Harlan County captures both divisions
Published 3:13 pm Monday, May 7, 2018
<p>John Henson | Daily Enterprise</p> <p>Harlan County senior Colby King headed toward the finish line in a race at the Area 9 meet on Saturday. King helped lead the Black Bears to the championship.</p>
<p>John Henson | Daily Enterprise</p> <p>Caleb Carmical helped lead Harlan County to the Area 9 team title on Saturday at Coal Miners Memorial Stadium.</p>
<p>Charles David Morton competed in the Area 9 race on Saturday at Coal Miners Memorial Stadium.</p>
<p>Harlan’s Lucy Bryson competed in the Area 9 meet on Saturday at Harlan County High School.</p>
<p>The Harlan County girls team won its fourth straight Area 9 championship on Saturday at Coal Miners Memorial Stadium.</p>
<p>The Harlan County boys team won the Area 9 championship on Saturday at the HCHS track.</p>
When the Area 9 championship meet concluded Saturday at Coal Miners Memorial Stadium, it’s likely that a few Class 2A Region 7 teams went home thanking their lucky stars that the Harlan County Black Bears were moved up to Class 3A this year.
The Bears dominated the meet as the girls claimed their fourth consecutive Area 9 title and the boys won the first in program history.
“Winning a district title is a huge accomplishment. For these girls to take their fourth in a row says a lot about this group of kids,” said coach Ryan Vitatoe, who took the reins of the program in 2014. “The boys really wanted to get this one for the first time, and their intensity level was off the chart. Both teams were really, really good today.”
The boys defeated second-place Leslie County by 48.5 points and third-place Middlesboro by 56.5. The Bears excelled at the middle-distance events, as junior Josh Lee (2:13.90) won the 800-meter run and senior Alex Lewis (5:01.21) won the 1,600-meter run. Lee and Lewis were also part of the winning 4 x 400-meter and 4 x 800-meter relay teams. The duo combined with Zack Carmical and Caleb Brock to post a winning time of 8:52.27 in the 4 x 800.
The 4 x 400-meter boys relay provided a thrilling end to the day as senior Hunter Owens overcome a 10-meter deficit in the final leg and edged Letcher County Central by .003 seconds. Owens, Lee, Lewis and Hunter Mefford posted a time of 3:47.572.
Other winners for the Black Bears included the 4 x 100-meter relay team of Owens, Colby King, Caleb Carmical and Devon Rodrigues, who posted a winning time of 46 seconds; Phillip Helton, who won the pole vault with 11 feet; and Jake Bush, who won the shot put with a throw of 41 feet, 11 inches. Bush, a senior, also notched third-place finishes in the discus with a career-best 102 feet, 4 inches, and in the high jump with a top jump of 5 feet, 8 inches after less a month of competing in the event.
“Jake had a big day for us today. He’s one of our best throwers, and has been for all four years of his career,” Vitatoe said. “He’s been a constant in our program without a lot of press. He stepped in and helped us in the high jump today as well as having another huge day in throws.”
Harlan’s John Brock continued to excel in the 300-meter hurdles, winning the event with a time of 44.72 seconds.
“(Brock) is a hard worker. To see his progress since his first year running is a reflection of his work ethic,” said Harlan coach Tara Posey.
The Green Dragons placed sixth in the meet.
Harlan County’s girls squad completed the four-peat with a school-record 201 points, 70.5 more than second-place Middlesboro. Perry County Central claimed third.
The Lady Bears swept the jump events. Junior Madison Blanton won high jump (4 feet, 8 inches) and the triple jump (29 feet, 7 inches), and Abby Stephens claimed the win in the long jump (15 feet, 1 inch). Stephens, a junior, also combined with Phebe McHargue, Hannah Wood and Makayla Walters to win the 4 x 100-meter relay with a time of 52.84 seconds, breaking their own school record for the fourth consecutive meet.
“I’ve seen a lot of growth in the last few weeks. Kids are getting better, and that says a lot about the type of focus we have this year,” Vitatoe said.
