Christian Academy eighth grader propels Centurions to 2nd at 2A state track and field meet (2024)

LEXINGTON — Kylie Moore’s got one over on her mother, which is saying something given that the latter won multiple ACC titles at Georgia Tech.

Moore, an eighth grader at Christian Academy of Louisville, won the high jump at the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Class 2A Track and Field Championships, contested Friday at the University of Kentucky.

Kylie Moore first gave high jump a try in sixth grade. That’s well before her mother, Lynn Houston Moore, ever considered competing in track and field. She’s grown a few inches since she started, clocking in now at about 5-foot-10. Kylie hopes to reach at least 6 feet.

“What’s funny is she no-heighted as a sixth grader,” Lynn said. “And then every year she’s gotten a little taller, a little bit faster, and I think just learning the event and the technique of it. It’s pretty phenomenal how much she’s grown in two years already.”

Lynn never won a high school state title; Kylie won two in one day before her freshman year. She, as well as her sister Ava, were part of CAL’s victorious 400-meter relay team along with Taylor Touche and Ella Mast.

“For me to start earlier than her and do better, it’s kind of crazy for her,” Kylie said with a laugh.

Kylie was coming off a high jump win at the middle school state championships. Among the 21 high-jumping girls on Friday, she was the only non-high schooler. Three other finishers in the top five were seniors.

“There’s still a lot we can do with her technique, so I think her ceiling is pretty high still,” Lynn said.

Georgia Tech hasn’t started recruiting her. Yet.

“I hope so,” Lynn said with a smile. “That would be awesome, I would love that.”

• CAL finished runner-up to Lexington Catholic for the girls team title. CAL’s girls have finished inside the top three in three of the last four seasons, including their only title in 2021. “I’m very proud of what they did today,” head coach Andrew Lorenz said. “We had a lot of injuries people overcame. People made sacrifices, running events they weren’t necessarily supposed to. … It was a good time. You take it one season at a time, and you hope you get people healthy and happy.”

Disappointing victories

Maddi Reed had a difficult time shaking her disappointment following completion of the girls pole vault.

The Shelby County senior didn’t lose — she won her second straight state title, in fact — but she failed to break the Class 2A state record, 12-03, set by North Oldham’s Raegan Franklin in 2019. Reed’s last attempt, 12-05, was an inch shorter than her all-time best of 12-06, set just a few weeks ago.

“I’m glad I won, but I’ve been working really hard to get that record,” Reed said. “I’ve cleared it a few times outside of state; I just really wish I got to choose that height.”

Riku Sugie, a distance standout for Thomas Nelson, was similarly miffed after winning the 1,600 in 4:11.10. Sugie broke his own Class 2A record set in last year’s state meet but wanted the statewide KHSAA record, 4:09.99, owned by Jacob Thomson (Louisville Holy Cross) since 2013.

Unlike Reed, Sugie will have an opportunity to return next spring and get another crack at it in addition to the 3,200 record, also owned by Thomson. Sugie also broke his own Class 2A record in that race Friday.

“I think (the 1,600) will get to me, because if I closed just a little bit faster in that last lap, I would’ve got the record,” Sugie said. “So it’s gonna sit in my heart for the whole year until the next state meet.”

Breckinridge standout

Caroline Lucas made quite a bit of history on her way out of Breckinridge County High School.

Before Friday, Breckinridge County — located about 75 minutes southwest of Louisville — never had a girl win a state track and field championship. Lucas won three: the 100, 200 and long jump.

She was the top seed in the long jump and ranked among the entire state’s best competitors in that event, but the 100 and 200 wins were less foreseeable — at least based on her seed. Her PR in the 100, 12.21 earlier in May, was second best among the participants. She ended up winning it Friday with a 12.31, 0.28 seconds in front of Fleming County star Kalynn Pease, the top seed.

“There’s heat sheet and everything, and we can see what people are coming in at, and I wasn’t ranked No. 1 in either of my races,” Lucas said. “But I knew anything can happen in track.”

Anything, indeed: Lucas PR’d in her other two events, claiming the long jump win by nearly a full foot and breaking 25 seconds for the first time in the 200. Pease, again, was runner-up to her in both.

