SOUTHWESTERN — The hardware continues to pile up for the Eastern Hancock track and field teams.
The Royals girls, who won six events Tuesday at the Mid-Hoosier Conference meet, topped rival Knightstown with 144.25 points as the team won its fourth consecutive conference title. The Panthers finished with 106.25 points for second place.
The boys were equally as dominant, claiming their third title in four seasons with 127 points. South Decatur, last year’s conference winner, was second with 110 points.
Kaycee Ruble won the shot put competition after winning county last week and was second in the discus throw, while teammate Taylor Stine won three blue ribbons to lead the girls.
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“The seniors really led us very well,” girls head coach Jerry Cain said. “We had a couple freshman and sophomores who did well, too. I thought we would win but not that dominant. I am very happy with the meet.”
Stine won the 400-meter dash and helped the Royals, who won all three relays on the girls side, in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays.
Boys head coach Clayton Shultz noticed last season (third overall at MHC) that Eastern Hancock lacked a dominant participant capable of winning multiple events. The Royals didn’t need it this year, however, as they received solid contributions across the board for the win.
“When you’re as deep as we are it pays off,” Shultz said. “We only won three events tonight, but we had two guys score in almost every event. It was just an all around solid effort from everyone. They are a bunch of guys who work hard for us.”
Austin Smith took the lead in the final stretch and won the 400-meter dash, while Clayton Brumfield led the whole race for first in the 800-meter run.
Brumfield battled two Southwestern (Shelby) runners the whole race and finished third in the 1,600-meter run after finishing third at county last week.
“He’s had some tough races lately,” Shultz said.
On the girls side of the 1,600, Annie Floyd finished third, while Karlee Gray finished second in the 100-meter dash.
Hope Spaulding, who won both hurdle events at county last Wednesday, battled injury and finished second in the 300-meter hurdles and sixth in the 100-meter hurdles.
Teammate Alex Quillen, who helped win the 400-meter relay, was third in the 300 hurdles.
Cara Johnson won the girls 800-meter run, while Gray was also second in the 200-meter dash.
Also for the boys, Cole Cochard was second in the 110-meter hurdles and Kyle Moore was second in the long jump. Cochard was fourth in the 300-meter hurdles.
“He had a big meet for us,” Shultz said of Moore, who entered the meet seeded eighth in the long jump.
Eastern Hancock’s boys also had solid finishes in relay events Tuesday as they (Smith, Cochard, Devyn Brinson, Braden Dickey) won the 400-meter relay, while the 1,600-meter relay team was second. The Royals finished third in the 1,600-meter relay.
Last season, the Eastern Hancock girls scored 142 points to take first. Spaulding won the 300-meter hurdles, while Ruble won the shot put competition. The boys finished third with 109 points behind South Decatur and Indian Creek.
Aaron Riley (shot put), Cochard (110-meter hurdles), Brumfield (1,600) and Burkhart (discus) were all second in their respective events last season.
Eastern Hancock will return to action Thursday at home against Indiana Deaf.
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Girls Top 5 Teams
Eastern Hancock – 144.25
Knightstown – 106.25
Waldron – 53.25
Hauser – 52
North Decatur 50
Boys Top 5 Teams
Eastern Hancock – 127
South Decatur – 110
Indian Creek – 100
Knightstown – 85
Southwestern – 66
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