[Stardust]

The Highlands girls’ track and field team was unable to repeat as champion on Friday at the Class 2A state meet at University of Louisville’s Owsley Frazier Cardinal Park, ending a four-year reign.

The Bluebirds, however, were not disappointed in their sixth-place finish.

“A lot of teams would like to finish in the top five but they never do,” said Highlands first-year coach Brian Alessandro. “We faded a little bit and finished tied for sixth during a year where we needed to rebuild because we lost so much.”

It’s the first time the Bluebirds have finished outside the top two since 2005, when they finished third. That was followed by a pair of runner-up state finishes in 2006-07, which were followed by a school-record four consecutive state crowns.

“It would have been nice to win but we wanted to have fun, too, and I had a lot of fun,” said eighth-grader Lauren Ossege, who paced the Bluebirds with three top-four finishes. “We lost a lot of people and a bunch of middle-school girls had to help us out, so I’m not that disappointed.”

Ossege finished second in the 3,200 meters with a time of 11 minutes and 43.09 seconds.

“I stuck with the girl who was leading (Paducah Tilghman winner Aleja Grant) until the last 150 yards, and she just kicked it in,” Ossege said.

Ossege, a regional track and cross country champion, placed third in the 1,600 in 5:25.06. She also ran a leg on the fourth-place 3,200-meter relay team.

“She’s one of the better distance runners in the state,” coach Alessandro said of his young star. “She’s only going to get better, and we had other girls who stepped up.”

The Bluebirds’ Maria Weyer earned three top-four finishes, including fourth in the 100 meters. Sydney Watson had three top-six finishes, including sixth in the 300 hurdles. Megan Reynolds was part of a pair of top-four finishes in relays.

Highlands placed third in the 800 relay, fourth in the 400 relay and eighth in the 1,600 relay.

The next-highest local finishing team was Lloyd, which placed 26th with eight points.

Top performers for the Juggernauts were sophomore Caitlin Carter, who had a pair of fifth-place finishes in the discus and shot put, and senior Torey Duncan, who placed sixth in the open 3,200.http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...305180169/