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Indianapolis Star
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Write this down: Guerin Catholic sophomore Amelia Smith is a state contender in pole vault
Be confident. Control the controllables. Choose to make changes. These words, repeated in Amelia Smith's head at different points during her competition in every track meet, are written in her journal entry for March 29. That day, the Guerin Catholic sophomore won the state indoor meet with a pole vault of 13 feet, 3 inches. That jump is marked in her journal, too, with this feedback to herself: 'Whoa keep it.' Journaling takes on a different context for Smith, who meticulously keeps notes at all of her meets, jotting down thoughts to herself to review later – and during – her competition. 'When she turns in her journal to the coaches, she always gets an 'A' or 'A-plus,'' Guerin Catholic pole vault and high jump coach Kevin Horrigan joked. Putting pen to paper works for Smith. Her pole vault at the Hoosier State Relays on that day in March is the sixth-best performance – indoor or outdoor – in Indiana girls' high school history. Smith's mark of 12-6 at last week's sectional meet at Hamilton Southeastern is the second-best during the outdoor season behind only Franklin junior Addison Martin's 13-0 mark in the sectional meet last week. If you flip through the pages of Smith's pole vault journal, you will find her entries are not limited to meets. She records every practice attempt, too. Some portions read as motivation to herself, while others note the details: bar height, pole size, where her steps are, her grip on the pole. Then, of course, whether or not the attempt is successful. 'It helps me stay consistent during the meets,' Smith said. '(During the sectional meet) I moved back to get a different run. I went from eight steps to 10 steps in the middle of the meet. I was just kind of able to look at stuff from the past and say, 'My steps are usually here.'' Smith, a competitive gymnast until she was 13, takes the journal home after meets to review. She got the idea from a former pole vaulter she follows on Instagram, Shawn Francis. Francis, now a pole vault coach, wrote a book called 'The Pole Vault Toolbox.' Part of his philosophy for pole vaulters, especially those just starting out, is to write down the details of every attempt. 'I got a journal last year and started writing stuff down,' Smith said. 'It helps especially at the end of the season when we start to go back to basics to remember what pole I was on and where my steps were at and everything.' Writing everything down helps Smith 'control the controllables.' While her goal is to reach the qualifying standard for the USA Track and Field U20 outdoor championships (13-7 ¼), there are some days when the weather conditions make those goals impossible. 'If you have a bad day in pole vault, it's a bad day,' Smith said. 'There's only so much you can do. You can't control the wind. Obviously, I was a little frustrated with that (during the sectional meet). It's something I just kind of have to push off to the side and say, 'My training is worked into this' and do the best you can.' Horrigan said pole vaulting can be a bit like 'riding a roller coaster.' But the veteran coach said Smith's ability to absorb what she has learned and put it to use is invaluable. 'She can process almost anything instantaneously,' Horrigan said. 'Her work ethic is unbelievable and she's strong and fast. In this event, there are so many things that go into it that all those little components are so important. She's a student of the pole vault and an absolute joy to coach. I'm fortunate to be able to work with her.' Horrigan said the close-knit pole vault community 'can help lift each other up on a bad day.' Smith is close with several of her top competitors in the event. 'They are all in the same boat,' Horrigan said. 'They know what it's like to have a bad day. The all know exactly what each other is going through.' In Smith's case, she is more focused on the process than the end goal of winning a state championship. '(Winning state) is definitely something I've thought about but I don't want to focus on it too much,' she said. 