Layla Henderson with a new PR and Top 100 finish in XC regionals

Northern Kentucky University freshman Layla Henderson of Maysville set a new personal record (21:42.3) and finished 98th at the 2023 NCAA Division I Southeast Regionals in Spartanburg, South Carolina on Friday afternoon.

NKU senior Sophia DeLisio and Henderson are the first Norse runners to finish in the Top 100 in the regionals in program history. DeLisio finished 94th.

Another NKU freshman from Maysville — Paige Decker — was seventh for the Norse and 215th overall with a time of 24:27.9.

NKU was 25th in the team standings, tying its best finish in the regionals.

Six Mason County track and field athletes earn all-state honors

 The Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association released its 2023 Outdoor Track and Field All-State Teams Wednesday and six Mason County athletes earned recognition.

Lexi Young was named to the First Team in the high jump and long jump and Second Team in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash.

AJ Barrett was named to the First Team in the pole vault.

Layla Henderson was named to the Second Team in the 1600 meter run.

The girls' 4x800 meter relay team of Paige Decker, Kolby Galloway, Elizabeth Lavinder and Layla Henderson was named to the Second Team.

Three new outdoor track and field school records set by Mason County athletes at state meet

Mason County athletes set three new school outdoor records at the state track and field championships last Friday. 

Lexi Young broke her own school record in the high jump by clearing five-feet, eight inches.

Peyton Ullery's time of 2:00.00 in the 800 meter run broke the record of 2:02.00 set by Jeremy French in 1990.

The girls' 4x800 meter relay team of Paige Decker, Elizabeth Lavinder, Layla Henderson and Kolby Galloway set a new record with a time of 9:51.79.

Decker, Lavinder and Sims sign with NKU

Mason County seniors Paige Decker, Layla Henderson and Avery Sims signed today to continue their academic and athletic careers at Northern Kentucky University, Henderson and Decker for track and cross country, Sims for track.

Decker and Henderson led the Lady Royals to the Region 6 cross country championship and a fourth place finish at the KHSAA Class AA State Cross Country Championship last year.

Decker was the individual region champion and finished eighth at the state meet. Decker was also the region champion as an eighth grader.

Henderson was third at the region meet and 20th at the state meet.

Henderson broke the school indoor record for the two mile run in February and the school indoor records in the 1500 meter run and the 3000 meter run in March.

Last spring, Henderson won the region championships and set new outdoor school records in both the 1600 meter run and the 3200 meter run.

Decker, Henderson and Sims are members of Mason County relay teams which have won region titles. 

Sims also competes in the 400 meter dash and played basketball.

Decker, Henderson and Sims were members of Mason County's state runner-up team at the Class AA Clark Pump-N-Shop State Track and Field Championships last June.

Lady Royals set three school records and finish third at AJ's Heart of Bluegrass Track Classic, Royals finish seventh

The Mason County Lady Royals set three new school records and took third place at AJ's Heart of the Bluegrass Track Classic in Harrodsburg Saturday. The Royals finished in seventh place.

The new school records were set by Lexi Young with a first place finish in the high jump (5-06.00), Ava Thompson in the pole vault (10-06.00) and the girls 4x800 meter relay team of Layla Henderson, Kolby Galloway, Elizabeth Lavinder and Paige Decker (10:04.24). 

Young also won the long jump (17-07.50).

Here is a link to the complete results.

The Mason County Invitational is next Saturday.

Paige Decker signs with NKU

Mason County senior Paige Decker signed last week to continue her academic and cross country careers at Northern Kentucky University.

Decker won region championships as an eight grader and a senior.

At the state meets, Decker finished third as an eighth grader, 14th as a freshman, third as a sophomore, 17th as a junior and eighth as a senior. 

She was named to the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Class AA All-State cross country team five straight years (2018-2022). 

𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗘 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 - 𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗚𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗥 ✍️

The standout from Maysville, Ky. joins NKU by way of Mason County High School!

