Kokomo Athletics

Kokomo High School's Unified Track and Field team made history on Wednesday by hosting its first-ever home meet—an exhibition-style event that also marked the opening of the 2025 season. The Unified Kats welcomed teams from Fishers, Western, and Twin Lakes for an evening full of fierce competition and unforgettable moments. More than just the season opener, the night was a celebration of a decade of Unified Track and Field at Kokomo High School. What began ten years ago with a vision of including 24 student-athletes has since grown into a thriving program with more than 50 participants each season. Kokomo is now widely recognized as one of the top Unified Track teams in the state—proof of the school’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, teamwork, and competitive excellence. ________________________________________ Honoring Our Seniors The meet began with a heartfelt senior recognition ceremony, celebrating ten remarkable athletes for their leadership, dedication, and lasting contributions to the program: Justin Smith, MJ McColl, Dakota Hildman, Liza Arvay, Karsen Huffman, Devon Lee, Gage Meyers, Hayze Herron, and Dylan Snodgrass. These seniors have played a key role in shaping the culture of excellence, inclusion, and unity that defines Kokomo’s Unified Track program. Their impact will be felt for years to come. ________________________________________ Meet Highlights Following the senior celebration, the action kicked off with the debut of the Unified 4x200-meter relay—a preview of a new IHSAA-sanctioned event coming next year. Kokomo’s relay team of Ellie Neuhauser, Joshua Smith, Macy Rakestraw, and senior Gage Meyers delivered an exciting second-place finish with a time of 2:04.1, setting a new team record. In the field events, Kokomo athletes delivered impressive performances across the board: • Long Jump: First-time competitors Izzy Sargent (6’7.5") and Joey Randolph (11’1") opened their seasons with personal records. Returning jumpers Braedyn Booker and Donovan Davis also made strong showings—Booker claimed second in his flight with a jump of 17’1", while Davis earned second in his flight with 10’1.5". • Shot Put: Senior Hayze Herron placed fourth in the top flight with a throw of 34’6.75", while fellow senior Dakota Hildman hit a personal best of 28’8", earning second in his flight. Aiden Sargent won his flight with a throw of 27’6.5", and Austin Jewell followed closely with a second-place throw of 26’7.25". On the track, Kokomo’s sprinters showed up strong: • 100-Meter Dash: The sprint events started with a bang as Mariah Edington took first in her heat, setting the tone for the rest of the Kats. She was followed by strong heat wins from Erik Carter, Odin Salinas, Elmer Barber, Aiden Sargent, Joshua Smith, Joseph Lowery, and Ethan Lytle, each claiming victories to kick off their seasons. 400-Meter Dash: In a thrilling race, Senior Devon Lee surged into an early lead with Senior Justin Smith close behind. The two seniors crossed the finish with less than a second between them, taking first and second place with Lee finishing with 1:07.9 and Smith with 1:08. Odin Salinas also delivered a standout performance, winning his heat with a personal best of 1:18. Perhaps the most heartwarming moment came from Erik Carter, who—with some encouragement from teammate Gage Meyers—shattered his previous personal best of 1:45, finishing in 1:25.3 and winning his heat. The event wrapped up with the 4x100-meter relays: • Girls’ 4x100 Meter Relay: Maddie Armstrong, Ellie Neuhauser, Claire Rowe, and Isabella Beyonce set a new girl’s relay team record of 1:13.3! • Boys’ 4x100 Meter Relay: o Team One: Senior Justin Smith handed off to Senior MJ McColl in a tight race until Senior Karsen Huffman pulled away on the last turn and Braedyn Booker was able to hold off Fishers to finish with a time of 51.8 . o Team Two (Hayden Humbarger, Dakota Hildman, Elmer Barber, Donovan Davis) followed with a strong performance and finished with a time of 59.5 . The night’s success was made possible by tremendous support from the community! Parents, educators, administrators, therapists, paras all volunteered to help run events and filled the stands supported every athlete regardless of team. Special thanks to Andy Carpenter for his expert announcing and to Derek Donelson for helping make sure our first home meet ran smoothly.