'Because if I let the season play out how it's supposed to, then it's going to work out.' If she wins or not, Smith will have the story written. Just check the journal. The first, second and third place regional winners in all individual events and relays advance to the state meet, along with any individual or relay team meeting the three-participant standard in the regional finals of their event. >>>Ben Davis and Lawrence Central will host regional meets with the qualifiers from the Hamilton Southeastern going north to Lafayette Jeff. That includes top-ranked Carmel and No. 3 Hamilton Southeastern. Carmel won the sectional last week with 171.5 points to 138.5 for second-place HSE. >>>Heritage Christian senior standout Kya Crooke will compete in the regional at Lawrence Central. Crooke has the top time there in the regional in the 100 (12.35 seconds) and is the defending state champion in the high jump and former champion in the long jump (19-3 in the sectional). Warren Central's Kira Smith could give her some competition in the high jump at Lawrence Central, ranking third in the state this spring. >>>The 3,200 at Lawrence Central could be an interesting race. Bishop Chatard's Julia Score and Pendleton Heights' Ava Jarrell are in the field. Lucy Wood of Brebeuf Jesuit and Kelsey Rehmel of North Central could also contend. The 1,600 with Pendleton Heights' freshman Anya Zoeller and Franklin Central's Savana Miller could also be interesting. >>>Brownsburg's No. 1 4x100 relay team will be tested by Pike and Terre Haute South in the regional at Ben Davis. The Bulldogs also have the top 4x400 relay team in the regional and one of the best in the state. >>>Three of the state's best 400 runners – Omema Anyanwu of Zionsville, Amiah Rhodes of Ben Davis and Kylee Regalado of Tri-West – will compete at Ben Davis. The 100 and 300 hurdles will also be competitive with Pike's Jai Brown and Franklin's Aubrey Runyon the top contenders in the 100 hurdles and Brownsburg's Sophia N'Gbesso potentially the favorite in the 300 hurdles.
Indianapolis Star
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
More top marks in the state ahead of sectionals: Vote for IHSAA track and field athlete of week
IndyStar track and field athlete of the week, presented by YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, returns after another week of season-best performances. Congrats to last week's winner, Mallory Weller of Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran with 40,105 votes. This poll will celebrate the best of Central Indiana track and field throughout the 2025 season. The poll will be open until noon Friday. Cast your vote in poll at the bottom of the article. Makena Cruse, Greenwood: Cruse broke the school record in the 800 meters on Wednesday with a time of 2:19.69. Cruse shattered the 15-year-old record by 2 seconds. Jada Harper, New Albany: Harper, a freshman, won the Hoosier Hills Conference 100 hurdles with a time of 14.20 seconds. She also anchored New Albany's 4x100 relay team with a 48.61 seconds. Harper has the best time in the 300 hurdles in the state (42.57) and second-best in the 100 hurdles. Emily Norris, Carmel: Norris had a big performance at the Hamilton County championships with victories in the 200 (26.06 seconds) and long jump (19-3). She also ran the second leg of the Greyhounds' 4x100 relay, which also won (47.92 seconds). Norris has the second-best mark on the long jump in the state this spring. Amelia Smith, Guerin Catholic: The sophomore won the pole vault at the Hamilton County meet with a vault of 12-6. That is the best mark in the state this spring. Smith won the small school division of the Hoosier State Relays at the end of March with a 13-3 mark. Carly VonDielingen, Whiteland: The junior posted the best mark in the state this spring in the discus with a mark of 153-0 at the Bloomington North Twilight Invitational. She also took second in the shot put. VonDielingen was a top-10 state finisher last year in both events. Her mark of 43-3 in the shot put is fourth-best in the state this season. Jackson Gackenheimer, Warsaw: The junior won the Northern Lakes Conference championships in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. The 1,600 victory was a close race against Mishawaka senior Liam Bauschke (4:13.52). Gackenheimer has third-best time in the 1,600 this spring. Darion Highbaugh, North Central: The senior broke his own personal record and won the Marion County meet with a 6-8 performance in the high jump. Denhm Holt, North Central: The senior DePaul commit set new Marion County and school records with a 46.76 in the 400 meters at the Marion County meet on Wednesday. Holt also anchored the 4x400 relay team to a victory with a time of 3:14.66. Holt's 400 time is the second-best in state history. Damario Moore, Lawrence North: The senior won a battle with Franklin Central's Rylan Hainje in the 300 hurdles at the Marion County meet on Wednesday. Moore's time of 36.93 seconds is the best in the state this spring and Hainje's 37.20 time is second. Both are top-10 performances all-time. Damon Winston, Sheridan: The senior won broke school record that stood for 32 years with a 6-10 performance in the high jump in his final home meet on Wednesday. The previous record was 6-8. IF POLL DOES NOT APPEAR, click here to vote.