Decker was just named to the AA Cross Country KTCCCA All-State Team + advanced to states in track 💨@NKUNorse | #NorseUp pic.twitter.com/2FR1yTTUJx

— NKU XC/Track & Field 💨 (@NKUNorseXCTF) December 16, 2022

Decker and Henderson named to the KTCCCA Class AA All-State cross country team

Mason County seniors Paige Decker and Layla Henderson were named to the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Class AA All-State cross country team today.

Decker and Henderson led the Lady Royals to the Region 6 championship and a fourth place finish place at the KHSAA Class AA State Cross Country Championship.

Decker was the individual region champion and finished eighth at the state meet.

Henderson was third at the region meet and 20th at the state meet.

Mason County Lady Royals Paige Decker and Layla Henderson named today to the AA Cross Country KTCCCA All State team! Congrats Ladies pic.twitter.com/gosoMJ7kxt

— Mason County XCTF (@MasonCountyXCTF) November 2, 2022

Lady Royals 4th, Royals 23 in state XC championships

For the second straight year, the Mason County Lady Royals finished in fourth place at the KHSAA Class AA State Cross Country Championships. It's the Lady Royals' fifth consecutive podium finish.

The Mason County Royals finished in 23rd place in the boys' meet, two spots better than last year.

Senior Paige Decker led the Lady Royals with an eighth place finish with a time of 19.59.54. Layla Henderson, also a senior, finished in 20th place with a time of 20:53.

Junior Peyton Ullery was the Royals' top runner. He finished in 45th place with a time of 18:02.20.

Lexington Catholic won the girls' state championship with 64 points. Scott was the runner-up with 100 points followed by Elizabethtown (153), Mason County (161)) and North Oldham (181).

North Oldham won the boys' state championship.

The state championships were held today at the Bourbon County Cross Country Course.

Mason Co Lady Royals with their 5th straight State Cross Country Meet Trophy finishing 4th today. The celebration kiss knocks Coach Kachler's hat a little sideways!! pic.twitter.com/7JDm7WhHgR

— Mason County XCTF (@MasonCountyXCTF) October 29, 2022

Decker and Royals are XC region champions, Overly and Royals are runners-up

Mason County senior Paige Decker was the individual champion and she led the Lady Royals to the team title today at the Class AA Region 6 cross country meet at Boyd County. It's the Lady Royals 10th regional team championship in the last 15 years.

In the boys' meet, Mason County sophomore Deshawn Overly was the individual runner-up and he led the Royals to a runner-up finish, their best finish since 2012.

The Lady Royals had 35 points. Boyd County was a distance second with 65 points and Russell was third with 66.

Decker crossed the finish line with a time of 19:02.06.

Layla Henderson was third (20:08.18), Elizabeth Lavinder was seventh (20:46.96), Morgan Carpenter was 12th (21:50.83), Ava Thompson was 13th (21:57.93), Alexis Decker was 22nd (22:47.56) and Hadley Maher was 31st (23:28.78)

Boyd County won the boys' meet with 34 points followed by Mason County with 66 and East Carter with 81.

Overly had a time of 17:24.23.

Peyton Ullery as seventh (17:36.15), Alex Brannon was 16th (18:37.61), Elijah Reed was 19th (19:19.45), Jackson Truesdell was 22nd (19:38.88), Keenan Galloway was 31st (20:32.88) and Casey Magee was 34th (20:46.06).

The Lady Royals and Royals both advance to the state meets next Friday at Bourbon County.

Lady Royals Paige Decker wins Region 6 AA individual XC title leading her team to the title over Boyd Co pic.twitter.com/fTbkbqaBSE

— Mason County XCTF (@MasonCountyXCTF) October 21, 2022

Lady Royals XC team wins Area 7 Championship; Royals are runners-up

The Mason County Lady Royals cross country team won the Area 7 Championship today. The Royals were the runners-up in the boys' meet. 

The Lady Royals had 48 points. Boyd County was second with 61 and Russell finished third with 68 points. 

The Royals finished with 66 points. Boyd County won the boys' Area 7 Championship with 30 points.

Mason County senior Paige Decker was the individual runner-up with a time of 18:54.71.

