Laux runs to 100 dash title

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MUNCIE — Calli Stigleman has been pushing Lucy Laux all season.

As the Patriots’ two best sprinters, they have been challenging one another as to who can run the fastest.

Lined in neighboring lanes for the 100-meter dash finals Tuesday, they were able to motivate each other for a chance to win a sectional title.

Laux, a junior, ran against a strong headwind to a time of 13.64 seconds to win the only championship for the Jay County High School girls track team in the IHSAA Girls Track and Field Sectional at Delta.

“She was awesome, man,” said JCHS coach Brian McEvoy, whose team scored 118 points to place second behind Yorktown’s 148. The host Eagles were third with 81 points.

“She’s worked so hard this year and she’s been so mentally tough and focused this year,” he said. “I could see at the beginning of the year it was a different Lucy Laux for us. It was a great thing to see and I’m glad to see the fruits of her labor because she is a completely different person this year.

“She deserved everything she received tonight.”

Laux, who was also second in the long jump with a distance of 15 feet, 11 inches, won her preliminary heat of the 100 dash in 14.09 seconds. She was seeded second to Stigleman, who finished fourth. Laux said she was grateful for the opportunity to run next to her teammate in the final.

“I am so proud of her,” Laux said. Stigleman edged Laux in the 200 dash, placing third in 28.13 seconds, a mere hundredth of a second faster than Laux.

The top three in each event advance to regional, which will be May 23 at Ben Davis in Indianapolis.

“I love (Stigleman) so much,” Laux added. “I’m glad she’s doing good. She really pushes me a lot too. I don’t think I would have been as good as I am without her pushing me.”

Laux continued her spectacular sprinting later in the 4x100 relay, using a late push to help the Patriots place third.

After Karlie Bullard and Stigleman ran their respective legs, Taylor Homan handed the baton off to Laux for the final leg trailing Katlynn House of Randolph Southern by a number of strides. But Laux made up the difference, and nearly passed Aaliyah Barnes of Muncie Central for second place. Laux crossed the finish line as the Patriots had a time of 53.1 seconds. Barnes gave the Bearcats a time of 53.06 seconds.

“It was so exciting,” Laux said of the finish. “We were all pumped about that. It wasn’t our best time but with conditions like the wind and all that, it was the best we could do.

“It was awesome. I am proud of us.”

Kendra Muhlenkamp, Rebekah Corwin, Audrey Shreve and Kendal Garringer earned the other individual regional berths.

Muhlenkamp was second in the 800 in 2 minutes, 31.83 seconds. She led for about 200 meters in the first lap, but Amberleigh Sorensen of Yorktown overtook her with 300 meters to go. Muhlenkamp gave a late push but Sorensen beat her by 0.74 seconds.

“Kendra and even her sister Briana are two of the toughest girls on the team,” McEvoy said. Briana Muhlenkamp missed regional in the 400 by less than half a second. “They are just mentally strong. They don’t give up, they don’t back down and they are going to fight you with everything they have.”

Shreve, a senior, and Garringer, a sophomore, tied for third in high jump at 4 feet, 10 inches. Each of them earned their first career regional berth.

“Really happy to see that from Audrey Shreve, especially,” McEvoy said. “She has worked hard all four years and she finally gets that regional advancement.”

Corwin had a season best in shot put with a distance of 34 feet, 1.5 inches.

“She stepped up when we needed her the most,” McEvoy said. “That is what this level is all about. It is a big magnifying glass. It will magnify good performances and it will magnify bad performances and it was just a good performance from her.”

Jay County’s 4x800 relay team of sisters Erika and Olivia Kunkler, Kendra Muhlenkamp and Homan made regional by finishing third in 10:56.1. Erika Kunkler, Breea Liette, Kelsey Burden and Homan teamed to finish third in the 4x400 relay in 4:27.11.

Also scoring for the Patriots were Kendra Muhlenkamp (fourth – 1,600 run), Alli Campbell (fifth – 300 hurdles), Taylor Muhlenkamp (fifth – discus), Gwen Omstead (fifth – shot put), Renee Omstead (sixth – 400 run), Erika Kunkler (sixth – 800 run), Olivia Kunkler (seventh – 1,600 run) and Liette (fourth – 100 hurdles, fourth – 300 hurdles).