“I knew if I just came out and I ran my best race, nothing is impossible for me,” Lucas said. “So I’m glad I could make it happen. I put in a lot of work between region and now. I was out there running, working out, doing anything I could since region. Every single day, and I think that really makes a difference.”

KHSAA state track and field championships: Class 2A results

x-state meet record

GIRLS

Team scores — 1. Lexington Catholic 93; 2. Christian Academy of Louisville 65; 3. Franklin County 55; 4. Bourbon County 49; 5. Mason County 40; 6. Fleming County 34; 7. Breckinridge County 32; 8. Elizabethtown 30; 9. Lincoln County 28; 10. Calloway County 27.5; 14. Shelby County 18; 16. Thomas Nelson 14; t28. Bardstown 5; t30. Waggener 4; t33. Spencer County 3.

3,200-meter relay — 1. LexCath (Anna Dawahare, Cate Conklin, Abigail Turner, Caroline Beiting), 9:30.32; 2. Bourbon Co., 9:54.53; 3. Calloway Co., 10:00.21.

100 hurdles — 1. Mariah Jackson, Franklin Co., 14.96; 2. TaZyriah Miley, Franklin Co., 16.08; 3. Maddie Jo Russell, Corbin, 16.28.

100 — 1 . Caroline Lucas, Breckinridge Co., 12.31; 2. Kalynn Pease, Fleming Co., 12.59; 3. Taylor Touche, CAL, 12.64.

800 relay — 1. Franklin Co. (Deon Echols, Kate Alvis, Hailey Hill, Deloris Boateng),1:44.62; 2. CAL, 1:44.99; 3. LexCath, 1:46.31.

1,600 — 1. Caroline Beiting, LexCath, 4:55.20; 2. Cate Conklin, LexCath, 5:05.16; 3. Baili Hoten, Thomas Nelson, 5:08.09.

400 relay — 1. CAL (Kylie Moore, Taylor Touche, Ava Moore, Ella Mast), 50.11; 2. Franklin Co., 50.39; 3. Ashland Blazer, 50.52.

400 — 1. Kalynn Pease, Fleming Co., 57.23; 2. Joanna Bryant, LexCath, 59.87; 3. Kate Alvis, Franklin Co., 1:00.63.

300 hurdles — 1. Marleigh Estes, Bourbon Co., 45.73; 2. Mariah Jackson, Franklin Co., 46.64; 3. Maddie Jo Russell, Corbin, 47.99.

800 — 1. Caroline Beiting, LexCath, 2:12.15-x; 2. Abigail Turner, LexCath, 2:15.30; 3. Alexis Dotson, Rockcastle Co., 2:20.24.

200 — 1. Caroline Lucas, Breckinridge Co., 24.94; 2. Kalynn Pease, Fleming Co., 25.10; 3. Jolana Schenkel, McCreary Central, 25.54.

3,200 — 1. Cate Conklin, LexCath, 11:09.07; 2. Anabelle Plummer, CAL, 11:18.37; 3. Baili Hoten, Thomas Nelson, 11:24.13.

1,600 relay — 1. LexCath (Caroline Beiting, Joanna Bryant, Abigail Turner, Taylor Riordan), 4:01.92; 2. Bourbon Co., 4:07.43; 3. Elizabethtown, 4:10.65.

Shot put — 1. Germani Crosby, Lincoln Co., 40-02.5; 2. Kayleigh Rice, John Hardin, 35-08; 3. Haley Angel, Estill Co., 34-01.

Discus throw — 1. Germani Crosby, Lincoln Co., 134-01; 2. Claire Springsteen, Elizabethtown, 112-09; 3. Delilah Martter, Warren East, 110-00.

Long jump — 1. Caroline Lucas, Breckinridge Co., 18-09.5; 2. Kalynn Pease, Fleming Co., 17-10; 3. Madison Howard, Mason Co., 17-00.

Triple jump — 1. Scout Patrick, LaRue Co., 35-04.25; 2. Ella Mast, CAL, 34-07.25; 3. Ralasia Piazza, Mercer Co., 34-05.

High jump — 1. Kylie Moore, CAL, 5-04; 2. Gracie Wilder, Bell Co., 5-00; 3. Alec Rodgers, Calloway Co., j5-00.

