Batesville opens track season at IWU

MARION – The Batesville High School Track and Field team opened the 2024 season Saturday competing at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion for a chance to qualify for the Hoosier State Relays.

The indoor state meet will be held at the newly built Track and Field Facility at the Indiana State Fairgrounds March 23. To qualify, times and distances must be one of the top 24 in the state by the March 16 deadline.

There were 31 teams at the meet competing in various events, with many being 4A and 5A schools. For the Hoosier State Relays, the events are not all the same as they would be as the outdoor season. There are all the field events except for discus, but the only individual running events are the 60 hurdles, 60 dash and the 3200 run. All other events are relays: 4x200, 4x800, 4x400 and the Distance Medley Relay (DMR).

Ayden Eckstein was one of two left competing after the 6-2 mark in the high jump. Although Ayden cleared a big PR of 6-7, it was Jordan Randall wowing the crowd with his 6-10 make and attempts at 7-0. Eckstein also jumped a PR in the long jump of 19-10.5, placing him fifth overall out of 38.

Also getting a second place finish was freshman Ella King with a PR throw in shot put of 37-7 with 40 athletes in the event.

Hudson Kohlman was third in the pole vault with a 12-0 clearance.

Both the boys and the girls 4x800 relay teams placed fourth overall. The girls squad was Kaylie Raver, Kaylynn Bedel, Paige Allgeier and Megan Allgeier. They had a finish time of 10:10.55 with 18 teams in their race. The boys team was composed of Deev Ranka, Cash Myers, Ethan Lacey and Cannon Clark with a time of 9:00.78 and raced against 20 teams.

Sixth place finishes went to the girls DMR team of Megan Allgeier, Kaylie Raver, Paige Allgeier and Kaylynn Bedel (13:38.42) out of 18 teams and the boys 4x400 relay team of Gage Pohlman, Cannon Clark, Deev Ranka and Blake Hornberger (3:39.57) out of 20 teams.

Taking 8th place was the girls 4x400 relay of Megan Allgeier, Bayleigh Demaree, Addison Luers and Kaylie Raver (4:26.84) out of 21 teams.

Tenth place went to Brock Mahon in shot put with a throw of 44-5.5 (out of 47 throwers) and the girls 4x200 relay team of Savannah Pohlman, Nora Wiedeman, Addison Luers and Katie Lipps (1:55.41) out of 24 teams.

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