Jun. 11—Owensboro Catholic put together a big-time race in the girls 4×100-meter relay at the KHSAA State Track and Field Championships on Thursday.
Catholic ran second to Murray in a very tight race at the UK Track and Field Complex in Lexington.
Murray won in 52.44. Catholic came in second at 52.88.
Caroline Kanipe, Mallary Bailey, Emilee Cecil and Kash Rice ran for Catholic.
“If you go in seeded fourth and come out second, then you’ve had an awesome event,” Catholic coach Jim Ivey said. “Who burned it up was Emilee Cecil, she ran the curve like I knew she could. She’s been around with us so long, she’s the glue. We ran a PR for the season. That’s a first team All-State performance.
“I’m proud of the group, as coaches you want to get them in a position where they come up here and they’re ready to go and compete.”
Cecil is a junior who has run with the program for several years.
“I feel like I always run better at times like these, when the times and handoffs really count,” Cecil said. “I ran better because it was a high pressure situation and there was a lot of adrenaline going, so when Mallary handed me the baton I felt like I was trying my best to get around the curve and give it to Kash for the finish.
“As a group, I feel like we ran pretty well together, considering this was our first year running with these four people.”
Cecil also was 15th in the 100 with a 13.47.
Owensboro Catholic was 10th in the 4×200 relay with Carol Staples, Maleigha Shelton, Mallary Bailey, and Abby Payne going 1:55.66.
Catholic’s Ella Claire Goetz was 12th in the girls 3,200 with 13:30.68.
Staples from Catholic was 16th in the girls long jump with a 29-6.25, also a personal record.
Kadyn McElvain from McLean County was ninth in the boys 300 hurdles in 42.80.
Elliot Evans from McLean County was ninth in the boys triple jump with 38-10.75.
Braeden Peercy from McLean County was 11th in the boys high jump with 5-8.
McLean County was 14th in the boys 4×100 relay with Andrew Munster, Zach Clayton, Evans, and Peercy going 46.41.
McLean County was 15th in the boys 4×200 relay with Munster, Clayton, Evans, and McElvain going 1:37.57.
Alex Kratzer from Hancock County finished 10th in the girls long jump with 14-10, and she was 11th in the triple jump with 30-2.75, which was a personal record.
Kratzer was 14th in the 300 hurdles (52.78).
Isabella Ross from Hancock County was 12th in the girls 1,600 with 5:54.01.