Ryle's boys win first regional title in 15 years

By Marc Hardin, NKY Enquirer


Fueled by seven individual champions, including three first-place finishes by junior Nick Kennedy and two by senior Tanner McConvey, the Ryle boys' track and field team won its first regional title in 15 years at Thursday's Class 3A meet at Scott.

Campbell County, paced by three wins from sprinter Christina Heilman and one each by pole vaulter Angela Lauer and discus thrower Brianna Schraer, won the girls' Region 5 championship for the fourth year in a row, edging runner-up Notre Dame Academy. Ryle's girls placed third.

"It was 1997 the last time we won it, according to the banner in the gym," boys' coach Russell Harden said. "I had my eye on the score all night long."

The Ryle coach had good reason. When Boone County's Philip Mensah won the shot put, it enabled the Rebels to pull with seven points of the Raiders at 89-82. After that, Ryle outscored Boone by 10 points and won by 17.

The Raiders finished atop the final team standings with 123 points. The Rebels totaled 106. Cooper placed third with 86 for its best finish at the meet.

Kennedy won the 100- and 200-meter races and the long jump. He finished the 100 with a clocking of 11.27 seconds. He ran the 200 in 23.07. He won the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 7 inches. McConvey won the 110 hurdles in 15.38 seconds and the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.36. He also placed second in both the triple jump and pole vault.

The top two finishers in each event qualified for next week's state meet in Louisville.

"The team winning, that's the ultimate goal," McConvey said. "Honestly, I don't care how I did as long as we win."

There were some anxious moments along the way for Ryle. With Boone County taking three relays and finishing second in another, coach Harden thought quality performances in the field events were especially important for the Raiders as they bared down on the illusive crown. He wound up getting three wins in the field.

"Getting first place in the discus, long jump and high jump was big," Harden said.

Nathan Davis won the high jump with a leap of 6-4. Michael Leone won the discus with a throw of 141 feet and 10 inches.