By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Northern Kentucky high school athletes are listed as top contenders in 21 events for the state track and field championships to be held on Friday and Saturday at the University of Kentucky.
Individual and relay events are seeded according to times and distances recorded in last week’s regional meets. Based on those results, Northern Kentucky athletes are the top qualifiers in 14 events for the Class A state meet and seven events for the Class 2A state meet. There are no top qualifiers from Northern Kentucky in the Class 3A state meet, but local athletes are seeded No. 2 in four girls’ events.
Villa Madonna senior Eric Baugh heads the list of local Class A state qualifiers with the top times in the boys’ 800, 1600 and 3200-meter distance events. In last year’s state meet, Baugh won the 800 and 1600 events and placed ninth in the 3200.
Bishop Brossart seniors Chris Loos and Nicole Goderwies are the top seeds in the Class A boys’ and girls’ 400-meter dashes. Brossart also posted the fastest times in the boys’ 4×800 and 4×400 relays and the girls’ 4×800 relay.
St. Henry, the winner of last year’s Class A girls’ state championship, has the top seed in three events. Samantha Hentz heads the list of qualifiers in the 800 run and she’s a member of the Crusaders’ top-seeded 4×400 relay team. Sophomore Kim Spritzky is listed as the leading contender in the pole vault.
In the Class 2A state meet, Highlands senior Alex Veneman is the front-runner in the boys’ 200 and 400 dash, according to his qualifying times. The other top seeds for Highlands are junior Ethan Shuley in the boys’ 3200 run and senior Hannah Schenck in the girls’ triple jump.
Highlands won the Class 2A boys’ state championship last year, but Covington Catholic came out on top in the team standings at last week’s regional meet. CovCath has the fastest state qualifying time in the Class 2A boys’ 4×100 relay and senior Luke Foertsch is the top seed in the boys’ discus event.
Here is a complete listing of Northern Kentucky’s top seeds in the state track and field meet. A complete schedule of events is posted here:
CLASS A BOYS
4×800 relay – Bishop Brossart 8:20.92
4×400 relay – Bishop Brossart 3:29.71
3
200 run – Eric Baugh (Villa Madonna) 10:13.60
1600 run – Eric Baugh (Villa Madonna) 4:35.03
800 run – Eric Baugh (Villa Madonna) 1:59.52
400 dash – Chris Loos (Brossart) 50.70
CLASS A GIRLS
4×800 relay – Bishop Brossart 10:02.95
4×400 relay – St. Henry 4:11.97
800 run – Samantha Hentz (St. Henry) 2:24.35
400 dash – Nicole Goderwis (Brossart) 58.19
200 dash – Nicole Goderwis (Brossart) 26.44
Shot put – Jayden Washington (Ludlow) 34-10
Long jump – Ansley Davenport (NewCath) 17-0
Pole vault – Kim Spritzky (St. Henry) 11-0
CLASS 2A BOYS
4×100 relay – Covington Catholic 43.24
3200 run – Ethan Shuley (Highlands) 9:48.74
400 dash – Alex Veneman (Highlands) 49.74
200 dash – Alex Veneman (Highlands) 22.26
Discus – Luke Foertsch (CovCath) 147-0
Triple jump – Freddie Vickers (Holmes) 43-5
CLASS 2A GIRLS
Triple jump – Hannah Schenck (Highlands) 34-4