — she signed with UK in April. She didn't clear her winning height until her third and final attempt, which she said was more satisfying than the '99 win.
“It was closer; it felt like you accomplished something,” Funken said.
Armstrong said once she won the Class A 100 hurdles in 15.73 seconds, it didn't matter as much that she finished third in the 300 hurdles.
“I had a pretty slow start (in the 100),” Armstrong said. “Once I started in my rhythm, I started picking it up.”
Raisor successfully defended her shot put title. She said she's glad she didn't have to win it on her final attempt, as she did last year.
“I got it on the first throw,” Raisor said.
Ashleigh Ritchie of Bardstown Bethlehem finished second with a 33-2 1/2.
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Kentucky girls track highlights
