Harrison sets tone with City/County title in hopes of sectional repeat
LAFAYETTE — Harrison raised the expectations last May.
The Raiders ended a seven-year girls track and field sectional title drought.
They'd go on to score 14 points and place 20th in the team standings at the IHSAA state finals.
On Tuesday night, Harrison took the first step toward another strong showing in the upcoming postseason by winning nine events at the City/County meet to outscore runner-up West Lafayette by 40 points at Scheumann Stadium.
"I am pretty sure for everyone on the team this is more of a confidence booster and mentally rewarding to everyone," said senior Jaylie Lohmeyer, who won the 200, 400 and anchored the victorious 1,600 relay team.
Harrison did so by setting the tone early.
Emma Beimfohr, Hannah Beecher, Emma Obert and Caitlin Williams teamed up to barely clip West Lafayette's 3,200 relay team at the finish line. It led the way to a sweep of the three relay events.
Williams was on two winning relays and Beimfohr added first place in the 3,200, parts of six double winners on the day.
Lohmeyer was the only individual with three firsts and also finished second in the 100 to McCutcheon's Ella Bills, who also was high jump champion. West Lafayette's Henny Schminke won the 800 and 1,600.
Harrison, though, came in as the favorite and left as the favorite with hopes of an even better showing at Friday's North Central Conference meet and the sectional on May 17.
"It is pressure, but just because we want to do it to push ourselves," said Harrison senior Jada-Marie Davis, who was on the winning 1,600 relay and also won the 100-meter high hurdles Tuesday. "Not just from the coaches or from our teammates. We want to do it ourselves. We want to push ourselves, so it kind of helps."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
City/County meet
Harrison 164.50, West Lafayette 124.50, McCutcheon 103.50, Lafayette Jeff 56.50, Faith Christian 29, Central Catholic 15
100 — Ella Bills (McCutcheon) 12.74. 200 — Jaylie Lohmeyer (Harrison) 26.34. 400 — Jaylie Lohmeyer (Harrison) 58.65. 800 — Henny Schminke (West Lafayette) 2:24.17. 1,600 — Henny Schminke (West Lafayette) 5:25.61. 3,200 — Emma Beimfohr (Harrison) 11:47.41. 100 hurdles — Jada-Marie Davis (Harrison) 16.34. 300 hurdles — Victoria Ford (Harrison) 50.43. 400 relay — Harrison (Ava Ahnert, Akeelah Pearsall, Alaina Clary, Karli Langley) 50.70. 1,600 relay — Harrison (Jada-Marie Davis, Ruth Moser, Caitlin Williams, Jaylie Lohmeyer) 4:12.45. 3,200 relay — Harrison (Emma Beimfohr, Hannah Beecher, Emma Obert, Caitlin Williams) 10:04.48. High jump — Ella Bills (McCutcheon) 4-10. Pole vault — Kiersten Oakley (Harrison) 9-3. Long jump — Kaylin Wiese (Lafayette Jeff) 15-9 3/4. Shot put — Elizabeth Pelfree (McCutcheon) 34-1 3/4. Discus — Taylor Donahue (McCutcheon) 103-9.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Harrison sets tone with City/County title in hopes of sectional repeat
