By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Beechwood became the first Northern Kentucky high school to sweep Class 1A boys and girls state titles in track and field since 2012 when the Tigers won two close scoring battles in the season finale on Thursday at the University of Kentucky.
The boys team claimed its first-ever championship trophy by a 13-point margin, 81-68, over Louisville Collegiate. The girls team repeated as state champion by outscoring region rival Brossart, 91-81. The last local school to pull off a sweep in Class 1A was St. Henry in 2012.
Beechwood junior sprinter Luke Erdman won three gold medals in the boys meet. He crossed the finish line first in the 100 and 200 dashes and as anchor runner on the winning 4×100 relay team that also included sophomore Brody Aylor, junior James Cusick and freshman Nathan Pabst.
The Tigers’ second-place finishers were seniors Christopher Roberdeaux in the 8o0 run and Robert Wilke in the 3200 run. The team also had an 18-0 scoring advantage over Louisville Collegiate in field events with Xavier Campbell netting 11 points in the the shot put and discus.
Brossart set a Class 1A meet record in the boys 4×800 relay with a winning time of 8:07.23. That foursome included junior Griffin Hill and seniors Nick Heck, Brennen Callahan and Ryan Clines. The other boys individual state champions were Brossart senior Nathan Ruth in the 800 run and St. Henry senior Josh Brockman in the pole vault.
In the Class 1A girls state meet, Beechwood did all of its scoring in track events with 50 of the 91 points coming on first-place finishes in three individual and two relay races.
Lily Parke won the 800 and 1600 runs and the sophomore was a member of the winning 4×800 relay team that also included senior Catie Hazzard and juniors Charlie Gerrein and Annie Harris.
Beechwood senior Maryah Counts finished first in the 400 run with her freshman teammate Caroline Nordman coming in behind her to get 18 points in that event. Counts was also on the winning 4×400 relay team that clinched the team title with senior Maddy Brauch, junior Lana Holt and sophomore Ruby Fries.
The gold medal winners in girls field events included Brossart sophomore Ava Walters in the shot put and St. Henry Anna Guard senior in the discuss. Guard set a Class 1A state meet record with a throw measuring 132 feet, 7 inches.
Complete results from the Class 1A state meet are posted on the khsaa.org website. Below is a listing of local state champions.
Local winners in Class 1A state championship meet
BOYS EVENTS
4×800 relay — Brossart (Griffin Hill, Nick Heck, Brennen Callahan, Ryan Clines) 8:07.53 (Class 1A state record).
4×100 relay — Beechwood (Luke Erdman, Brody Aylor, James Cusick, Nathan Pabst) 43.28.
100 dash — Luke Erdman (Beechwood) 10.77.
200 dash — Luke Erdman (Beechwood) 22.02.
800 run — Nathan Ruth (Brossart) 1:56.88.
Pole vault — Josh Brockman (St. Henry) 12-6.
GIRLS EVENTS
4×800 relay — Beechwood (Lily Parke, Catie Hazzard, Charlie Gerrein, Annie Harris) 9:49.02.
4×400 relay — Beechwood (Maryah Counts, Maddy Brauch, Lana Holt, Ruby Fries) 4:05.97.
400 run — Maryah Counts (Beechwood) 57.48.
800 run — Lily Parke (Beechwood) 2:18.80.
1600 run — Lily Parke (Beechwood) 5:05.00.
Shot put — Ava Walters (Brossart) 34-6.25.
Discus — Anna Guard (St. Henry) 132-07 (Class 1A state meet record)