The boys and girls track and field teams from Brownstown Central gathered in the school’s auditorium last week to celebrate the 2023 season that featured a lot of high marks.
Girls head coach Maria Conklin first honored her varsity letter winners, which featured Jo Brittain, Maddy Schepman, Madison Stuckwisch, Camryn Thompson, Tori Lokey, Jocelyn Love, Lexi Wheeles, Roz Abell, Chelsie Combs, Noe McPherson, Claire Schepman, Liberty Wilkins, Hailey Bair, Trinity Cody, Olivia Fritz, Harley Toppe and Sophie Wischmeier.
The Lady Braves had an overall record of 65-23, went 6-2 in the Mid-Southern Conference and placed third in the sectional.
Two school records were broken as Camryn Thompson set the 300 hurdle record multiple times, the last being at regional with a time of 45.98.
Thompson also was part of the 4×100 relay team with Bair, Maddy Schepman and Love that set the school record with a time of 50.94.
Thompson, a senior, was a state qualifier, and she was named the team’s most valuable athlete at the banquet last week. She also won the mental attitude award.
She was a regional qualifier in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay. She also earned all-conference in both hurdle events.
Bair won outstanding field event, Schepman won outstanding sprinter, Cody won outstanding distance runner and Wheeles won most improved.
Other regional qualifiers for the Lady Braves were Schepman (200, 4×100), Bair (long jump, 4×100), Wilkins (high jump), Love (4×100, 4×400), McPherson (4×400) and Wischmeier (4×400).
For the boys team, head coach Derrick Koch named the varsity letter winners, which were Caleb Cummings, Bradley Edwards, Ryan Branaman, Garrett Driver, Isiaah Engle, Hudson Fritz, Bryce Peak, Traven Wellman, Lane Zike, Clayton Branaman, Jaden Disque, Roshaun Hehman, Gregory Hutcheson, Aden McCrary, Chance Ratliff, Shane Ratliff, Isaac Hutchinson, Damien Owens, Jack Pace, Sloan Stuckwisch and managers Holden Tovey and Grant Black.
The Braves were 50-19 overall on the season, won the Mid-Southern Conference, placed fourth at sectional and were 19th out of 41 teams at regional.
There was one school record broken, which was by the 4×100 relay team of Cummings, Pace, Engle and Fritz, who ran 43.38.
The most valuable athlete award went to Cummings, who was part of the relay team that set the record and also placed first at the MSC meet and sectional.
Fritz earned the most improved award, Zike won the mental attitude award, Disque won outstanding field event, Engle was outstanding sprinter and Chance Ratliff was outstanding distance runner. Branaman was academic all-state honorable mention.
In addition to the 4×100 relay team being all-conference, Driver also earned all-MSC with a first-place finish in the 400-meter dash.
Regional qualifiers for the Braves were Fritz (100, 4×100), Cummings (200, 4×100), Driver (400, 4×400), Engle (300 hurdles, 4×100, 4×400), Hutcheson (300 hurdles, 4×400), Chance Ratliff (3200, 4×800), Edwards (4×800), Owens (4×800), Shane Ratliff (4×800), Pace (4×100) and Zike (4×400).
With only two seniors on the boys roster — Cummings and Edwards — from this past spring and four from the girls roster — Thompson, Brittain, Stuckwisch and Schepman — the Braves hope to continue to build on their successes going into next season.