Records fall as Center Grove dominates meet

Haley Goines could barely contain herself after hearing the distance on her third and final preliminary attempt in the long jump at Tuesday’s Franklin girls track and sectional meet.

With the high jump still going on at the same time, though, the Center Grove junior had to at least try containing her glee.

A sectional-record leap of 18 feet, 3 inches is legitimate cause for giddiness.

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“I never thought I’d get an 18 ever,” a still-glowing Goines said later in the evening. “Not until senior year. I was shocked.”

The long jump was just the beginning of a perfect day for Goines, who helped lead Center Grove to a lopsided victory in the team standings. The Trojans racked up 179 points, well ahead of runner-up Columbus North’s 100. Whiteland and Franklin tied for third with 77 points, while Greenwood finished just behind their county rivals with 75.

Goines was a winner in all four of her events, also claiming first in the high jump and 100-meter hurdles and teaming with Kiyah Yeast, Allison Utterback and Julia Riley to win the 4×100 relay.

“I feel really happy with what I did,” Goines said. “It just makes me want to practice more and get better.”

Yeast also had a dominating day for Center Grove. The freshman was a runaway winner in the 100 and 200 meters, and she also was a part of the Trojans’ 4×400 relay team, which finished second to advance to next week’s Franklin Regional.

Other individual winners for the Trojans included Kylie Falcone, who set a sectional record in the pole vault by clearing 11 feet, 6 inches; Rachel Chan, who scored an upset victory against Columbus North’s Olivia Morlok in the 3,200 meters. Chan also was on Center Grove’s victorious 4×800 relay alongside Stephanie Embree, Nina Fujii and Gabrielle Harrell.

Whiteland managed a tie for third largely on the strength of its throwers, who combined for nearly half (34) of the Warriors’ points.

Micheala Adams was first in the shot put with a personal-best heave of 38 feet, 2½ inches, and the junior was second behind sophomore teammate Reagan Emberton in the discus. Emberton won that event with a throw of 120 feet, 5 inches and followed with a third-place finish in the shot.

Franklin got a first-place finish in the 300 hurdles from Ally Parramore, who had to fend off a late charge from Hauser’s Grace Hasler to win in 47.5 seconds.

“I definitely didn’t see her coming,” Parramore said. “I kind of came across the turn and started dying, like usual in the 300, but (Hasler) comes out of nowhere.”

Parramore also ran a leg on the Grizzly Cubs’ winning 4×400 relay, joining Margaret Auger, Emma Beavins and Kloie Doublin. Doublin also advanced to the regional in the 100 and the long jump, placing second and third, respectively, in those events.

Greenwood also won a pair of events on the day, getting a victory in the 400 meters from Hanna Anderson (59.18 seconds) and another from Krista Robinson in the 800 (2:27.46).