Martinsville's Martin Barco, Bloomington North eye history at IHSAA track state meet

BLOOMINGTON – Biggest news of boys regionals in track and field Thursday was Fishers’ Tyler Tarter breaking a 17-year-old state record in the 300-meter hurdles at Lafayette Jeff.

Meanwhile, at Bloomington North, Martinsville miler Martin Barco and the host Cougars set the stage for other breakthroughs at the state meet — to be held June 1 three miles away at Indiana University.

No Indiana high schooler has run a sub-4-minute mile. State meets nationwide are run at 1,600 meters — a nightmare for statisticians — but 3:58.60  equals 3:59.98 for the mile (1,609 meters).

Barco and Brebeuf Jesuit’s Cameron Todd have underscored they could run that fast. Barco won a mile in 4:02.94 on May 3 at New York. Todd anchored a 4x800 relay in 1:51.20 at the Pike Regional.

If the first 800 meters at state are run in 1:59 or 2 minutes, Barco said, “I’ll take the front. If it’s any slower than 2:02, I’m just going to go as slow as possible to win it, or at least try to win it. Some people are going to be hard to beat, but I want to be fresh for the 800.”

Barco, defending state champion at 1,600, will try to be the first to win an 800/1,600 double since Center Grove’s Austin Mudd in 2011. Mudd clocked 1:49.25 and 4:03.00, breaking records that had lasted since the 1970s.

In the regional, Barco won the 1,600 in 4:13.28, running the last lap 400 in 56.1 while looking over his left shoulder six times. In the 800, running the second lap (55.0) faster than the first, the Washington recruit set a regional record of 1:52.17 — close to his state-leading 1:52.05. Bloomington North sophomore Caleb Winders was second in 1:52.90.

It is a friendly rivalry, they said.

“We’re close when we’re not racing,” Winders said.

Winders was coming off a 1:53.8 anchor in the 4x800 relay, won by Bloomington North in 7:49.22. The Cougars set a state indoor record of 7:43.08, fastest in the nation.

Bloomington North, after winning Hoosier State Relays for what amounts to a state indoor title, could add one outdoors. Not since Bloomington High School won the inaugural meet in 1904 has this city produced the state champion.

“The big thing today was to get people through to give ourselves the best chance possible,” Bloomington North coach Justin Helmer said.

The Cougars won a fifth straight regional, scoring 153 points to Bloomington South’s 96.5.

On a windless night, Bloomington North’s Jaidyn Johnson won the 100 and 200 in 10.43 and 21.59 — compared to his state-leading times of 10.34 and 21.15, wind-aided at Edgewood on April 20. He is coming off a hamstring injury but said the soreness has diminished.

“I want to be there for my team and not be selfish for my own way,” said Johnson, a Louisville signee.

Bloomington North amassed 12 individual state qualifiers plus 4x400 and 4x800 relays.

Tyler Tarter smashes hurdles record

>> At Lafayette Jeff: Tarter broke the 300 hurdles state record of 36.26 held by Evansville Harrison’s Bryce Brown since 2007. Tarter, an IU recruit whose time ranks No. 2 nationally, won the 110 hurdles in 14.00. Hamilton Southeastern won its first regional since 2013, scoring 89 points to Fishers’ 73. Brownsburg was fifth with 55 — same number of points it scored in winning last year’s state championship. HSE set a regional record of 3:16.48 in the 4x400, fastest in Indiana. Fishers is on track to challenge for its first state title, adding wins by football/basketball star JonAnthony Hall in the long jump (22-7.5), Joel Gates in the shot put (62-0) and Matthew Kim in the 800 meters (1:52.84). Kim beat HSE’s Mason Schmitz, whose 1:52.89 barely missed Winders’ freshman state record of 1:52.68. Junior sprinter Marcus Townsend won the 100 in 10.78, was second in the 200 in 21.66 and ran on Avon’s winning 41.34 in the 4x100.

>> At Pike: North Central junior Dehnm Holt won the 400 in 47.63, fastest in Indiana. Double winners were Heritage Christian’s Luke Himes in the shot and discus, 67-5 and 172-9, and Todd in the 1,600 and 3,200, clocking 4:16.13 and 9:16.55. A freshman, Lawrence North’s Monshun Sales, took the 200 in 22.13. Mt. Vernon, after never winning a regional until last year, repeated as team champion. Mt. Vernon winners were sophomore Caden Cassada, 1:55.16 in the 800, and Andres Langston, 38.42 in the 300 hurdles.

>> At Greenfield-Central: Greenwood junior Will Riley won the 100 in 10.50 (second in the state) and 200 in 21.69. Franklin Central’s Ivan Weaver was second in the 200 in 21.90 after winning the 400 in 48.68. The Flashes won the 4x400 in 3:16.57 (second in the state). Another double winner was Roncalli thrower Seth Brosseau in the shot and discus, 57-8.5 and 178-3. Other winners included Center Grove junior Dallas Johnson, 14.25 in the 110 hurdles; Franklin Central’s Joey Ashman,1:53.78 in the 800, and Greenfield-Central’s Elliot Ryba in the high jump, 6-10. Center Grove won a fourth successive regional.

Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Martin Barco, Bloomington North eye history at IHSAA track state meet