Bourbon’s boys XC and Track teams share the top spot as the Doctor’s Top Sports Story of Year winners

The programs finished the year with the unthinkable, state runner-up trifecta (XC, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track)

 

IVAN K. RICE I doctorofsports@aol.com

 

PARIS, KY – When you have three different teams that accomplished the same thing, it’s hard to pick which was the best because all three were pretty darn good. And by the way, all three teams were nearly made up of the same personnel.

The Bourbon County Colonels boys cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track teams each finished as state runner-up in their respective sport and with that being said, the most consistent program around this area did more than enough to become the winner of the prestigious Doctor of Sports’ Top Sports Story of the Year award, which now officially closes the book on the 2024-2025 athletic season in Paris and Bourbon County.

The running and sprinting team beat out former Colonel and now Indianapolis Colts football star Dalton Tucker for the top spot, as well as one of their own in Marleigh Estes, the six-sports star, who came in third. Placing fourth was another track Colonel Asher Mattox, with the Bourbon County Lady Colonels cross country and track teams sharing the number five spot as Coach Drew Perraut’s programs dominated the top 12.

Throughout the year, the boys’ teams broke several school records, and a few athletes not only have the school-record, but they also have the best performance of all time in the entire City of Paris and County of Bourbon.

The 4×400 meter relay team that had the foursome of senior Asher Mattox, sophomore Mark Perraut, junior Jacob Ezell, and senior anchor Jesus Mendoza-solis, who toyed with his competition before pulling away down the stretch, finished in a new school and city record time of 3:24.66 at the 2A Outdoor State Championship.

The 4×200 relay team that had Ezell, junior Myles Heilig, Mattox, and Perraut finished as Region 4 Runner-up but in doing so, they still ran the fastest time from of 1:31.99 from the local area.

Also owning city records were Mattox in the 300-meter hurdles (38.36) and Mendoza-solis in the 800-meter run (1:55.30) as both records went down at the state outdoor meet.

During the cross country regional, the Colonels placed second overall and then used the talents of junior Christopher Wells, who owns the school-record in the 5k race (15:56.92), freshman Grant Perraut, Mendoza-solis, junior Kenneth Salas, sophomore Stephen Bryce Perraut, sophomore Preston Centers, and Mattox to run well enough to place, for the first time ever, second at the KHSAA 2A Cross Country State Championship, losing the state championship title by three points. Wells, Mendoza-solis, Bryce Perraut and Grant Perraut would later be named to the KTCCCA all-state team.

Up next for the Colonels was the KHSAA Indoor Track and Field State.

“Indoor track has a short season, but we approach it with a long-term strategy, focusing on building strength and endurance over six months so they’re primed for peak performance in May for outdoor state,” Colonel Track Coach Drew Perraut said. “Indoor Track has played a huge role in elevating Kentucky Track and Field, helping us close the gap with the southern states that have longer training seasons.”

Bourbon left the indoor track with Mattox winning the 400-meter dash state championship and then used the third-place finishes of Mendoza-solis (800m run), senior Braden Goebel (pole vault), the 4×400 relay and the 4×800 relay to score enough points to finish as state runner-up.

The Colonels would then put on a nice show in front of their fans at the Region 4 Championship where they placed second in the team standings that saw them with two region champions, and six region runner-up finishes.

Bringing home individual regional titles were Mattox in the 300m hurdles and the 4×400 relay team. Regional runner-up honors went to Mendoza-solis (800m run), Mattox (110m hurdles), Ezell (400m dash), sophomore Quinton Rice (high jump), and Goebel (pole vault). The Colonels also placed second in the 4×100, 4×200, and 4×800 relay.

Bourbon concluded their season at the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Track & Field State 2A Outdoor Championship and behind a slew of school and city records, the Colonels capped off a great day with another second-place team finish thanks to Mattox’s state title in the 300-meter hurdles, and the state champion 4×400 relay team. It also helped that junior Christopher Wells picked up some huge points in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs, while running a nice leg on the state runner-up 4×800 relay team. Other key points came from Goebel in the pole vault, and Mendoza-solis’ state runner-up finish in the 800-meter run.

“What an amazing day at the KHSAA State Track & Field Championships. The weather was perfect, but that’s not what made it great, it was our team’s toughness and resolve,” said Coach Perraut. “Adversity – whether it’s the weather or a dropped baton, doesn’t shake this group. We don’t panic. We don’t dwell on what we can’t control. We stay focused, keep fighting, and keep believing. There’s no Monday morning quarterbacks on this team. We respond in real time … with grit, unity, and heart. I couldn’t be prouder of this team.