by CHARLIE HUST
“It was a good day!” That’s how WCHS track coach Todd Whitsell described his squads’ efforts during the 2014 KHSAA Class 2A State Track & Field Championship held Friday on the campus of the University of Kentucky.
Webster’s Iszack Whitsell finished third overall in the 3200 setting a new school record in the event, while fellow senior Darrian McNary completed her career with a fourth-place finish in the long jump.
Whitsell, headed to Morehead State this fall, battled two of the top runners in the state in the 3200 and led the majority of the race. The fastest two-miler in the entire state, Ethan Shuley of Highlands, took the lead from Whitsell with 1,000 meter remaining to win the event in 9:30.18. Trenton Fryman of North Oldham just nipped Whitsell at the finish line for second place. Whitsell finished in 9:43.05 to establish a new school record in the event to put an exclamation point on his stellar career at Webster County.
McNary also had a good day, placing fourth in the long jump with a leap of 16’-1”. Calloway County sophomore Lily Lowe won the state title with a leap of 17”-5.5”.
WCHS sophomore Trevor Cole made a strong showing in the 1600 meter, placing 16th overall in one of his best times of the season (4:48.93).
Junior hurdler Hannah Pritchett enjoyed the state championship experience as well, placing 19th in the 300 meter hurdles (52.10) and 20th in the 100 meter (18.55). WC sophomore Brook Hoffman, making her first trip to state, was 20th in the discus with a toss of 79’-8”.
Both Webster County 4x800 meter relay squads were in the top 20 for the meet. The girls’ quartet (Chanler Cole, Paige Tapp, Kaile Branson and Ali Cherry) were 18th overall in 11:18.08). The boys’ squad (Mitchael Shelton, Cole Hazelwood, Ronin Periard, Roberty Daugherty) was 22nd (9:19.59).
On the boys’ side, North Oldham won the state title with a dominating 90.5 points. Webster County was 23rd out of the 37 team field with 5 points. Region rival Paducah Tilghman was fifth (46) while Fort Campbell was sixth (35).
In girls’ standings, Highlands edged Paducah Tilghman for the state title 56-51. WCHS finished 28th overall out of 41 teams with 6 points.