Pendleton Heights High School’s Isabelle Simons clears the bar during the high jump event at the 2021 Hoosier Heritage Conference Girls Track and Field Championships at Mt. Vernon High School on Tuesday May 11, 2021. Simons won the event, clearing 5-feet, 4-inches.
Times-Post file photos
Pendleton Heights High Schools Avry Carpenter wins the Boys 3200-meter run with a time of 10:01.94 at the 2021 Hoosier Heritage Conference Boys Track and Field Championships at Mt. Vernon High School on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Earlier in the evening, Carpenter won the 1,600-meter run.
Times-Post file photos
PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights track is already underway, preparing for a season that includes a couple athletes looking for a possible state bid.
Coach Bill Coggins said he’s optimistic about senior Avry Carpenter’s chances to run in the state meet in the 1,600 meters.
Distance will once again be one of the Arabians’ strong events with returning runners Carpenter, Andrew Blake and Will Coggins.
Carpenter placed second in the sectional last year in the 1,600. Coggins and Blake were one and two in the 3,200 in the recent indoor meet at University of Indianapolis.
Also returning for the Arabians are Layne Richardson in sprints as well as jumps. Isaac Elizondo and Mark Nielsen have experience in the hurdles.
Coggins pointed to some newcomers who can help the Arabians succeed. Mason Gehrke, Keegan Gephart and Jay Seeko will compete in sprint events, while Reis Schnepp and Brock Klipsch are ones to watch in the throwing events.
The Arabians will look to retain their Madison County championship title and equal or better their second place finish in the Hoosier Heritage Conference from last year. After placing third in last year’s sectional, Coggins wants the team to push to stay in the top three this season.
This early in the season, there are still a lot of unknowns: “It hasn’t all shaken out as yet with where everyone will fit,” Coggins said. “We are excited to see what this group can do.”
As of now, the Arabians are without a pole vaulter.
The girls have a much smaller team than previous years as some decided not to return to compete this season. Despite the lower number, the Arabians girls have some talented newcomers to the team as well as a few experienced athletes.
High jump sectional champion from last year Isabelle Simons is back to defend her title, and Coggins sees her having potential to compete in the state meet this year. She is joined by Ashlynn Kopf and Kasey Cruse in throwing, Layla Jones in sprints and jumps, and Abby Fisher in the sprints.
A familiar name but new to the team are Kaycie Warfel as a sprinter and Whitney Warfel in the throwing.
Ave Jarrell is a freshman but already on the radar as a distance runner who is one to watch. Jarrell was one of the top runners on the cross country season last fall and won several races for the Arabians.
With the smaller numbers of girls out for the team, Coggins said they may not be able to field a 4×800 relay team but will count on the individual athletes to score in their events.
“We’ll be good at what we can be good at and hope that will carry us through,” Coggins said. “We’re excited about what we’ve seen the girls do in practice.”
The Arabians are the defending Madison County title holders and hope to do well again this year and also find success in the HHC.
The home season opener is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Monday, March 28 against Frankton.