Lady Royals win track and field region, Royals finish 2nd

Saturday was a long day with a good ending for the Mason County track and field teams. The seniors graduated in the morning, then there was the bus ride to the Class AA region meet at Russell which included a two-hour severe weather delay. Then the ride home.

At the end of the day, the Lady Royals were region champions for the 9th time in 13 years and the Royals were the runners-up in the boys' meet for their best finish since winning the region in 2014.

For the Lady Royals, it was their 7th win in as many meets this season, and they did it in dominating fashion with 193 points. Russell was a distance 2nd with 72 points.

Russell won the boys' meet with 167 points. Mason County had 106.5 points. 

Layla Henderson won region championships and set new school records in both the girls' 1600 meter run (5:24.54) and the girls' 3200 meter run (11:34.87).

Lexi Young set new school records in the girls' 100 meter dash (12.57) and the 200 meter dash (25.90). She was the region champion in both the girls' long jump (16-11.00) and the girls' high jump (5-00.00).

Other region championships claimed by Mason County athletes include:

• The girls' 4x800 meter relay team of Alyssa Bisotti, Paige Decker, Layla Henderson and Elizabeth Lavinder (10:13.32)
• The girls' 4x100 meter relay team of Karis Applegate, Madison Howard, Neveah Wright and Lexi Young (51.38)
• The girls' 4x200 meter relay team of Morgan Carpenter, Alexa Decker, Hadley Maher and Avery Sims (1:53.47)
• The boys' 4x100 meter relay team of CJ Arthur, Anthony Bozeman, Keshaun Thomas and Brady Sanders ((45.28)
• The boys' 4x200 meter relay team of Alix Flinders, Austin Moreland, Carson Hicks and Brady Sanders (1:34.50)
• Alix Flinders, the boys' 400 meter dash (52.82)
• Anthony Bozeman, the boys' 200 meter dash (23.25) and the boys' high jump (6-00.00)
• Ava Thompson, the girls' pole vault (9-06.00)
• AJ Barrett, the boys' pole vault (12-09.00)

Second-place finishers also qualified for the state meet. Those athletes include:

• Anthony Bozeman, the boys' 110 meter hurdles (15.70)
• Lexi Young, the girls' 100 meter dash (12.57)
• Sarah Payne, the girls' 300 meter hurdles (50.29)
• Paige  Decker, the girls' 800 meter run (2:27.47)
• The girls' 4x400 meter relay team of Morgan Carpenter, Avery Sims, Sarah Payne and Paige Decker (4:20.22)

Team Rankings

Girls

1. Mason County 193

2. Russell 72

3. Boyd County 69

4. Fleming County 66

5. Rowan County 64

6. Ashland 54

7. Greenup County 25

8. East Carter 8

9. Lewis County 6

Boys

1. Russell 167

2. Mason County 106.5

3. Greenup County 98.5

4. Boyd County 70

5. East Carter 39

6. Rowan County 29

7. Lewis County 18

8. Ashland 14

9. Fleming County 12

The Class AA state track and field meets are scheduled June 3 at the University of Kentucky.