Pole vault — 1. Maddi Reed, Shelby Co., 12-00; 2. Ava Thompson, Mason Co., 11-06; 3. Ava Hernandez, Bourbon Co., 11-00.

BOYS

Team scores — 1. Covington Catholic 75; 2. Mercer County 52; 3. Boyle County 42.5; 4. Lexington Catholic 34; Taylor County 31; 6. Corbin 30; t7. Paduch Tilghman 25; t7. Bourbon County 25; t9. Russell 24; t9. Union County 24; 11. Thomas Nelson 23; 14. Bardstown 20; t25. Spencer Co. 12; 31. Breckinridge County 6; t36. Shelby County 3; t39. Elizabethtown 1; t39. John Hardin 1; t39. Henry County 1.

3,200-meter relay — 1. Corbin (Coleman Anderson, Ethan Slone, Ben Teague, Connor Messer), 8:04.52; 2. Mason Co., 8:10.71; 3. CovCath, 8:12.54.

110 hurdles — 1. Tanner Tumey, Harrison County, 14.82; 2. Jordan Piazza, Mercer Co., 15.24; 3. Ian Rossario Alicea, Hopkinsville, 15.40.

100 — 1. Kaylib Nelson, LexCath, 10.72; 2. Ethan Long, CovCath, 10.98; 3. Luke Kelly, Harlan Co., 11.20.

800 relay — 1. CovCath (Ethan Long, Jake Heitker, Garrett Gallagher, Jackson Schmid) 1:29.73; 2. Taylor Co., 1:29.93; 3. Franklin Co., 1:30.17.

1,600 — 1. Riku Sugie, Thomas Nelson, 4:11.10-x; 2. Will Sheets, CovCath, 4:20.26; 3. Brice Nelson, Webster Co., 4:21.97.

400 relay — 1. Boyle Co. (Brock Driver, Eli Short, Geordon Brown, Andrew Nason) 43.23; 2. Taylor Co., 43.57, 3. LexCath, 43.75.

400 — 1. Brett Smith, Letcher Co. Central, 49.15; 2. JD Cooly, Boyle Co., 49.90; 3. Kylen Ware, Paducah Tilghman, 50.48.

300 hurdles — 1. Isan Rossario Alicea, Hopkinsville, 39.35; 2. Asher Mattox, Bourbon Co., 39.44; 3. Matthew Henderson, LexCath, 39.84.

800 — 1. Connor Messer, Corbin, 1:55.86; 2. Parker Smith, Butler Co., 1:56.23; 3. Coleman Anderson, Corbin, 1:58.18.

200 — 1. Kaylib Nelson, LexCath, 21.25-x; 2. Ethan Long, CovCath, 21.70; 3. Luke Kelly, Harlan Co., 22.65.

3,200 — 1. Riku Sugie, Thomas Nelson, 9:18.11-x; 2. Will Sheets, CovCath, 9:31.04; 3. Joe Mayer, CovCath, 9:37.04.

1,600 relay — 1. CovCath (Luke Meagher, Jake Heitker, Ethan Long, Jackson Schmid), 3:27.84; 2. Bourbon Co., 3:28.02; 3. Boyle Co., 3:29.73.

Shot put — 1. Luke McQueen, Casey Co., 58-03.50; 2. David Harless, Russell, 51-11; 3. Izack Messer, East Carter, 51-02.

Discus throw — 1. David Harless, Russell, 161-09; 2. Allen Cooper, East Carter, 151-06; 3. Andrew Sparks, Garrard Co., 149-05.

Long jump — 1. Solomon Stonebraker, Adair Co., 22-11.5; 2. Koleby Schroeder, Union Co., 19-08.5; 3. Donovan Wright, Mercer Co., 21-02.75.

Triple jump — 1. Titus Gay, Mercer Co., 43-08; 2. JaQuon Coulter, Taylor Co., 42-11.75; 3. Isaiah Summer, Warren East, j42-11.75.

High jump — 1. Tykeem Taul-Williams, Bardstown, 6-06; 2. Eli Adkins, Greenup Co., 6-04; 3. Donovan Wright, Mercer Co., 6-02.

Pole vault — 1. Cooper Crowdus, Union Co., 13-06; 2. Jayce Brown, Harlan Co., 13-00; 3. Andrew Lockhart, Boyle Co., j13-00.