Frankfort track breaks school record at Nike nationals

The Frankfort track and field team sent seven athletes to the Nike Outdoor Nationals on June 18-22.

Kade MacDonald, Sofia Alaimo Schindler, Addison Jarosz, Willa Roth, Alice Luther, Riley LaVack and Ava Higley all competed at the national event in Oregon.

It was the second year in a row that Alaimo Schindler, Jarosz, Roth and LaVack have competed at the Nike Outdoor Nationals.

"For the athletes that had gone before, there was more of a feeling they belong, (they were) more comfortable," head coach Ed Schindler said. "That allowed them to enjoy the experience in a different way. For athletes that had never gone, it's like going to outer space. It's like nothing you can truly imagine when you get there."

In the boys emerging elite high jump, MacDonald placed 33rd with a mark of 5 feet, 11.5 inches.

In the girls emerging elite 100-meter dash preliminary round, Alaimo Schindler took 81st with a time of 12.75 seconds.

In the emerging elite 4x100 relay, the team of Luther, LaVack, Jarosz and Alaimo Schindler took second with a time of 49.60.

In the championship 4x200 relay, the team of Luther, LaVack, Jarosz and Alaimo Schindler placed 11th with a time of 1:45.58.

In the emerging elite 4x400 relay, the team of Luther, Alaimo Schindler, Roth and Jarosz took 14th with a time of 4:09.30.

The time set a new Frankfort school record in the event, breaking a record that had been set in 2007.

In the emerging elite sprint medley relay, the team of Luther, Jarosz, Roth and Higley placed 10th with a time of 4:37.86.

Higley, Luther, LaVack and MacDonald will all return to the Panthers this season.

"Certainly having that experience motivates them for next year," Schindler said. "Because we're three-sport athletes, many of them jumped right into their next sports. They'll certainly remember this and be motivated to try and get back to that level next season."

Jarosz, Roth and Alaimo Schindler capped off their high school careers at the national event.

"I think it certainly puts a bow on (their careers)," the head coach said. "They've accomplished incredible feats. They broke a bunch of school records. It's quite a reward... They put in a lot of work and they deserve that."