Independence Girls Win Team Title, Boys Take Runner-Up at March Madness Meet
Independence High School’s track and field program competed at the Eli Cramer Early Bird Championship (Riverdale HS)and March Madness (Ravenwood HS). The Indy Eagles delivered one of its strongest all-around performances of the young season at the March Madness meet at Ravenwood High School, as the girls team captured the team title and the boys finished second in a 34-team field on Saturday.
The Eagles’ girls set the tone in a deep and competitive field, piling up points on the track and in the jumps to secure first place overall. Independence was especially strong in the sprints and middle distances, led by standout sprinter-jumper Gencye Knight. Knight clocked 12.18 seconds in the 100 meters, a mark that ranks No. 3 in Tennessee, and stretched out to 17 feet, 11 inches in the long jump to post the No. 2 distance in the state.
Independence also saw major production over the hurdles. Emma Rees broke the school record in the 300-meter hurdles, running 46.38, while teammate Caralena Crooks turned in a personal-record 48.14 in the same event. Crooks’ time currently sits No. 15 in the state, adding valuable points to the team total.
The girls distance crew added to the dominance with a standout run from Jillian Roth in the 800 meters. Roth crossed in 2:20.12, a personal record that ranks No. 8 in Tennessee and underscores the team’s balance across events. That depth showed most clearly in the relays, where Independence stacked multiple top-18 state performances and two event victories.
*Photos by G. VW and R. Vance
In the girls 4x200, the quartet of E. Sadler, E. Poore, V. Otero and A. Dell combined for a 1:49.68 finish, good for No. 18 in the state rankings. The Eagles then closed strong in the longer relays. The 4x400 group of Rees, Knight, R. Lloyd and Roth won the event in 4:06.37, a time that currently stands No. 4 in Tennessee. In the 4x800, J. Ruiz, Lloyd, E. Underwood and Roth claimed another victory, running 9:45.47 for the No. 3 mark in the state and securing crucial points in the team race.
On the boys side, Independence turned in an equally impressive performance, finishing second out of 34 teams against high-level competition. Distance standout Asher Oates highlighted the individual efforts with a 4:16.19 performance in the 1600 meters, a time that currently ranks No. 1 in Tennessee and positions him among the state’s premier milers this season.
The Eagles also made noise in the hurdles, where Caden Wittman ran 39.31 in the 300-meter hurdles. The performance was both a personal record and a new school record, and it slots Wittman at No. 3 in the state. Independence added more firepower in the relays, with the 4x400 lineup of G. VW, D. Overton, C. Ruiz and Wittman recording a 3:31.23, good for No. 14 in Tennessee. In the 4x800, Ruiz, D. Milford, C. Yelton and Overton combined for an 8:11.22 finish, which currently ranks No. 3 in the state and helped cement the team’s runner-up finish.
Coming off a demanding week that also included competition at the Eli Cramer Early Bird Championship, Independence used the March Madness stage at Ravenwood to confirm its status as one of the state’s deepest and most competitive programs. With multiple school records, personal bests and top-five state marks, the Eagles left the meet with momentum and a clear indication that both the girls and boys squads are positioned to contend as the season progresses.
