Bloomington South Girls Track Team Achieves Historic Second Place Finish at State Meet

INDIANAPOLIS — The Bloomington South girls track team concluded their season with a remarkable performance, securing a runner-up trophy at the IHSAA state meet held on June 5 at North Central High School. This achievement marks the highest finish in the program's history, surpassing their previous best of third place in 2025. Their journey to this moment was characterized by resilience, significant improvements, and countless dedicated hours of training.

Senior sprinter Violet Hall expressed pride in her team's accomplishments, stating, "It's just amazing my class has been able to make a big difference. We've been able to pull everyone up with each other, encourage each other. I've never had a team environment like this one. All these girls are really special to me." The senior class left a lasting legacy, breaking three school records and earning medals in all three relay events, as well as in three individual races, including Ellie Barada, who successfully defended her title in the 800-meter run.

Head coach Jill Rensink reminisced about the team's progression, saying, "When they came in, they were all so little... But we also knew freshman year this was a special group. They all had a ton of talent." The team demonstrated their strength in the final race of the meet, securing eighth place in the 4x400 relay, which was crucial for clinching their second-place overall finish.

Barada reflected on their thrilling season, noting, "It's honestly crazy... Four state meets done. It's been a really great run. No pun intended." Despite facing injuries, the team stayed focused and determined. Junior Mary Asplund, who had struggled with injuries, contributed to the team’s success in the relays, while senior Jasmine Martoglio commented on the challenges they faced throughout the season.

Barada excelled in her individual events, leading the 800-meter race and coming close to a meet record with her time of 2:05.33. "I just wanted to defend my state title," she said. Meanwhile, the 4x100 relay team achieved a new school record with a time of 47.54, surpassing the previous mark set in 2015. Hall remarked on their collective effort, stating, "I think a lot of it is that we all see each other trying to get better, so we wanted that for each other, not just ourselves."