'We needed it': Bloomington North dominates boys track regional

It was time for the third-ranked Bloomington North boys' track team to flex its muscles a little bit.

It was evident in the way North attacked both of its relay races and in way Jaidyn Johnson was back near his season best times in the 100 and 200.

In all North won six titles and will send a contingent of 12 individuals to the state finals in 11 events, leaving the scent of a possible outdoor state team title lingering in the air after the meet. The Cougars scored 153 points — a total not seen at the Bloomington regional this century and closely matched only by a 143-point outburst from South in 2008 — to 96½ for the Panthers, leaving no more than 33 for third place Martinsville.

"We had a great night," North coach Justin Helmer said. "A couple misses but overall, this was one of our better nights. And we needed this night going into next week for that confidence.

"We have big goals and I feel like we've been going through the motions a little bit, but now we've stepped things up and took things to a level which was needed."

The pressure in some cases wasn't just winning but also beating the clock and securing good lane or heat assignments. The Cougars did that.

"We talked about that in our meeting," Helmer said. "Make sure that we're competing for tonight but also keep in mind, what we do tonight has a direct impact on where we are next week. It's their experience and also those goals that we've had all season long.

"We feel like we have a chance, so let's take advantage of the opportunity because, when do you get a chance like this with the talent we have?"

Cougars pounce

Johnson had four more smooth races in the 100 (10.43) and 200 (21.59), likely the two fastest regional races at Bloomington since the records (10.20, 21.20) were set on hand-held timers in 1981.

The bonus was watching University of Indianapolis football recruit Stephon Opoku tear a big chunk off his previous lifetime best (11.13) with a sizzling 10.84. Six months ago, that would have been the school record.

"Stephon, we've been telling him all week, you've got 10.8 in you," Helmer said. "And I think for him, too, the want-to break 11 seconds. His block starts looked a lot better and in practice, he and Jaidyn being side by side, we're seeing that. Where Stephon struggled a little bit was finishing and he did a great job of that today. Two fastest kids in school history."

North also got wins from Max Wynalda in shot put and its 1,600 and 3,200 relays. In addition, North got two out in the 1,600 as Caelan D'Onofrio (4:16.00) and Jack Holden (4:16.73) finished 3-4 and both got under the state standard of 4:17.64. Jacob Mitchell held on for third in the 3,200 (9:33.38) despite struggling through the last third of the race.

The Cougars also moved on two in the 110 hurdles as Alan Hays (15.03) and Ben Boland (15.09) went 2-3. Also making state for the first time is sophomore Evan Cheng, who was second in the long jump (21-7½), and junior pole vaulter Will Steiner, who was third on fewer misses at 13-0, which also unfortunately bumped senior teammate Ethan Isles out.

"I feel fortunate, but it also kind of sucks because my teammate, he missed state," Steiner said. "And also a kid of BNL who no-heighted, which allowed me to get that third to go to state."

At the same time, Steiner has been consistently at 13-0 the past few weeks and that paid off.

"I got on a new pole today and that's the first time I've cleared a bar with that pole," Steiner said. "And that was nerve-wracking because the one below it was way too soft, I probably wouldn't have made anything with that, so I had to make it work."

Black is back at state

South senior D'Andre Black's quest for the school records in the hurdles is on again. After just getting through three races while ill last week, he was good again, with times of 14.41 and 39.54 for a pair of wins and within shouting distance of Kaleb Budde's 14.22 and 39.00.

He felt good enough to anchor the 1,600 relay to third (3:27.73), subbing for usual anchor Josh Tait, who is battling illness and just made it through in the open 400 with a 49.57.

"This was my first week in a while being fully healthy as far as sickness and injuries," Black said. "So I felt great today and I made sure put that on display with my events. I wasn't supposed to run the four-by-four but I was feeling good today, so let's do it."

After finishing the 300s, he turned to celebrate with junior teammate Noah Liell-Beyene, who grabbed the third spot with a career best 40.79.

"Noah's like my little brother," Black said. "I've been with that dude since he was a freshman and seeing him grow. The great thing that he's done, he just had like a second PR, which is crazy. His work ethic is off the charts."

Winders winding up

North's 3,200 relay was all by itself over the last half of the race to win in a season best 7:49.22, with Silver Creek almost 16 seconds back. The 1,600 relay also took the lead early, finishing in 3:22.68. Winders anchored both races with Reed Pierce on each on as well.

"The goal was to get a fast heat for both," Winders said.

