The Braves’ quartet of Seth Brouhard, Will Holmes, Jordan Penrose and Drew Hickman made it to state by grabbing the last qualifying spot, finishing fourth in 8 minutes, 11.62 seconds.
That was about 3 seconds ahead of Valley View.
“I knew we would make it,” Holmes said. “It was just a complicated race. It was just confusing. I was nervous. I would have liked to have been up higher in the placing, but we made it.”
Holmes is the only returning runner from the Shawnee 4x800 relay team that placed fifth at state last season. Michael Tymoski and Tyler Greenwood graduated. Dusty Seelig is injured.
All four runners on this year’s relay team are juniors. Holmes had been running the final leg on the relay, but the Braves switched the order to get their fastest runner out first. Holmes ran the first leg so the Braves would be closer to the lead early in the race.
“This is our goal all season long: to go to state and do well,” Hickman said. “We accomplished our goal. Now we’ve got to do well at state as well.”
Kenton Ridge’s 4x800 relay team of Gabe Rastatter, Travis Miller, Ethan Sullivan and Joseph Lacey placed 13th (8:37.92).
The D-II meet continues Saturday. In other finals on Thursday, Greenon’s Marquis Gordon finished eighth in the long jump with a distance of 20 feet, 4½ inches.
Northeastern’s Braedon Phillips tied for 11th in the pole vault (12-0).
Greenon’s Nicole Stute placed 11th in the high jump (4-10).
In the boys discus, Greenon’s Dan Wallace placed seventh (138-9), Greeneview’s Dalton Caudill finished 10th (136-5) and Greenview’s Colten Pfeifer was 12th (134-1).
In the girls discus, Greeneview’s Kim Swearingen placed 12th (95-11).
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