Two other Lady Royals finished in the top 10: Elizabeth Lavinder was sixth (20:01.32) and Layla Henderson was eighth (20:26.78).

Dashawn Overly led the Royals with a ninth place finish (16:55.02).

Mason Co Lady Royals win Area 7 XC Championship pic.twitter.com/7X0XeItLjb

— Mason County XCTF (@MasonCountyXCTF) October 8, 2022

Mason Co Royals 2nd at Area 7 XC Championship pic.twitter.com/mn85Kk4oBR

— Mason County XCTF (@MasonCountyXCTF) October 8, 2022

Mason County girls and Augusta boys' XC teams are Buffalo Trace Conference champions

The Mason County Lady Royals and the Augusta Panthers cross country teams are Buffalo Trace Conference champions. The Lady Royals and Panthers won the conference meets on Wednesday at Mason County.

Mason County senior Paige Decker (19:35) and Augusta sophomore Grayson Miller (16:57) are the individual conference champions.

In the girls' race, Mason County had 15 points, Bracken County finished with 48 points.

In the boys' race, Augusta won with 25 points. Mason County was the runner-up with 30 points.

Here are the individual results:

Lady Royals 3rd, Royals 11th in Hopewell Invitational

The Mason County Lady Royals cross country team finished third in the Hopewell Invitational hosted by Bourbon County on Saturday. The Royals took 11th place. 

Three Lady Royals finished in the top 10 -- Layla Henderson was sixth (20:32.85), Paige Decker was seventh (20:42.51) and Elizabeth Lavinder was 10th (21:02.44).

It's been an injury plagued season for the Lady Royals.

"We don't know the end result of the season, but I know we will finish fighting on both sides," coach Mark Kachler wrote in an email message.

Royals XC team 7th at Boyd County Invitational

The Mason County Royals cross country team finished seventh at the Boyd County Invitational on Saturday.

The Lady Royals, still hampered by injuries, did not enter a team, though Paige Decker finished sixth with a 19:25.63.

Peyton Ullery led the Royals with a 32nd place finish with a time of 18:07.59

Lady Royals win, Royals 3rd at Bourbon County Colonel Relays

The Mason County Lady Royals track and field team won the Bourbon County High School Colonel Relays on Saturday, its fourth victory in as many meets this season. The Royals took 3rd place in the boys' meet.

After trailing Bourbon County by 14 points, the Lady Royals rallied to win with 101 points. Bourbon County was the runner-up with 95 points and Woodford County finished in 3rd place with 73.

Woodford County won the boys' meet with 104 points and was followed by Lexington Catholic with 95 points and Mason County with 76.

"There were so many great performances yesterday from both teams I don't know where to start," Coach Mark Kachler wrote in an email message. "The entire coaching staff is very proud of the efforts of everyone. That was a tough meet and they obviously held up very well."

Eighth grader Lexi Young won the long jump and broke De'Sarae Chambers' school record in with the longest jump in the state by a female this year, 18 feet, nine inches. The previous record was 17.5 feet. Young also won the girls' high jump (5-02.00). She broke the school high jump record earlier this season. 

Layla Henderson won the girls' 3200 meter run (11:48.08) and was fourth in the girls' 1600 meter run with a time of 5:24.81 that broke the school record previously held by teammate Paige Decker.  

Anthony Bozeman won the boys' 110 meter hurdles (16.39) and the boys' high jump (6-00.00).

AJ Barrett, a junior, in the boys' pole vault (13-00.00).

The Area 7 meet is this Saturday at Ashland.

A total of six Mason County school records broken at state meet

Mason County track athletes broke four more school records at the KTCCCA Class AA Indoor State Championships on Saturday in addition to the two broken by AJ Barrett and Lexi Young.

Mason County coach Mark Kackler said the previously unreported new records include:

• Paige Decker, 800 meters, (2:29.00)
• Layla Henderson, 1500 meters, (5.09.48) and 3000 meters (10:54.30)
• The girls' 4x800 meter relay team of Henderson, Decker, Alyssa Bisotti and Elizabeth Lavinder.