Other winners for the Lady Bears were freshman Kassydee Owens, who set a new school record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:02.17, and junior Amber Allen, who won the pole vault with 7 feet.
Harlan senior Mackenzie King continued her longtime dominance of the throws, winning both the shot put (34 feet, 7 inches) and the discus (111 feet, 1 inch).
“Mackenzie is a very competitive athlete,” Posey said. “She hates to lose and has the determination to do what it takes to always come out on top. She is the reigning state champion in shot, but she has made strides of improvement with her disc; she is literally inches from breaking our school record.”
Before the meet, the Bears held a Senior Day event, bidding goodbye to 13 seniors.
Vitatoe pointed to the contribution football players Owens and Kyton Joseph made to changing the culture of the boys program after joining as sophomores.
“Kyton and Hunter have been invaluable to our program. We saw a shift in our jump and sprint events as a whole upon their arrival,” he said. “Alex and Jake had been anchoring their areas, but our boys team improved a great deal thanks to their contributions, both athletically and as leaders.
“Our seniors have been incredible leaders. A lot of those kids were with us during some hard times early on, and they deserve this success,” Vitatoe said.
Both local teams will participate in regional championship meets this week. The Black Bears will travel to Madison Central for the Class 3A Region 7 championship Thursday, while Harlan travels to the University of the Cumberlands for the Class A Region 6 title meet Friday.
Vitatoe said the Bears are eager to prove they aren’t the same team that struggled through two postseason meets in Class 3A in 2014-15 before being moved back to 2A by realignment.
“Moving forward, we have to keep our intensity for region,” Vitatoe said. “We have an opportunity in front of us to do something special. It’s time to prove we can compete with anyone.”
Middle school and freshman 1,600-meter run results were tabulated separately for awards. Harlan County’s Cadance Ferguson and Hailey Madden won the middle school and freshman event, respectively, on the girls side. Johnny Brock won the freshman boys 1,600, with Cooper McHargue finishing second in the middle school event.
Top three and all local finishers are listed below:
Girls
100-meter dash: 1) Alyssa Daniels, Perry County Central, 13.12; 2) Hannah Wood, Harlan County, 13.80; 3) Phebe McHargue, Harlan County, 14.11; 4) Makayla Walters, Harlan County, 14.16; 8) Emma Owens, Harlan, 14.76; 13) Reanna Middleton, Harlan County, 14.94; 16) Raegan Jones, Harlan, 15.47.
200-meter dash: 1) Alyssa Daniels, Perry County Central, 27.10; 2) Phebe McHargue, Harlan County, 28.61; 3) Hannah Wood, Harlan County, 29.15; 6) Makayla Walters, Harlan County, 30.75; 10) Reanna Middleton, Harlan County, 31.55; 20) Elizabeth Esan, Harlan, 34.99; 23) Marissa Marlow, Harlan, 37.88.
400-meter dash: 1) Kassydee Owens, Harlan County, 1:02.17; 2) Karlee Kincer, Letcher County Central, 1:02.54; 3) Morgan Blakley, Harlan County, 1:03.21; 7) Ella Morton, Harlan, 1:04.71; 11) Ariel Madden, Harlan County, 1:12.52; 16) Mackenzie Combs, Harlan, 1:27.16.
800-meter run: 1) Grace Rose, Middlesboro, 2:38.05; 2) Kaitlyn Keathley, Pikeville, 2:40.07; 3) Mallory James, Middlesboro, 2:42.83; 4) Lucy Bryson, Harlan, 2:43.95; 5) Morgan Blakley, Harlan County, 2:44.85; 10) Ariel Madden, Harlan County, 3:03.69; 14) Amanda Caudill, Harlan County, 3:31.77; 15) Jordan Blevins, Harlan County, 3:46.92.
1,600-meter run: 1) Mallory James, Middlesboro, 5:50.10; 2) Morgan Blakley, Harlan County, 5:52.40; 6) Lucy Bryson, Harlan, 6:16.73; 7) Summer Farley, Harlan County, 6:29.76; 12) Laura Creech, Harlan County, 7:15.95.