Indianapolis Star
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
He didn't want to hurdle. Now Rylan Hainje is a breakout star, running times with nation's best
He didn't want to hurdle. Now Rylan Hainje is a breakout star, running times with nation's best "13.7!" Franklin Central junior Rylan Hainje yelled the time when hurdles coach Melinda George first told him, hugging her and his teammates. He repeated it as he walked down the field at Lawrence Central, recovering from his personal-best 110 hurdles time of 13.78 — as though he was trying to convince himself it actually happened. "I couldn't believe I broke it at first," Rylan said. "I was confused." Disbelief turned to excitement as the accomplishment set in. Rylan, who began hurdling last season, had recorded Indiana's top time of 2025 and one of the country's top marks. His success in outdoor comes after a stellar indoor campaign, breaking Indiana's 60 hurdles record multiple times and finishing second at the Hoosier State Relays. You might recognize the name Rylan Hainje. Yes, this Hainje is the son of former Butler basketball standout Rylan Hainje — though playing basketball wasn't in the cards for the younger Hainje. He tried baseball and was good at basketball, but neither sport stuck. The older Hainje said Rylan and one of his brothers just wanted to play sports for fun growing up, so he didn't try to push them into anything. They figured out what they wanted themselves. Rylan didn't find his athletic groove until this indoor track season. He was interested in track as an eighth grader but held off on joining, citing a lack of confidence. Then he tore his knee as a freshman. By sophomore year, he was ready to try the sport. He was not ready to hurdle, however — though he wasn't given a choice. George often works with the team's third- or fourth-best sprinters, converting them to hurdlers. Rylan fit the bill. Hainje was terrified of hurdles initially, George said. They started him with small PVC pipe hurdles and focused on his eight steps to the first hurdle. Then they moved him up. The first practice was nerve-racking, Rylan said, because he didn't know anybody there and didn't want to hurdle. It was his only practice before his first race. He still won. "He was so distressed about it," George said. Rylan didn't like hurdles until sectionals last year, when he hit 15.04 and placed third. With that performance, he knew he could be good at it. His intuition was spot-on. Rylan came out of the gates fast during indoor season. He broke Franklin Central's school record early on. Then he set Indiana's 60 hurdles record with a time of 7.78, and again in 7.76 — among the nation's fastest times. Speed and athleticism have never been a problem for Rylan. Having the confidence needed to perform has been the difficult part of switching to hurdles, he said. His performances vary as he gets in his head, always thinking about parts of races he can change. Rylan barely slept the night before the Hoosier State Relays in March, knowing he would face stiff competition from Merrillville's John Peters. That got in his head, he said. "I was nervous," Hainje said. "When I got out, I knew John had me by the first hurdle." George and his friends have helped when they can. Rylan credited friends Zeke and Jett for pushing him through practices and meets, always telling him he's going to win. And George always tells him not to get in his head. George's goals for Rylan aren't concrete, saying she doesn't know all he's capable of. She just wants him to be comfortable on the track. "I want him to get confident," George said. "I want to see our 300 times drop and I want him to learn that he is strong enough to do multiple events. I want him to have that confidence." It's a work in progress, but the results keep coming. Hainje set a personal best of 13.98 at a tri-meet against Greenwood and Cathedral on April 10. That 13.78 mark at Lawrence Central was a major dip and a major step forward. On Friday at Mooresville, he dropped a 13.66 — one of the fastest times in the nation this year for non-seniors. He's performed well enough to talk with some colleges, including IU and Marian. Rylan's goals for the rest of the year: break the state record in the 110 hurdles and 36.5 seconds in the 300 hurdles, though he expects the latter to be difficult because it's not his best race. He also wants to break Fishers alum Tyler Tarter's hurdles marks at the state meet. Sub-par performances are just data points. Steps on the path toward improved confidence and new records. In fact, his dad's proudest moment was watching him lose at the Hoosier State Relays. It's given Rylan more drive, he said. "For him to lose and (to) see how he bounced back has been tremendous," he said. Vote for track athlete of the week: School records fall and an 8th-grader (!) shines Bouncing back is one of many lessons that can be learned from sports — a topic the older Hainje has thoughts on as a former college athlete. He said he's always told his kids sports have lots to teach them, whether it's dealing with a coach you disagree with or a situation you don't like. Just like having a job, he said, it's something you stick with. George, who has coached hurdles at several Indiana schools, said Hainje has already tied her fastest athlete who won the state meet in 2014. Rylan is a great kid, she said — consistently cheerful. "Rylan's always happy," George said. "He's so excited, like when he first broke the school record and then to break the state record — he's always smiling." That joy was palpable after he crossed the line at Lawrence Central's Kenny Randle Invitational, exhausted but with a new personal best in hand. There will certainly be more of that for Rylan as track and field heats up in May: big smiles, big wins, big hugs, big improvement. Sign up for our high school sports newsletter for all the latest Central Indiana preps latest.