Barrett cleared 13-06.00, breaking his own school record and to winning pole vault state championship. 

Young, who was the state champion high jumper, finished third in the long jump, breaking her own school record with a jump of 16-07.75.

The Mason County girls Indoor Track Meet #1 and three new school records set

The Mason County Lady Royals indoor track and field team won Mason County Indoor Meet # 1 on Saturday and three individual school indoor records were broken.

The Lady Royals finished with 151 points. Dixie Heights was the runner-up with 97.5 points.

Bishop Brossart won the boys' meet with 89 points. Mason County finished in sixth place with 76 points.

Layla Henderson broke her own 3000 meter school record by more than 25 seconds. She won the race with a time of 10:46.13.

Lexi Young set new school records in both the high jump (5-02.00) and the long jump (16-04.75). She won both events.

Other Mason County first place finishers in the high school meet include:

• The girls' 4x800 meter relay team (10:59.31)
• Karis Applegate, girls' 55 meter dash (7.66)
• Paige decker, girls' 800 meter run (2:44.09)
• The girls' 4x400 meter relay team (4:39.19)
• Alix Flinders, boys' 400 meter dash (56.38)
• The boys' 4x400 team (3.53.53)
• AJ Barrett, boys' pole vault, (11-06.00)

Decker, Bisotti and Henderson named to KTCCCA Class AA Girls' All-State XC Team

Mason County runners Paige Decker, Alyssa Bisotti and Layla Henderson were named to the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Class AA Girls' All-State Cross Country Team.

Those three led the Lady Royals to a fourth place finish at the state meet last week. Decker, a junior, finished in 17th place. Bisotti, a senior, finished in 21st place and Henderson, a junior, finished in 25th place.

Lady Royals 4th, Royals 25th in Class AA State Cross Country Championships

The Mason County Lady Royals took fourth place today for their fourth straight podium finish at the KHSAA Class AA State Cross Country Championship.

Lexington Catholic won the state championship with 77 points. Scott was the runner-up with 132 points, followed by Boyd County with 142 points and Mason County with 153 points.

Paige Decker led the Lady Royals with a 17th place finish in a time of 20:32.74. Alyssa Bisotti was 21st (20:51.39), Layla Henderson was 25th (21:00.79), Elizabeth Lavinder was 45th (21:35.94) and Jennifer Buttery was 63rd (22:08.71).

The Mason County Royals finished in 25th place in the boys' meet. 

Peyton Ullery was the Royals' top finisher in 101st place with a time of 19:08.38. Rounding out the top five for the Royals were Dashawn Overly (107th, 19:12.,03), Cole Wright (148th, 19:57.64), Jackson Truesdell (157th, 20:09.45) and Elijah Reed (170th, 20:21..66).

Mason County girls' and boys' XC teams qualify for state

The Mason County girls' and boys' cross country teams both qualified for the state meets with second place and fourth place finishes, respectively, in the Class AA Region 6 meets today at Boyd County.

Boyd County won both the girls' and boys' meets. The Lady Lions had 42 points. The Mason County Lady Royals had 51 points.

Three Lady Royals finished in the top 10. Layla Henderson was third (19:06.16), Paige Decker finished fifth (19:20.96) and Alyssa Bisotti had an eighth place finish (19:39.34).

The Royals edged Rowan County by one point for the final berth in the state meet.

Mason County was led by two freshmen: Dashauwn Overly in 17th place (18:18.78) and Elijah Reed in 18th place (18:21.95).

The KHSAA Class AA girls' and boys' state championships will take place next Friday at the Bourbon County Cross Country Course.

Henderson and Decker with top 10 finishes at Class AA Meet of Champions

Mason County cross country runners had top 10 finishes in the Class AA Meet of Champions on Saturday at Masterson Station Park in Lexington.

Layla Henderson finished fifth in a time of 20:27, less than a minute behind the winner and just 12 second behind the fourth place finisher.

Paige Decker took eighth place with a time of 21:03.11.

Mason County did not have a full girls' or boys' team in the meet.

The Class AA Region 6 meet takes place Friday at Boyd County.