Locals set for Hoosier State Relays

BHS & SRHS Track and Field

Batesville’s Ayden Eckstein and South Ripley’s Alexa Yeomans will compete in the indoor state championships on Saturday in Indianapolis. Eckstein in the high jump and Yeomans in the hurdles were both state finalists during the outdoor season a year ago.

There will be some blue and white and green and white inside the state capital on Saturday as both Batesville and South Ripley will be represented at the Hoosier State Relays Indoor State Championships.
The meet is sponsored by Athletic Annex and will be held at the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Batesville and South Ripley both saw individuals qualify after successful qualifying events in both West Lafayette and Indianapolis earlier this month. All individuals participating on Saturday are among the Top 16 times and distances across the state as part of the event’s small school division, reserved for Class A, 2A and 3A schools.

Nine events at the state championships will see Bulldog competitors. Jayla Bedel, Maycee Holtkamp, Caitlin Raver and Kaylynn Bedel will compete in the girls 3200 relay and both Bedels, Abby Miller and Raver take part in the distance medley relay. Boys relay teams from Batesville include James Rowland, Talan Rowlett, Blake Hornberger and Jake Chapman in the 1600 relay, Rowland, Noah Davis, Brock Mahon and Chris Stenger in the 800 relay and Chapman, Isaac Trossman, Ethan Lacey and Cash Myers in the 3200 relay.

Batesville’s Ayden Eckstein will compete in the high jump, James Rowland will sprint the 60 dash and Ella King will vie for a championship in the shot put.

South Ripley’s lone representative will be senior Alexa Yeomans. A state finalist a year ago, Yeomans is set to be a top three contender on Saturday in the 60 hurdles.

Events for the small school division begin at 3 p.m. and extend through 8 p.m. on Saturday night. That will be followed by the awards ceremony.