Kokomo Athletics

The Unified Kats worked hard all season for the opportunity to compete at the Kokomo Unified Track and Field Sectional. The goal wasn’t just to win. It was to advance, extend the season, and keep moving forward one week at a time. And the Kats responded all day long. Kokomo competed with the resilience, effort, and teamwork that has defined this group all season, finishing as Sectional Runner-Up, just three points shy of the team championship. Senior Erik Carter finished sixth in Flight 2 of long jump, while senior Izzy Sargent followed with a season-best jump of 8-03 to finish second in the same flight. Senior Ellie Neuhauser then added another runner-up finish in Flight 4 with a season-best jump of 11-06.50. In the topflight, Carter McClain finished third with a jump of 17-00. Shot put continued to be a major strength for the Kats. Senior Austin Jewell was a Sectional Champion in his flight with a throw of 28-07. Senior Ethan Lee threw a personal-best 25-11, while Kendall Novinger added a personal-best throw of 24-09.50 in the same flight. Senior Claire Rowe, competing in a different flight, finished third with a personal-best throw of 14-10. Altogether, Kokomo scored 50 points between long jump and shot put to open the meet. Once the running events started, the Kats continued to build momentum in the 100M. Addi Driver added points for Kokomo with a time of 17.77. In the next heat, Donovan Davis placed fourth with a time of 14.29, while Romell Atwood was a Sectional Champion in his heat with a winning time of 13.38. Joshua Smith then competed in the top heat of the day, finishing in 13.30 against one of the fastest fields at the sectional. The 400M continued to be one of the strongest events for the Kats. Ethan Lytle was a Sectional Champion in his heat with a season-best winning time of 1:08.80, while Aaron Cruz finished second in the same heat with a season-best time of 1:13.56 after another major improvement. Joseph Randolph then became a Sectional Champion in his heat. In the top heat of the day, Carter McClain finished second with a time of 56.46 and made Lafayette Jefferson’s Jamell Thomas work for it every step of the way. One of the biggest moments of the meet came in the girls 4x100 relay. Freshman Kalynn Williams stepped in for senior Brooklyn Smith, while junior Addi Cline filled in for the injured Macy Rakestraw as the girls attempted to capture the first girls relay Sectional title in program history. They did not disappoint. Kokomo took a slight lead down the backstretch after Maddie Armstrong handed off to Ellie Neuhauser, Kalynn Williams held onto it through the turn, and Addi Cline fought off Lafayette Jefferson down the home stretch to secure the first girls relay Sectional Championship for the Unified Kats. The boys 4x100 relay team of Joshua Smith, Hayden Humbarger, Austin Jewell, and Hutch Munsey closed out the meet with one of its strongest races of the season. The team finished third in one of the fastest races of the day while running a season-best 55.62. The relay team battled all the way to the finish and helped secure the Unified Kats’ Sectional Runner-Up finish. We also want to thank everyone who helped make the Sectional run so smoothly. Parents, teammates, teachers, the meet director, announcers, and administrators from around the district all played a part in creating a great experience for all of our athletes. The Sectional represented everything this team has worked toward throughout the season. Athletes stepped into new roles, gutted out high-pressure situations, and continued finding ways to compete at their best. From personal bests in the field events to Sectional Champions on the track, the Kats continued proving why they have been one of the top Unified teams in the state this season. We’re proud of this group. Proud of the growth. Proud of the way they represent Kokomo. And proud of the way they compete for each other from the first field event to the final relay. Regional is next. The Kats are ready. On to the next one.