The toughest competition these girls have faced? Each other.

East Jessamine senior Jalynn Landversicht has been atop the Class 2A girls' high jump rankings for most of the 2018 outdoor track-and-field season.

Taliyah Colone — her teammate — has been her most consistent competition during meets.

Colone, a state champion as a freshman, cleared 5-feet, 6 inches this season. The only higher mark in the state this year was 5-7, achieved by Landversicht, who'd never even participated in track and field before Colone urged her to come out after their sophomore season together on the basketball court.

Landversicht finished fifth in the state her first year. She was state champion at the Class 3A meet last year.

"Taliyah just showed me the ropes and ever since then I've just been working my way up," Landversicht said with a laugh.

The goal is to finish 1-2 at state for the first time, something they've been able to achieve in other meets leading up to their final competition together. Landversicht has signed to play basketball for Tennessee-Martin but will also jump for the Skyhawks' track-and-field team. Colone will continue her athletic career at Cincinnati Christian.

Their rivalry is anything but heated. They spend the bulk of their time away from the track hanging out with one another.

"A lot of people actually think that we're sisters most of the time because we're together all the time, especially during track season," Landversicht said. "We both kind of style our hair the same way and we're both those tall, athletic girls walking through school so, like, we get confused a lot (for another), especially by teachers. They'll call us by the wrong names, so now we're kind of used to it."

Having two high jumpers of Colone and Landversicht's caliber on the same roster creates a terrific environment not just for their own development, but that of other East Jessamine team members, head coach Jordan Marcum said.

"It's good for them to see how hard they push one another to be the best," Marcum said. "Going into every meet, every practice, it's 'I'm gonna beat you but at the end of the day we're teammates and we love each other.'"

Marcum said "it would only be fitting" for them to finish their high school careers going 1-2 at state, regardless of whichever girl comes out on top.

"That's the goal," Marcum said. "There's no reason to shoot lower than that."

This story was originally published May 17, 2018 at 3:56 PM with the headline "The toughest competition these girls have faced? Each other.."