Carmel claims second consecutive Indiana girls track title with state record

Carmel High School cemented its status as the premier girls track and field program in Indiana, securing its second consecutive state championship at the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) finals. Competing at North Central in Indianapolis, the Greyhounds finished with 49.5 team points, finishing ahead of second-place Bloomington South, which scored 35 points, and third-place Whiteland, which earned 33 points. The victory marks the first time a girls team has won back-to-back state titles since Warren Central achieved the feat in 2016 and 2017.

The foundation of Carmel’s dominance was laid early in the competition, particularly in the field events. Junior Ellie Cooley placed eighth in the discus throw with a mark of 138-7, while Kate Hammond secured seventh place in the pole vault with a personal record height of 11-3. Coach Aaron McRill noted that the strong start in the field events set the tone for the team’s overall performance, allowing them to build a comfortable margin over the competition.

Carmel’s distance runners delivered the decisive blow in the 4x800-meter relay, the first running event of the day. The quartet of Larkin Taylor, Sadie Foley, Annabel Pollert, and Kaitlyn Oshimura set a new state meet record with a time of 8:49.46. The performance dethroned the previous record held by Bloomington South and ranked as the third-fastest time in the country. Taylor, running the anchor leg, crossed the finish line with a 10-second lead, completing a win that Carmel had not achieved in this event since the 2021 season.

Individual excellence across the state highlighted the depth of the competition. Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran senior Mallory Weller swept the 1,600 and 3,200-meter races for the second consecutive season, clocking 4:46.34 and 10:18.66 respectively. In the 800-meter dash, Bloomington South senior Ellie Barada successfully defended her state title with a time of 2:05.33. Hamilton Southeastern junior Anissa Lammie claimed the 400-meter dash in 54.32 and also anchored the Greyhounds’ rival team to victory in the 4x400-meter relay.

The Greyhounds’ victory was characterised by a collective team effort rather than reliance on a single star performer. Carmel seniors celebrated the achievement as a culmination of a historic three-peat in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. With the win, Carmel avoided a two-decade drought for state titles in the sport, having last won in 1999, and solidified its legacy within the state record book.