His day also included taking another shot at holding off a hard-charging senior Martin Barco of Martinsville in the 800. But the amazing Artesian remained a bit too strong, jumping in front of Winders in the last 200 for a win in a regional record 1:52.17 that took down the 1:53.31 by North's Jason Waterman in 2010.

Winders also got under the state standard with the second best time of the sophomore's career with a 1:52.90, with only his state runner-up run of 1:52.68 faster.

"The goal is to beat him but he is the best in the state, so just being with him close that's amazing," Winders said. "Feels good. I just on keeping getting better and better every week. Get more and more healthy and hopefully by state, I can get him."

Seven for South

In addition to the hurdlers, South has five more individuals going to state as well as all three relays.

But the four-by-800 group pulled off something extra special as Hunter Tabor, Suoming Zhang, Garrett Pitkin and Teagan Bullock carried the baton around in 8:10.61 to easily win the first (slow) heat. Then they waited for the last heat as North and Silver Creek bettered that time, but not Northview (8:18.24), opening the door.

"That was really exciting and a great way to start," South coach Larry Williams said. "We've got three seniors on there that have done so much. They pretty much ran right on plan what we asked them to do. It was awesome."

On the other end is a 400 relay made up of three sophomores, including Gabe Taylor who took third in the 200 (22.55) and anchor Khaliq Akou.

The Panthers' other regional champ was Ryan Rheam in the 3,200. The senior had his second best career time of 9:09.16 (second only to his 9:03.96 for third at state last year) and had a big hug ready for senior teammate Joe Zinkan, who came in second at 9:24.65.

South is also sending senior Alex Shaevitz, a first-time track athlete who hit 21-6 in long jump.

"The kids did a great job competing tonight," Williams said.

Draughn, Hall jumping for joy

North's Amare Draughn has had plenty of ups and downs (no pun intended) the last three years in high jump. As a sophomore, he won a sectional title and then no-heighted at regional. Last year, he was third at sectional but couldn't make 6-0 at regional.

This year, he finally put it all together at the right time, as the only jumper over 6-4 to win the title.

"The week in between sectional and regional, I told myself I wanted this so bad," Draughn said. "And I went out and did extra stuff just to do this and the hard work paid off."

Meanwhile, Owen Valley will have its first presence at state since discus thrower Donnie Mader in 2018 as sophomore Noah Hall cleared 6-2 and settled for second on fewer misses over BNL's Braydon Patterson.

"It means a lot," Hall said. "I was fourth last year but came back, worked hard. Lost to Indian Creek one time, and other than that, Amare. So but its been a good season so far, thankful to the Lord I haven't had any injuries."

Take that, Marcus

Wynalda hit 56-1½ at the Conference Indiana meet, upped his best to 56-9 last week and popped a 57-11½ to win a regional title in the shot put. Not only that, he pushed him past older brother Marcus on North's all-time list in the shot put.

"I bumped him down, so I was really relieved after that," Wynalda said. "I can go home and tell him all about that. That PR was probably my biggest motivator throughout the whole season and now I've got to see how far I can go."

BLOOMINGTON NORTH BOYS TRACK REGIONAL RESULTS

Top 20 team scores: 1. Bloomington North 153; 2. Bloomington South 96½; 3. Martinsville 33; 4. Terre Haute South 32; 5. Jennings County 31½; 6. Seymour 29; 7. Springs Valley 28; 8. Brownstown Central 19; T9. Sullivan 18; Henryville 18; T11. Edgewood 17; Orleans 17; 13. Charlestown 15; 14. Silver Creek 13; 15. Northview 12; T16. North Putnam 11; South Putnam 11; 18. Mitchell 10; 19. Trinity Lutheran 9; 20. Owen Valley 8. 29. Eastern Greene 2.

Top 3 and those who meet state standard (denoted with *) advance to state

100 (10.99): 1. Jaidyn Johnson, BN, 10.43; 2. Stephon Opoku, BN, 10.84; 3. Blaine Ison, JennCo, 11.00; 4. Christian Hamilton, SprVal, 11.06; 5. Khaliq Akou, BS, 11.20; 8. Elija Peters, Mart, 12.05.

200 (22.19): 1. Johnson, BN, 21.59; 2. Zane Catlin, Sull, 22.10; 3. Gabe Taylor, BS, 22.55; 4. Myles Baker, Henry, 22.62; 6. Peters, Mart, 23.00; 8. Akou, BS, 23.46.

