Track Field

Mercer County's track can pass an official inspection and the Titans will host all-comer varsity meets, all-comer middle school meets and a middle school invitational on the track this year. However, Saturday's Alvis Johnson Heart of the Bluegrass Invitational was moved to Henry Clay because "the track is in dire need of being resurfaced," according to Mercer's Leslie Smith. "If the track could not pass inspection we would not be allowed to host any meets here at all," Smith said.

Boyle County Invitational Results Friday GIRLS Team scores - 1. Boyle County (BC) 188; 2. Casey County (CC) 122.5; 3. Mercer County (MC) 84; 4. Burgin (B) 76; 5. West Jessamine 62; 6. Lincoln County (LC) 42.5; 7. Danville (D) 36; 8. Marion County 28; 9. Anderson County 17; 10. Garrard County 3. (Area scorers) 3,200 relay - 1. Mercer County (Tori Gray, Jill Montgomery, Anna Mollett, Cora Teets) 11:11.5; 3. Burgin (Randi Burke, Emilee Hurt, Emma Holland, Danielle Peavler)

A Kentucky High School Athletic Association realignment proposal for track and cross country could drastically change the competitive landscape in those sports, and a couple of local coaches whose teams would be affected say it isn't a change for the better. The change would convert the current three classes with approximately the same number of schools in each to three classes of distinctly different sizes, based on the idea that not all teams are created equal. And the area coaches who disagree with the proposal say that while the concept isn't bad, it creates unnecessary imbalances and inconveniences within each class.

Central Kentucky Conference Championships At Henry Clay Friday GIRLS Team scores - 1. Henry Clay 147; 2. Boyle County (BC) 120.5; 4. Casey County (CC) 61; 6. Burgin (B) 52; 8. Mercer County (MC) 30; 10. Lincoln County (LC) 22.5; 11. Danville (D) 21. (Area finishers) 3,200 relay - 1. Boyle County (Logan Arnold, Hannah Harris, Nikki Coffey, Hannah Robertson) 10:02.2; 5. Burgin (Riley Brown, Kiley Luallen, Megan Hughes, Danielle Peavler) 11:48.7. 100 hurdles - 3. Summer Burke (B)

Diamond Pace won two state titles at the Class A state track and field meet earlier this month. And the Danville freshman lead area athletes on the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association all-state teams. Pace was named first team in the 300-meter hurdles and triple jump in Class A, as voted on by the association's coaches. Danville's Candice Taylor, who won the long jump, was first team in that event, and was second team in the 100-meter dash. Admirals freshman Kaitlin Snapp missed most of the season, but was still voted second team in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs.

HARRODSBURG - If a large percentage of success really is about simply showing up, Jay Linton is way ahead of the game. Linton has shown up time after time in the offseason, for individual workouts with his Mercer County coaches, for hour after hour of weightlifting when no one else was around, for practices in good weather and bad, indoors and out. He is going the distance in hopes of gaining a little extra distance when he throws the discus...

LIBERTY - Years ago Jenna Lee can remember watching Rita Dixon run track at Casey County and go on to compete at Bellarmine University. Now the Casey County senior has decided to literally follow in her footsteps because she will also run for Bellarmine, a Division II program in Louisville. "Rita Dixon got me interested in Bellarmine," said Lee. It helped that Lee, who has a 4.0 grade-point average to rank first in her graduating class, attended Bellarmine last summer as part of the Governor's Scholar program.