Indianapolis Star
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
School records and some of nation's best times: Vote for IHSAA track and field athlete of week
Vote for the top IHSAA track and field performer (April 21-26). IndyStar track and field athlete of the week, presented by YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, returns after another week of speedy times and competitive invitationals. Congratulations to last week's track and field athlete of the week, Pike's Jai Brown! The sophomore won with more than 71% of the vote after winning the 110 hurdles at Lafayette Jeff's Sprinters Showcase in 15.00 and at a tri-meet against Carmel and Ben Davis in 14.78. This poll will celebrate the best of Central Indiana track and field throughout the 2025 season. It will feature four girls nominees and four boys nominees each week. The poll will be open until noon Friday. Cast your vote in the poll at the bottom of the article or click here to vote. Elia Blackmore, Hamilton Southeastern: Blackmore had a strong outing at the Charlie Riley Invitational, winning the 100 hurdles in a personal best 14.80 and placing second in the 300 hurdles in 45.02 — among the top five times in the state. The senior is coming off a big indoor season where she won the HCC 60 hurdles title and placed second in the event at the Hoosier State Relays. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Julia Score, Bishop Chatard: Score was the top Indianapolis-area finisher in the Carmel Distance Showcase, finishing second and tying her personal best in the 3200 in 10:28.62. It's another step in a strong outdoor season for Score, who also recently won the 1600 at the Mike Ford Invitational in 5:04.22 — nearly 12 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Kaelina Matthews, North Central: Matthews won the 800 in 2:15.9 at a tri-meet against Lawrence North and Pike, the third-best time in North Central history. The Marian commit also helped the Panthers to 4x800 wins at that meet and the Charlie Riley Invitational, where she also finished second and third in the 800 and 1600. Kya Crooke, Heritage Christian: Crooke won the long jump and high jumps at the Charlie Riley Invitational. The reigning high jump state champion won the event in 5'8" and the long jump in 19'1" — more than a foot ahead of the next competitor. The Arizona signee looks poised for another strong IHSAA postseason. Damario Moore, Lawrence North: Moore swept all four of his races at the Charlie Riley Invitational, winning the 300 hurdles and 100 along with helping Lawrence North to wins in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. The 4x100 relay set a new school record of 40.91, which ranks second all-time in Indiana. Ian Baker, Brownsburg: It was a busy week for Baker, winning two events at a tri-meet against Mooresville and Plainfield (800, 4x800) on Tuesday before taking the 800 at the Charlie Riley Invitational in 1:57.11 on Thursday. He also placed fifth at the Carmel Distance Showcase on Friday, running the 3200m in 9:07.52. Rylan Hainje, Franklin Central: Hainje ran the fastest 110 hurdles in Indiana this season at the Kenny Randle Invitational, winning in 13.78 — a new Franklin Central school record. The mark is among the fastest in the U.S. this spring and comes after a record-breaking indoor season for Hainje. Konrad Hayden, Fishers: Hayden excelled at the Charlie Riley Invitational, winning the high jump with a mark of 6'10". The junior is enjoying a strong season, also taking the HCC indoor title with a 6'9" jump — a Fishers school record. IF POLL DOES NOT APPEAR, click here to vote.