3,200-meter run: 1) Mallory James, Middlesboro, 13:57.25; 2) Summer Farley, Harlan County, 14:12.93; 3) Breezy Epperson, Harlan County, 14:20.73; 6) Cadance Ferguson, Harlan County, 15:06.08; 7) Taylor Rowe, Harlan County, 15:22.95.
100-meter hurdles: 1) Erin Gambill, Perry County Central, 18.49; 2) Abby Stephens, Harlan County, 18.70; 3) Gracie Smith, Letcher County Central, 19.53; 4) Baili Boggs, Harlan County, 19.58; 7) Mekenzie Cornett, Harlan County, 21.16; 10) Elizabeth Esan, Harlan, 23.43; 12) Tonia Stewart, Harlan, 27.31.
300-meter hurdles: 1) Reagan Crase, Perry County Central, 50.58; 2) Baili Boggs, Harlan County, 54.32; 3) Baylee Woody, Middlesboro 55.89; 6) Mekenzie Cornett, Harlan County, 58.17; 8) Tonia Stewart, Harlan, 1:11.81; 9) Elizabeth Esan, Harlan, 1:12.79.
4 x 100-meter relay: 1) Harlan County (Phebe McHargue, Hannah Wood, Abby Stephens, Makayla Walters), 52.84; 2) Perry Central, 53.48; 3) Middlesboro, 57.33; 6) Harlan (Tonia Stewart, Emma Owens, Ai-Yana Harriston, Raegan Jones, 1:01.37.
4 x 200-meter relay: 1) Perry County Central, 1:53.17; 2) Harlan County (Madison Blanton, Phebe McHargue, Hannah Wood, Abby Stephens), 1:54.85; 3) Letcher County Central, 1:58.90; 6) Harlan (Raegan Jones, Ella Morton, Ai-Yana Harriston, Emma Owens, 2:08.58.
4 x 400-meter relay: 1) Letcher County Central, 4:37.29; 2) Middlesboro, 4:44.81; 3) Harlan County (Kassydee Owens, Ariel Madden, Baili Boggs, Morgan Blakley), 4:46.27; 6) Harlan (Ai-Yana Harriston, Ella Morton, Lucy Bryson, Mackenzie Combs), 5:25.75.
4 x 800-meter relay: 1) Middlesboro, 10:50.32; 2) Letcher County Central, 11:34.89; 3) Harlan County (Breezy Epperson, Morgan Blakley, Cadance Ferguson, Ariel Madden), 11:48.66; 4) Harlan (Ella Morton, Lucy Bryson, Mackenzie Combs, Ai-Yana Harriston), 13:16.71.
High jump: 1) Madison Blanton, Harlan County, 4-8; 2) Allison Couch, Perry County Central, 4-4; 3) Kassydee Owens, Harlan County, 4-4; 5) Raegan Jones, Harlan 4-04.00.
Long jump: 1) Abby Stephens, Harlan County, 15-1; 2) Abigail Hudson, Perry County Central, 14-3.5; 3) Rebecca Johnson, Letcher County Central, 4-2.25; 4) Madison Blanton, Harlan County, 14-1.5; 6) Kassydee Owens, Harlan County, 13-7; 10) Katelyn Hensley, Harlan County, 11-10; 13) Emma Owens, Harlan, 10-2.75.
Triple jump: 1) Madison Blanton, Harlan County, 29-7; 2) Reanna Middleton, 28.8.25; 3) Rebecca Johnson, Letcher County Central, 28-0.25; 6) Katelyn Hensley, Harlan County, 24-2; Mekenzie Cornett, Harlan County, ND.
Pole vault: 1) Amber Allen, Harlan County, 7-0; 2) Abby Vitatoe, Harlan County, 6-6; 3) Erin Gambill, Perry County Central, 6-0.
