County athletes ready for state competition

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Three Jackson County athletes will compete at the IHSAA’s 43rd annual girls state track and field meet today at Indiana University.

Brownstown Central junior Trentity Vaught and freshman Brooklyn Snodgrass and Trinity Lutheran junior Hailley Peters will aim to place in their first ever state competition.

Peters reac

hes higherMatching her personal best at 5-3, at the Bloomington North regional for a runner-up finish, Peters is aiming even higher at the state meet.

Peters is the first female athlete from Trinity to make it to state in the event.

“I expect the atmosphere to be very tension filled yet exciting,” Peters aid. “I know the track is really big and will be filled with athletes and fans so it will definitely be different than what I’m used to, but hopefully I will rise to the occasion.”

On the 2016 performance list, Peters sits at 18th of 29 jumpers.

Nine girls ahead of Peters on the list jumped 5-foot-4, the state standard.

“I would like to take some credit for it, but it’s all the hard work that she has put in,” Cougars coach Chris Crenshaw said. “She has been working with Hayden Stuckwisch all season.

“We want her to take it all in (at IU) and also try and jump higher. She has cleared higher than (5-3) in practice. It will just come down to hitting her jumps when it counts.”

Sophomore Katie Isenbarger, of Zionsville, comes in as the top high jumper (5-8).

Peters narrowly made it to state her sophomore year, clearing 5-0 — 2 inches from advancing to state.

“My goal for state is to get a PR and get higher than I was seeded,” Peters said. “I am most looking forward to having a good time and enjoying the experience. State is such a special event, and I want to absorb up the great memory.”

The top-10 finishes will advance to the finals in the high jump.

Snodgrass hoping to shock the competition

Coming into the regional, a handful of sprinters didn’t have Snodgrass on their radar for the 100.As the No. 8 seed at sectional, she stunned the meet by posting a 12.77 for a runner-up finish.

Snodgrass missed nearly a month of meets, due to an injury, but refused to miss the postseason.

She has some familiarity with the IU track, attending a camp at the home of the Hoosiers last summer.

“I’m looking forward to meeting people,” Snodgrass said. “I know there are a lot of fast girls. It will be interesting to see how I come out because anything can happen.”

At a meet in Salem in April, Snodgrass broke the school record in the 100 by clocking 12.5.

“Brooklyn needs to get out on her start,” Braves coach Maria Conklin said. “She has to be stride-for-stride on her, especially since they will have bigger strides.”

The freshman is listed as the 20th of 27 sprinters on the performance list.

“I’m shooting for 12.5,” Snodgrass said. “I really need to push myself as hard as I can. It’s pretty awesome to be able to represent Brownstown. It’s going to be a really serious race. I love being in that environment because it pushes me to be the best I can be.”

Pike junior Lynna Irby is the top seed at 11.78.

The top-nine times for the 100 will make the finals.

Vaught going long

Tossing 122-08, a personal best, Vaught claimed second in the discus at North’s regional.Vaught has the 13th furthest throw coming into the 27-athletes field — three spots away from the finals cutoff.

“Hopefully I can hit around 130 (feet),” Vaught said. “I need to hit the middle and be big in the front. I’ve never thrown at IU before. I expect it to be exciting. I think that the performance list shows how close all of the throwers are.”

Conklin said that Vaught needs to execute on her technique to have solid throws.

“Trentity needs to stay big in the front,” Conklin said. “She can’t bend that knee and turn over. If she finishes big, she could have a big throw.”

Kloe Fitch, a junior at Lakeland, threw 150-01 to earn the top throw coming into state.

Vaught said that she’s proud to represent the Braves’ throwing contingency.

“I think that it says a lot of our coaches,” she said. “Brownstown isn’t a small town to overlook.”

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What: IHSAA Girls Track & Field State Finals

When: 3 p.m. today

Where: Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex, Indiana University, Bloomington.

Admission: $10

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