Fort Wayne Northrop celebrated its third state title and first since 1991 in the 27^th Annual IHSAA Girls Track and Field State Finals at Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis.

Coached by Tom Knudson, Fort Wayne Northrop totaled 44 points. Gary West Side was runner-up with 35. Hammond Noll finished third with 29, followed by South Bend Adams (25) and Elkhart Central (23).

Setting the pace for the top-ranked Bruins was senior hurdler Shannon Kelley with a record-setting performance in the 100 hurdles. Kelley was clocked in 14.19, eclipsing the former record of 14.52 set by Ashley Brandford of Hammond Noll in 1999. Kelley also had broken Brandford’s record in the preliminaries with a 14.39 clocking.

Kelley added a second-place finish in the 300 hurdles in 43.89, while teammate Jenae Dowling took third. The Bruins also gained key points with a second in the 1600 meter relay and a fourth in the 3200 meter relay.

Two athletes repeated as state champions. Jennifer Dennie, a senior at Hammond Noll, successfully defended her title in the 100 meters in 12.27. Michelle delaVina, a junior at Wheeler, was the top finisher in the 3200 meters in 10:37.93. She finished second in the 1600 meters, losing her crown to Brownstown Central freshman Winter Holman in 4:58.50.

Top-seeded Kerri McClung of Jay County won her second title in the shot put with a best of 44-9.25. McClung was the state champion in 1998 and the state runner-up in 1999.

Senior Jan Eichenauer of Wabash won her second long jump title with an effort of 18-10. Eichenauer also was the state champion in 1997 as a freshman.

Alisha Ewing of Rochester became the first athlete in school history to win an IHSAA girls track and field championship by going 5-8 in the high jump to edge 1998 state champion Melyssa Reinhardt of Southport.

Also winning the first state title in school history was Renee’ Schlabach of Fairfield in the 800 meters. The senior finished in 2:15.95.

Other individual champions were seniors Sara Fields of Bloomington North in the discus, April Royal of Fort Wayne Wayne in the hurdles, Tabitha Flournoy of Gary West Side in the 200 meters and Ellen Alkire of Homestead in the 400 meters.

TEAM LEADERS

EVENT CHAMPIONS

Sara Fields of Bloomington North High School was selected by the IHSAA Executive Committee as the 2000 recipient of the Mental Attitude Award in Girls Track & Field.

A four-time medalist in the discus competition, including a runner-up finish in 1999, Fields capped her senior year by winning the state championship with a throw of 158-7. She added a sixth place finish in the shot put with a toss of 42-3.75.

In addition to track and field, Fields was a three-year letterwinner in volleyball for the Cougars.

Academically, Fields ranks among the best in her senior class with a 3.8 grade point average and serves as secretary for her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. She has received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. with the ultimate goal of studying medicine.

The Mental Attitude Award is presented annually to the senior who best demonstrates excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in girls track and field. Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Bloomington North High School in the name of Fields.