Shot put: 1) Mackenzie King, Harlan, 34-7; 2) Timesha Brooks, Middlesboro, 30-9.5; 3) Tionna Collins, Letcher County Central, 29-2; 5) Breann Turner, Harlan County, 24-3; 7) Dixie Ewing, Harlan County, 22-9; 12) Marissa Marlow, Harlan, 21-1; 13) Janice Dean, Harlan County 21-0; 15) Kathryn Bailey, Harlan county, 20-8.5; 16) Harley Middleton, Harlan, 19-8.
Discus: 1) Mackenzie King, Harlan 111-01, 2) Hannah Griffith, Breathitt County, 94-2; 3) Timesha Brooks, Middlesboro, 80-4; 8) Kelly Beth Hoskins, Harlan County, 62-8; 9) Breann Turner, Harlan County, 62-0; 11) Marissa Marlow, Harlan, 56-6; 12) Dixie Ewing, Harlan County, 54-9; 14) Kiki Dean, Harlan County, 51-3; 18) Harley Middleton, Harlan, 45-8.
Freshman 1,600-meter run: 1) Hailey Madden, Harlan County, 10:31.85.
Middle school 1,600-meter run: 1) Cadance Ferguson, Harlan County, 6:44.03; 2) Caitlyn Rice, Harlan County, 7:30.94; 3) Haylee Couch, Harlan County, 7:13.64; 5) Lainey Garrett, Harlan County, 9:24.37.
^^^
Boys
100-meter dash: 1) Chandler Caudill, Perry County Central, 11.48; 2) John Brock, Harlan, 11.77; 3) Colby King, Harlan County, 11.84; 4) Austin Adams, Harlan, 11.95; 5) Caleb Carmical, Harlan County, 12.24; 12) Christian Hall, Harlan County, 13.15; 13) Shaun Warren, Harlan County, 13.54.
200-meter dash: 1) Chandler Caudill, Perry County Central, 23.91; 2) Colby King, Harlan County, 24.03; 3) Steven Poore, Middlesboro, 24.61; 6) Caleb Carmical, Harlan County, 24.94; 14) Christian Hall, Harlan County, 27.48; 15) Shaun Warren, Harlan County, 27.9; 18) Antone Stewart, Harlan, 34.35.
400-meter dash: 1) Tyler Dixon, Leslie County, 53.35; 2) Steven Poore, Middlesboro, 54.72; 3) Will Parks, Letcher County Central, 55.61; 4) Hunter Owens, Harlan County, 56.02; 5) Hunter Mefford, Harlan County, 57.56; 6) James Chasteen, Harlan County, 57.92; 13) Antone Stewart, Harlan, 1:24.71.
800-meter run: 1) Josh Lee, Harlan County, 2:13.90; 2) Eric Green, Pikeville, 2:14.91; 3) Colton Ratliff, Letcher County Central, 2:17.47; 6) Zack Carmical, Harlan County, 2:23.59; 8) Tate Bryson, Harlan, 2:31.52; 9) Charles David Morton, Harlan, 2:23.32; 10) Johnny Brock, Harlan County, 2:33.99; 18) Andrew Crawford, Harlan County, 3:10.17.
1,600-meter run: 1) Alex Lewis, Harlan County, 5:01.21; 2) Zack Carmical, Harlan County, 5:07.44; 3) John Buckle, Leslie County, 5:08.10; 5) Caleb Brock, Harlan County, 5:16.23.
3,200-mile run: 1) Jason Lin, Pikeville, 10:51.07; 2) Harrison Booher, Pikeville, 10:56.88; 3) Alex Lewis, Harlan County, 11:23.68; 5) Charles David Morton, Harlan, 12:51.95; 8) Matt Yeary, Harlan County, 13:10.89; 10) James Pinkley, Harlan County, 14:07.78.
110-meter hurdles: 1) Tyler Boggs, Letcher County Central, 17.25; 2) Joey Eldridge, Leslie County, 17.53; 3) Tayshaun Eldridge, Leslie County, 18.37; 5) Jarrett McKenzie, Harlan, 19.10.
300-meter hurdles: 1) John Brock, Harlan, 44.72; 2) Tyler Boggs, Letcher County Central, 46.20; 3) Joey Eldridge, Leslie County, 48.08.
