Indy Star

 

By David Woods

 

Some things heading into the Marion County girls track and field meet were a given:

North Central would exhibit quality in quantity. There would be state-leading times. Shot putter Kyla Buckley and pole vaulter Margo Tucker would win their specialties.

But in a sport that has precise measurements and can be quite predictable, there were surprises galore Tuesday night at North Central:

Lawrence Central, ranked 14th in the state, scored 76 points and finished second to No. 1 North Central's 110. The Bears scored 46 in field events.

Lawrence Central senior Sharise Logwood, who was sixth in Conference Indiana, won the 100 meters in 12.60 seconds into a slight headwind. She moved to Indianapolis last June from Killeen, Texas. "Her toughness and personality have really benefited our team," coach Tim Richey said.

Park Tudor senior Hannah Farley, preparing for a possible 100/200/400 triple at the state meet, stepped down to the 100 and finished second in 12.66. She had clocked 11.8, wind-aided and hand-timed, April 25. "My starts were great tonight. I surprised myself," she said.

More surprising was that Farley, a three-time state champion at 400 meters, was nearly overtaken by Warren Central sophomore Logan Hayes. Farley held on to win her first county 400 title in 56.18, followed by Hayes' 56.36.

"She almost caught me," Farley said. "I was scared."

Hayes, 18, was a middle-school phenom, according to Warren Central coach James Taylor. Hayes said she gave birth to a son March 7, 2008, and thus missed her freshman track season.

Hayes said she wasn't sure how to run the 400 and let Farley build too big a lead.

"To come back and do what I did, I'm proud of myself," Hayes said.

Hayes was third in the 200, and she ran a 57.2 anchor leg to give the Warriors victory in the 1,600 relay in 3:54.76 -- one of four times that top Indiana this spring.

Other state leaders were Warren Central, 48.52 in the 400 relay; Lawrence North senior Stacia Weatherford, who set a county record of 44.28 in the 300 hurdles; and Park Tudor sophomore Abby Farley, 2:16.41 in the 800. Abby, sister of Hannah, led wire-to-wire in beating North Central senior Verena Vogel.

 

Weatherford was one of three defending state champions in this meet, along with Farley and Lawrence Central junior Tucker, who broke her county record with a 12-foot, 2-inch pole vault.

Weatherford and sophomore Ashley Spencer gave Lawrence North a 1-2 finish. Spencer banged the second hurdle but kept moving up, and Weatherford said she is glad to have a training partner. Spencer was the previous state leader at 45.15.

"Hopefully, me and Ashley get 1-2 at state," Weatherford said.

Another 1-2 finish came from Pike's Erica Campbell and Lauren Ford in the 200. Campbell, third at state last year, clocked a personal best of 25.35.

North Central won a third county title in five years, handily beating No. 4 Lawrence North and No. 2 Warren Central, which finished third and fourth.

North Central seniors Camille Edwards and Leigha Tolliver were 1-3 in the 100 hurdles, and Tolliver won the long jump. The Panthers' other firsts were by Buckley and their 3,200 relay team. They were without ailing sprinters Ashley Quarles and Rachel Gregory, but they are expected to be ready for next week's sectional.