Highlands got another title from sophomore Rilen Pinkston, who won the pole vault with a clearance of 13 feet, 6 inches. There were four athletes who cleared that height, but Pinkston won the tiebreaker because he was the only competitor to clear 13-6 on his first try.
Pinkston, also a wrestling state medalist, finished fifth in the pole vault last year.
“Terrific day for the team. We came out second place, just like last year,” Welch said. “We came through with Rilen Pinkston coming out of nowhere to win pole vault, Aiden Nevels coming in second in the hurdles again. It was a full team effort.”
Senior Thomas Gray-Torsell broke a longstanding school record in the boys 800 meters, running 1:56.07 to finish in third place. He also helped the Bluebirds finish second in the 4-x-800 relay and fourth in the 4-x-400.
Junior Aiden Nevels finished top three in both hurdles events, including second in the 110 hurdles.
Malcolm Robertson finished eighth in the 3,200 meters and Isaac Surrey fifth in the high jump.
“It was great seeing the whole season come together,” Welch said. “We work hard the whole season, going to all the different meets. Coming to practice every day, lifting weights. It’s great to come out there, have a good time, and be successful.”
In the girls meet, Highlands won seven medals. Junior Haley Zell was involved in four of them, finishing second in the triple jump and eighth in the long jump. She also ran on the medal-winning relays.
Kate Jamie and Rylee Swope also won individual medals.
The Holmes boys team finished fourth in both the 4-x-100 relay and 4-x-200, with the same quartet of Robert Cameron, Mayne White, David Commodore and Curtez Hill. Commodore is a senior.
Holmes sophomore Ja Nia Johnson finished third in the girls high jump.
Scott sophomore Maddie Strong won the only individual medal for the Eagles. She finished second in the 3,200 meters and helped the 4-x-800 relay finish fifth.
Boys 2A results
Team : 1. Mercer County 94, 2. Highlands 70, 3. North Oldham 62, 4. Thomas Nelson 40, 19. Holmes 10.
Local individual medalists (top-eight finish).
100 : 3. Jake Welch (Highlands) 10.91.
200 : 3. Jake Welch (Highlands) 22.47.
400 : 1. Jake Welch (Highlands) 49.31.
800 : 3. Thomas Gray-Torsell (Highlands) 1:56.07.
3200 : 8. Malcolm Robertson (Highlands) 10:02.94.
110 hurdles : 2. Aiden Nevels (Highlands) 15.57.
300 hurdles : 3. Aiden Nevels (Highlands) 40.94.
4-x-100 : 4. Holmes (Cameron, White, Commodore, Hill) 43.92.
4-x-200 : 4. Holmes (White, Cameron, Commodore, Hill) 1:31.37.
4-x-400 : 4. Highlands (Gray-Torsell, Hack, Lacourt, Mills) 3:30.10.
4-x-800 : 2. Highlands (Gray-Torsell, Lacourt, White, Jones) 8:10.38.
High jump : 5. Isaac Surrey (Highlands) 6-0.
Pole vault : 1. Rilen Pinkston (Highlands) 13-6.
Girls 2A results
Team : 1. Mercer County 81.5, 2. Mason County 56, 3. Bourbon County and Lou. Christian 44, 10. Highlands 24, 20. Scott 12, 28. Holmes 6.
Local individual medalists (top-eight finish).
400 : 8. Kate Jamie (Highlands) 1:00.19.
3200 : 2. Maddie Strong (Scott) 11:28.08.
4-x-200 : 5. Highlands (L. Smith, Zell, Broering, Thurnauer) 1:47.59.
4-x-400 : 6. Highlands (Broering, Jamie, L. Smith, Zell) 4:12.87.
4-x-800 : 3. Highlands (Jamie, F. Smith, Barber, Meyer) 10:09.69, 5. Scott (Hasler, Strong, Clemons, Lindloff) 10:14.40.
Long jump : 8. Haley Zell (Highlands) 16-1.25.
Triple jump : 2. Haley Zell (Highlands) 35-0.5.
High jump : 3. Ja Nia Johnson (Holmes) 5-2.
Shot put : 8. Rylee Swope (Highlands) 31-2.25.
Unified
Mixed shot put: 2. Aidan Kerns (Pendleton County), 6. Chris Ellis (Holmes).
Mixed long jump: 5. Aidan Kerns (Pendleton County), 7. Carson Vieth (Highlands), 8. Jeremiah Jackson (Scott).
Mixed 2x50 relay: 7. T.J. Heming (Scott), 8. Highlands (Vance Wiggins).
Mixed 4x100 relay: 3. Scott (Chastang, Heming, Beil, Jackson), 5. Highlands (Rhea, Vieth, Wiggins, Schickler), 7. Scott (Howell, Barber, Hamilton Goetz).
Mixed 4x200 relay: 5. Scott (Jackson, Barber), 7. Scott (Heming, Beil).
