Lukens, Kuetemeyer NCC's record-setters
Shot put and discus standouts Abbie Lukens and Brooke Kuetemeyer have been doing the heavy lifting for the Newport Central Catholic girls' track and field team. In the process, the seniors have moved aside some individual records while meeting national standards. Most impressive was the duo's 1-2 finish in both the shot put and discus in record-setting fashion at back-to-back meets in four days.
At Saturday's Villa For Life showcase at Dixie Heights, Lukens won both events with track-record throws. She had a heave of 37 feet and 6 1/2 inches in the shot put. Kuetemeyer matched her, but Lukens was declared the winner with a superior next-best throw. Both officially share the track record, their matching throws meeting the national silver standard. Lukens won the discus with a toss of 116 feet, four feet better than Kuetemeyer (112).
On Tuesday at the Campbell County Championships, Lukens repeated as champion in both the shot put and discus while erasing her own standards. She re-set the meet record in the shot put with a throw of 38 feet, 1/4 inch, exceeding last year's heave of 36-5. Kuetemeyer was second at 36-1 1/2. Lukens shattered her discus mark with a toss of 109-10, bettering last year's 105-11.
Both of Lukens' meet-record performances at Campbell County also established track records at the facility, which is hosting events for the first time this season. She exceeded the track record in the shot put by nine feet and surpassed the discus mark by 24 feet. Kuetemeyer's throws in both events also were better than previous meet and track records.
Lukens also set a Campbell County track record while winning the javelin with a toss of 81-3. Kuetemeyer placed fourth. Senior sprinter Chandler Cain made her way into the record books for NewCath at the Villa For Life meet. She won the 100-meter dash at Dixie with a track-record time of 12.31 seconds. Cain was a triple-winner, also taking the 200 and 400 meters.
VILLA FOR LIFE: There were four performances that met the national silver standard at the Villa For Life meet. Bishop Brossart's Michael Caldwell and Eric Baugh did it in the boys' 1,600-meter race, won by Baugh with a track-record time of 4 minutes and 23.96 seconds. Caldwell finished in 4:24.47, helping Brossart win the boys' team title. Newport's Mason Whaley set a Dixie track record in the boys' javelin, winning with a throw of 116-11. St. Henry, led by high jump and 1,600 race winner Sam Hentz, was the girls' team winner.
CAMPBELL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Brossart's Nicole Goderwis re-set the meet record in the 400 meters with a time of 59.24 seconds, also a track record, breaking last year's record performance of 59.92. Campbell County's Jennah Flairty set meet and track records in the 1,600 with a clocking of 5:30.91. The previous meet record was 4 years old.
Highlands' Alex Veneman set a meet record in the boys' 200, winning in 22.63 seconds and breaking a 3-year-old mark. Caldwell's time of 4:21.17 in the 1,600 for Brossart set a meet record that was 4 years old. He also set a new meet standard in the 3,200, winning in 9:49.22. Mustangs teammate Drew Berkemeyer broke a 4-year-old meet record, winning the 300 hurdles in 42.78. Dominick Joseph of Newport had a meet-record throw of 139-6 in the discus.
TENNIS: Rain has scuttled the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference championship schedules for both girls' divisions, which were back in action Wednesday. Defending Division I champion Notre Dame Academy was rained out Monday against Campbell County. They will play Friday. The Pandas are the top seed. Ryle is No. 2.
Defending Division II girls' champ Highlands had its rescheduled Tuesday semifinal rained out against St. Henry after Meredith Laskey and Audrey North won in singles; late scores from Wednesday's final four matches were incomplete. Highlands is top-seeded, and Beechwood is No. 2.