The Mount Vernon High School indoor track and field team showcased impressive performances at the Ashland University High Performance Invite on February 21, competing against elite athletes from across Ohio.
According to event organizers, only the top 12 relay teams and top 24 individual athletes in each event were invited. Mount Vernon athletes seized this opportunity by setting multiple personal and school records. On the girls’ side, Nadia Nougi placed ninth in the long jump with a leap of 15 feet, 10.5 inches, while Quinn Hardy set a personal record in the weight throw with a mark of 37-2.5, finishing 15th.
The boys’ team also delivered several record-breaking performances. Dakota Wagner placed 10th in the shot put with a personal and school-record throw of 45-0. In the long jump, Brady Wiles achieved seventh place with a jump of 20-11.5, setting both a personal and school record. Ben Fitzpatrick followed closely in eighth place, recording a personal best of 20-8.75.
Sami Lacksonen made history in the triple jump by finishing fourth with a school-record leap of 41-3, while Fitzpatrick earned his second top-10 finish of the meet by placing eighth in the event with a personal best of 39-3.5. The boys’ 4x400-meter relay team comprising Cole Wilson, Kalman Kanuckel, Brady Mills, and Wiles finished eighth with a season-best time of 3:30.82, improving their previous mark by two seconds.
Head coach Kathy Thayer praised her team’s performance and highlighted their dedication and growth. "I am really proud of our athletes," Thayer said. "Every athlete either made it to finals in their event, broke their personal record, and/or broke a school record." She added that as a coach one cannot ask for better than that and noted that Quinn Hardy and the relay team were close to breaking school records as well.
The team will find out on February 26 which athletes qualify for the upcoming indoor state track and field championships.
