LEXINGTON – It was a day to remember for the entire Highland track and field program — especially for Juliette Laracuente.
The Highland sophomore racked up three more state berths in the OHSAA Division II regional meet at Lexington High School on Saturday, May 29.
Laracuente becomes the first Highland student to ever qualify for the state championships in a total of four events. That includes a first-place finish in the long jump (16 feet, 11.75 inches) and a first-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay (50.20 seconds) with Brylinn Tuggle, Makenna Belcher and Peyton Carpenter. She was also third in Saturday’s 200-meter run (26.72). In addition to these, Laracuente earned a state berth in the high jump (5-6), an event she won outright on May 26.
But nothing made her happier than Saturday’s top finish in the 4x100 and the celebration she and her teammates had on the infield of the track, when they punched their tickets to the state finals.
“I didn’t think we were going to win,” Laracuente said. “I saw (the) Perkins girl (Ashland Legando) go in front of me (briefly). I’m just happy that we even made it to state as a team.”
Tuggle, who ran the first leg of the race, spent much time with Belcher working on their handoff.
“We were actually working on it yesterday,” Tuggle said. “I’m really excited.”
“We worked so hard to make it here,” Belcher said. “Now that we won, it’s such a great feeling.”
It took time for Carpenter to realize her team had finished first.
“I had no idea,” she said. “I was the third leg, so I couldn’t see right away, but I knew we qualified. I’m just so happy we’re going.”
Highland’s Landyn Albanese will head to state in the 100-meter (11.24) and 200-meter (22.88), placing third in both events. He was also fifth in the long jump on Thursday. In total, he reached the podium at regionals three times.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “What’s even more amazing is that Highland has so many people going to state. It’s just crazy.”
Also heading to state will be the Scots’ Caden Holtrey, who finished fourth in the shot put with a toss of 48-11.
“The weather was cold and wet and I really had to work for it today,” Holtrey said. “I just embraced the nerves inside me and just said, ‘Let’s go!’ This is my first year going to state and I’ve really got to bring it.”
Ashley Cockrell will represent Fredericktown at state in the 300-meter hurdles. In a close battle that went down to the wire, Cockrell leaned forward at the finish to place fourth with a time of (47.91).
“I felt like I was dying, but I’m so excited,” Cockrell said. “It was very close.”
Cockrell was eighth in the 100-meter hurdles (16.92), making her a regional placer in two events. In the 1,600-meter run, fellow Freddie Elsa Hoam (5:16.62) held on for fourth place and will head to state.
“I am so excited,” Hoam said. “This was my first year at regionals because last year we had the pandemic. It was tough out there and the girls were constantly fighting for fourth and third place. I’m so happy to make it to state in my first year of high school track.”
Utica’s Jay Figgins landed on the podium in the 1600-meter run, finishing sixth at 4:36.53.
“It feels good to place,” Figgins said. “It was a cold day. It made it harder to breathe. I don’t think I got a good enough warmup in.”
Laura Brubaker of Utica was 12th in the pole vault (8-6), and teammate Hunter Bolton finished 13th in the 3,200-meter (10:18.14).
