Kavgazoff’s pole vault lead Floyd Central in sectional

CORYDON, Ind. – A record-breaking effort by Floyd Central’s Rachael Kavgazoff and fine performances by New Albany’s Jayla Bethel, Borden’s Carson Casey and North Harrison’s Ashton Bosler highlighted the Corydon Sectional girls’ track and field meet Tuesday night.

Floyd Central won the team title with 138 points, advancing 17 competitors to the Bloomington North Regional. New Albany was second at 117, and Providence (82) edged host Corydon (81) for third.

Kavgazoff, a senior, started her state finals run with a pole vault of 11 feet, a foot higher than the sectional record she set last year and more than two feet higher than her nearest competitor.

“A lot of things have improved from last year: my speed, technique and I have a better mind-set,” she said.

Kavgazoff had a sprained ankle when she won the sectional last year. She went on to qualify for the state finals but did not compete. Now she’s healthy, and she’s going for 12 feet.

“My goal since my freshman year was to place in State,” she said. “Twelve is the goal. I think I can get 12.”

Bethel blazed to victory in the 100 and 200 meters and was a member of New Albany’s sectional record-breaking 400 relay team. The senior got off to a good start by capturing her third straight sectional title in the 100, and with it a hope that the momentum will carry her to the state finals.

“It’s a really good confidence builder,” said Bethel, who just missed qualifying for the finals in the past two regionals. “The race is won at the blocks; that’s what I try to do every meet.”

Bethel, a good sport with a winning smile, won the race in 12.73 and immediately turned to her rivals and said, “Good job, ladies.”

Tying for second in 13.05 were two freshmen, Keely Martin of Corydon and Sarah Welsh of Providence.

Next up for Bethel was the 400 relay, where she led a group of speedsters who won in 49.86, breaking New Albany’s 2012 sectional record of 50.27.

Bethel came back to win the 200 in 26.09, edging North Harrison’s Shaylah Neal (26.30).

Casey opened by winning the discus, her throw of 114-4 well ahead of Floyd Central runner-up Kailey Price (100-5). She followed with a victory in the shot put (38-3), edging Floyd Central’s Madison Kaiser (38-1½).

“It depends on the day,” Casey said when asked which event she prefers. “Shot put felt better today than discus.”

Bosler led the way in the distance races, running the 1,600 in 5:29.53 and winning the 3,200 handily 12:06.83, nearly 22 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

Floyd Central’s 3,200 relay team got the Highlanders off to an overpowering start, winning in 9:57.76. That was just .20 off the sectional record set by Floyd Central in 2003 and was well ahead of runner-up New Albany (10:34.81).

Corydon did a bit better in the last event of the meet. The host’s 1,600 relay team set a sectional record of 4:08.03, besting the 1993 mark of 4:10.20.

The top four finishers in each event advance to the Bloomington North Regional on May 27, where they will compete with qualifiers from the Bloomington North, Jeffersonville and Seymour sectionals.

The State Finals will be June 6 at Indiana University’s Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex in Bloomington.

CORYDON SECTIONAL

Team scores – Floyd Central 138, New Albany 117, Providence 82, Corydon 81, North Harrison 66, South Central (Elizabeth) 46, Borden 45, Crawford County 33, Lanesville 13, Christian Academy 3.

Individual results

Top four advance to Regional

3,200 meter relay – 1. Floyd Central (Madison Barney, Jamie Bierman, Melanie Combs, Kassidy Manning) 9:57.76; 2. New Albany 10:34.81; 3. North Harrison 10:50.44; 4. Providence 11:07.18.

100 high hurdles – 1. Morgan Day (Providence) 16.22; 2. Olivia Lawson (Corydon) 16.58; 3. Madison Kaiser (Floyd Central) 16.80; 4. Ucheoma Eze (New Albany) 16.99.

100 – 1. Jayla Bethel (New Albany)12.73; 2. Keely Martin (Corydon) 13.05; 2. Sarah Welsh (Providence) 13.05; 4. Aaliyah Bell (New Albany) 13.07.

1600 – 1. Ashton Bosler (North Harrison) 5:29.53; 2. Gabrielle Rodriguez (Floyd Central) 5:34.19; 3. Nicole Lods (New Albany) 5:34.52; 4. Kailey Martin (New Albany) 5:37.51.

400 relay – 1. New Albany (Chyna Anthony, Aaliyah Bell, Jayla Bethel, Courtney Palmer) 49.86; 2. Corydon 50.70; 3. South Central 52.52; Floyd Central 52.64.

400 – 1. Charmaine Solis (Providence) 58.87; 2. Shaylah Neal (North Harrison) 1:00.19; 3. Savannah Bostock (Floyd Central) 1:03.25; 4. Ally Ragan (Floyd Central) 1:03.27.

300 low hurdles – 1. Sidney Capelle (Corydon) 46.34; 2. Ucheoma Eze (New Albany) 47.32; 3. Shelby Kirchgessner (Borden) 49.0; 4. Morgan Day (Providence) 50.25.

800 – 1. Bayley Wade (Providence) 2:21.60; 2. Nicole Lods (New Albany) 2:30.32; 3. Melanie Combs (Floyd Central) 2:30.41; 4. Jamie Bierman (Floyd Central) 2:30.75.

200 – 1. Jayla Bethel (New Albany) 26.09; 2. Shaylah Neal (North Harrison) 26.30; 3. Charmaine Solis (Providence) 26.47; 4. Chyna Anthony (New Albany) 27.0.

3,200 – 1. Ashton Bosler (North Harrison) 12:06.83; 2. Zoe Doebbler (Floyd Central) 12:28.64; 3. Morgan Paul (Floyd Central) 12:42.45; 4. Olivia Nash (New Albany) 13:02.

1,600 relay – 1. Corydon (Sidney Capelle, Jordan Dagenhart, Olivia Lawson, Keely Martin) 4:08.03; 2. New Albany 4:09.34; 3. Providence 4:12.99; Floyd Central 4:13.05.

Pole vault – 1. RachaelKavgazoff (Floyd Central) 11-0; 2. Shelby Kirchgessner (Borden) 8-6; 3. Riley Smith (Floyd Central) 8-0; 4. Emma Book (North Harrison) 8-0.

Long jump – 1. Kaitlin Salomon (Corydon) 16-11; 2. Shaylah Neal (North Harrison) 15-10 ½; 3. Breana Blackman (South Central) 15-1 ½; 4. Schyler Cerqueira (Floyd Central) 15-0 ½.

Discus – 1. Carson Casey (Borden) 114-04; 2. Kailey Price (Floyd Central) 100-5; 3. Michelle Price (Crawford County) 99-4; 4. Chelsea John (Corydon) 97-11.

High jump – 1. Schyler Cerqueira (Floyd Central) 5-0; 2. Sarah Welsh (Providence) 5-0; 3. Shawna Johnson (Crawford County) 4-10; 4. Kaitlin Salomon (Corydon) 4-10.

Shot put – 1. Carson Casey (Borden) 38-3; 2. Madison Kaiser (Floyd Central) 38-1 ½; 3. Michelle Smith (Crawford County) 33-0 ½; 4. Chelsea John (Corydon) 32-5.