4 x 100-meter relay: 1) Harlan County (Colby King, Hunter Owens, Caleb Carmical, Devon Rodrigues), 46.00; 2) Harlan (John Brock, Austin Adams, Carter Barnes, Ethan Clem), 47.59; 3) Middlesboro (48.35.)
4 x 200-meter relay: 1) Perry County Central, 1:37.28; 2) Harlan (John Brock, Austin Adams, Carter Barnes, Ethan Clem), 1:37.39; 3) Harlan County (Devon Rodrigues, Hunter Owens, Colby King, Caleb Carmical), 1:37.85.
4 x 400-meter relay: 1) Harlan County (Josh Lee, Hunter Mefford, Alex Lewis, Hunter Owens), 3:47.572; 2) Letcher County Central, 3:47.575; 3) Leslie County, 3:57.06; 6) Harlan (John Mark Bryson, Tate Bryson, Jarrett McKenzie, Ethan Clem), 4:12.41.
4 x 800-meter relay: 1) Harlan County (Alex Lewis, Zack Carmical, Josh Lee, Caleb Brock), 8:52.27; 2) Pikeville, 9:05.60; 3) Letcher County Central, 9:31.47.
High jump: 1) Joey Eldridge, Leslie County, 5-8; 2) Steven Poore, Middlesboro, 5-8; 3) Jake Bush, Harlan County, 5-6; 4) Kyton Joseph, Harlan County, 5-4; 4) Carter Barnes, Harlan, 5-4; 7) James Chasteen, Harlan County, 5-2.
Long jump: 1) Corey Harriston, Middlesboro, 19-3; 2) Devon Rodrigues, Harlan County, 18-3; 3) Blake Feltner, Leslie County, 17-8; 4) Kyton Joseph, Harlan County, 17-6.25; 8) Matt Brown, Harlan County, 15-6.5; 9) Gavin Spurlock, Harlan County, 14-0.25.
Triple jump: 1) Blake Feltner, Leslie County, 38-8.25; 2) Tyler Dixon, Leslie County, 36-10; 3) Kyton Joseph, Harlan County, 35-10.25; 4) Matt Brown, Harlan County, 34-0.25; 8) Gavin Spurlock, Harlan County, 29-4.
Pole vault: 1) Phillip Helton, Harlan County, 11-0; 2) Nick Spangler, Letcher County Central, 10-6; 3) Shawn Huff, Perry County Central, 9-0; 4) Story Miller, Harlan, 8-6.
Shot put: 1) Jake Bush, Harlan County, 41-11; 2) Skylar Mitchell, Leslie County, 40-8.5; 3) Dalton Strong, Hazard, 39-0; 9) Austin Caudill, Harlan County, 33-9; 11) Joseph Gordon, Harlan County, 31-6.5; 16) Kobe Grace, Harlan County, 29-6; 18) Tate Bryson, Harlan, 27-3; 19) Cade Middleton, Harlan, 26-10.5.
Discus: 1) Braxton Eiserman, Breathitt Co, 113-0; 2) Draven Goins, Hazard, 103-11; 3) Jake Bush, Harlan County, 102-04; 7) Cade Middleton, Harlan, 83-6; 11) T.J. Bryant, Harlan County, 78-10; 13) Austin Caudill, Harlan County, 70-9; 15) Tate Bryson, Harlan, 62-8; 18) Kobe Grace, Harlan County, 53-3.
Freshman 1,600-meter run: 1) Johnny Brock, Harlan County, 5:35.86; 2) Jody Summers, Harlan County, 6:25.95.
Middle school 1,600-meter run: 1) Drew Hurley, Pikeville, 5:20.14; 2) Cooper McHargue, Harlan County, 5:25.21; 3) Matt Yeary, Harlan County, 5:27.27; 4) Austin Crain, Harlan County, 5:55.97; 5) Daniel Joseph, Harlan County, 5:58.37; 7) Lucas Epperson, Harlan County, 6:25.83.
