Two Burgin track seniors qualify for state track meet

Vandiviere wins region in pole vault; Kestler places fifth   

Arpan Dixit
Herald Staff
sports@harrodsburgherald.com

After losing key seniors from the 4×800 meter relay team last season that qualified for state, the Burgin Bulldogs track and field team had to put in a lot of work to get back to state.

The Bulldogs placed 10th overall on the boy’s side with 17 points. The girl’s side placed eighth overall with 24 points at the Class A Region 5 track meet at Lexington Christian Academy on Saturday, May 18.

Two Burgin seniors, Daylan Vandiviere and Ethan Kestler, put in that work and qualified for the state track meet at the University of Kentucky on Thursday, May 30.

Vandiviere placed first in the region in pole vault with a score of 11 feet, 9 inches. He dealt with an injury early in the season, but was able to bounce back in a big way.

“Daylan (Vandiviere) was focused on more specialized pole vault techniques this season. He had an early hamstring injury that set him back a bit, but has overcome that and is now able to perform at his full potential and it shows,” said Head Coach Kim Hatfield. “He’s going into the state meet very strong and we expect him to be one of the top vaulters there.”

Kestler placed fifth in pole vault with a score of 9 feet, 6 inches. He didn’t even compete in vaulting until the middle of the season and Hatfield is glad he did.

“Ethan (Kestler) didn’t start vaulting until mid-season, but has picked up the skills and techniques quickly,” she said. “He performed really well at region and was able to qualify as well. This is a great accomplishment for him in such a short time, especially it being his senior year.”

On the boy’s side, Vandiviere, eighth grader Brendan Stanley. Kestler and senior Drew Hatfield placed sixth in the 4×800 meter relay with a time of 9:41.02.

Junior Tyler Robinson placed 18th in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.60 seconds. Freshman Travis Stewart placed 24th in 13.96 seconds.

Seventh grader Jacobe Taylor, Stanley, seventh grader Seth Hatfield and eighth grader Karl Strand placed seventh in the 4×200 meter relay in 2:06.60.

Stanley placed 18th in the 1600 meter run in 6:10.37 and Strand placed 21st in 6:50.59.

Taylor, Strand, Stewart and Seth Hatfield placed fifth in the 4×100 meter relay in 56.22 seconds.

Drew Hatfield placed ninth in the 400 meter dash in 56.06 seconds. He also placed 17th in the 800 meter run in 2:42.56.

Stanley placed 15th in the 800 meter run in 2:38.25.

Robinson placed 17th in the 200 meter dash in 26 seconds and Stewart placed 20th in 28.79 seconds.

Drew Hatfield, Kestler, Vandiviere and Robinson placed eighth in the 4×400 meter relay in 4:03.04.

Senior Steven McCowan placed fifth in shot put with a throw of 38 feet, 5 inches. Seth Hatfield placed 16th with a throw of 22 feet, 2.5 inches.

McCowan also placed seventh in discus with a throw of 99 feet, 6 inches.

“He (McCowan) had a very consistent season and has made great improvements from his junior year,” said Hatfield.

Vandiviere placed 12th with a throw of 80 feet, 2 inches.

Taylor placed 16th in long jump with a jump of 12 feet, 4 inches. He also placed eighth in triple jump with a jump of 29 feet, 8 inches.

Kestler placed seventh in triple jump with a jump of 30 feet, 6 inches.

“We knew it would be difficult for our 4×800 team to qualify again after losing two seniors from the year before,” said Hatfield, “Drew (Hatfield) had a great run, making an exciting comeback during his leg of the relay. Brendan (Stanley) did a great job as well running his best time.”

On the girl’s side, freshmen Abbie Church, Ellie Jenkins, Avery Harmon and Rebecca Biggs placed fourth in the 4×800 meter relay in 12:05.28.

Eighth grader Anderson Taylor placed 15th in the 100 meter dash in 14.63 seconds and freshman Kenzie Humber placed 22nd in 16.17 seconds.

Taylor, Biggs, Church and freshman Lily Essex placed fifth in the 4×200 meter relay in 2:19.20.

Taylor, Essex, Humber and freshman Kiera Propes placed sixth in the 4×100 meter relay in 1:05.29.

Propes also placed 13th in the 400 meter dash in 1:22.64 and Church placed behind her in 14th in 1:23.51.

Biggs placed ninth in the 300 meter hurdles in 59.30 seconds.

Harmon placed ninth in the 800 meter run in 2:55.71.

Taylor placed 16th in the 200 meter dash in 33.17 seconds.

Harmon, Jenkins, Biggs and Humber placed fifth in the 4×400 meter relay in 5:26.42.

Essex placed 10th in shot put with a throw of 21 feet, 11.5 inches. She also placed sixth in discus with a throw of 72 feet, 1 inch.

Church placed 14th in long jump with a jump of 11 feet, 1.75 inches and Propes placed 15th with a jump of 10 feet., 10 inches.

Jenkins placed fourth in the triple jump with a jump of 27 feet, 11.5 inches and Propes placed ninth with a jump of 26 feet, 4 inches.

Humber placed third in pole vault with a score of 6 feet.

Harmon placed fourth in pole vault with a score of 5 feet.

“Our girls had some of their best times at region. Ellie (Jenkins) had an outstanding finish in the triple jump,” said Hatfield. “Lilly (Essex) was top six in discus. We are excited for what this young and talented group of girls will be doing in upcoming years.”

Find the rest of the story on page 1B of this week’s issue of the Harrodsburg Herald or click here to to subscribe.