A flash of lightning sent athletes, coaches and fans alike scrambling to get out of the weather as the three-way track meet at Bloomington North with Edgewood and Owen Valley came to a sudden end Thursday night.
It was just the first time for several younger athletes (the second for Edgewood competitors), and even a few older ones, who haven't played big roles or even made a sectional squad, to show what they've got. Here's the rising stars who have impressed the coaches at Bloomington North, Edgewood and Owen Valley in early going:
Cougars shine on opening night
The graduation of 100 and 200 state champ Jaidyn Johnson opened up a big gap in the North boys lineup and it appears senior Elijah Bennett has gotten the best start out of the blocks. He popped an 11.21 to win the 100 and anchored the 400 relay to a win in 43.75 but never got the chance to run the 200 due to the weather.
"Elijah Bennett running an 11.21, he was 11.7 last year," Helmer said. "He's been kind of a JV kid who found his way onto the sectional roster in the long jump, but not on the track. He ran great indoors but to come out and run an 11.21 in his first 100 is quite a big jump."
Another senior, Ben Boland, cracked career bests of 15.03 and 40.72 to win the 110 and 300 hurdles. "As a freshman, that kid was 19.7 something in the 110 hurdles," Helmer said. "To where he is from where he began is extremely impressive."
Where freshman Quinn Walters is now is already impressive. He was runner-up in the shot (45-2½) and discus (136-2). Helmer also noted sophomore Lucas Sinn Trulock (third in the 800 in 2:05.17) and junior Zach Barrow, who had an 11.42 for second in the 100 and led off the winning 400 relay. "He's a 400 guy but we've got some pretty good depth there, so we're trying to see where can just help the team."
The girls team has it's own senior story as Hope Cooper flew to a 5:27.78 for second in the 1,600. "I don't know if she's broken 5:40 in a race," Helmer said. "She's also run a 12:02 in the two-mile so she's rally worked hard. That whole distance group has gotten so much better and we were going to see that in the two-mile, but we didn't get the chance."
Senior Daisy Rogers is also in a new spot as the leading sprinter and long jump much as Dede Eberle was last year. She's also an important leader by example for a young sprint crew. And freshman Sophia Winkle, coming off a run to state with the gymnastics team, was a runner-up in both hurdles races, going 18.79 in the 100s and 54.47 in the 300s.
Six to watch from Edgewood
It was the second meet for Edgewood, which opened on a chilly night Tuesday against Bloomington South and the Mustang girls saw a lot of success in both meets. Edgewood won eight events against North and OV.
One of them came from sophomore hurdler Kelsey Davis, who took the 300s in 53.23. She also ran the 100s and the 400 relay.
"Last year, she was one of the last one we would put on the four-by-one," Edgewood coach Zach Evans said. "So we ...