400 (49.16): 1. Camran Mitchell, Chrlstwn, 48.79; 2. Jaylan Johnson, Sey, 49.43; 3. Josh Tait, BS, 49.57; 4. Patrick Alston, Orl, 50.02; 5. James Bosco, BN, 50.31; 7. James Lewis, EG, 50.81.

800 (1:54.87): 1. Martin Barco, Mart, 1:52.17 (regional record; old record, 1:53.31; Jason Waterman, North, 2010); 2. Caleb Winders, BN, 1:52.90; 3. Ethan Aidoo, THS, 1:55.24; 4. Rayce Wolff, Mart, 1:55.75; 5. Dominic D'Onofrio, BN, 1:56.77.

1,600 (4:17.64): 1. Barco, Mart, 4:13.28; 2. Aidoo, THS, 4:14.06; 3. Caelan D'Onofrio, BN, 4:16.00; *4. Jack Holden, BN, 4:16.73; 5. Alan Marshall, SprVal, 4:21.76.

3,200 (9:13.17): 1. Ryan Rheam, BS, 9:09.16; 2. Joe Zinkan, BS, 9:24.65; 3. Jacob Mitchell, BN, 9:33.38; 4. Jackson Klinger, Edg, 9:38.54.

110 hurdles (14.84): 1. D'Andre Black, BS, 14.41; 2. Alan Hays, BN, 15.03; 3. Ben Boland, BN, 15.09; 4. Jake Holland, TrtyLuth, 15.38.

300 hurdles (39.46): 1. Black, BS, 39.54; 2. Isaiah Engle, BtownCent, 40.14; 3. Noah Liell-Beyene, BS, 40.79; 4. Hays, BN, 41.64.

High jump (6-4): 1. Amara Draughn, BN, 6-4; 2. Noah Hall, OV, 6-2; 3. Braydon Patterson, BNL, 6-2; 4. Alston, Orl, 6-2; T6. Alex Shaevitz, BS, 6-0; 8. Andrew Elsesser, BS, 6-0.

Long jump (22-0½): 1. Nolan Hackleman, NPut, 21-9½; 2. Evan Cheng, BN, 21-7½; 3. Shaevitz, BS, 21-6; 4. Jay.Johnson, Sey, 21-3½; 5. Luke Waugh, Edg, 20-11½.

Shot put (56-2¾): 1. Max Wynalda, BN, 57-11½; 2. Keenan Mowery-Shields, SPut, 54-11; 3. Larron Childers, SprVly, 53-0¼; 4. Traeh Young, BN, 52-3¼; 6. Chris Davis, Edg, 50-10¼; 7. Ethan Barnes, BS, 48-9.

Discus (163-0): 1. Nate Robertson, Mitch, 165-9; 2. Childers, SprVly, 157-7; 3. Nolan Hughes, Blmfld, 155-11; 4. Lucas Rice, BN, 152-4; 5. Adis Hamidovic, BN, 150-10; 7. Ivan Lynch, BS, 143-3.

Pole vault (14-6): 1. Landon Dobbs, Henry, 15-6; 2. Jaston Wyke, THS, 13-3; 3. Will Steiner, BN, 13-0; 4. Ethan Isles, BN, 13-0; T6. Arthur Banks, BS, 11-6.

400 relay (42.45): 1. Jennings County, 43.12; 2. Bloomington South (Taylor, Daniel Iruoje, Simon Barnes, Akou), 43.20; 3. Seymour, 43.41; 4. Sullivan, 43.78; 5. Martinsville (Peters, Jimenez, Reeves, Gamble), 43.80; 8. Edgewood (Clement, Hanock, Caswell, Strunk), 44.99.

1,600 relay (3:22.61): 1. Bloomington North (Bosco, Reed Pierce, Holden, Winders), 3:22.68; 2. Seymour, 3:26.73; 3. Bloomington South (John Sobiech, Teagan Bullock, Adrian Rheam, Black), 3:27.73; 4. Charlestown, 3:28.01; 5. Edgewood (Beauchamp, Hancock, Clement, Hinson), 3:28.75; 9. Eastern Greene (West, Valentine, Dawes, Lewis), 3:34.99.

3,200 relay (7:57.93): 1. Bloomington North (Jake Gentry, D.D'Onofrio, R.Pierce, Winders), 7:49.22; 2. Silver Creek, 8:04.95; 3. Bloomington South (Hunter Tabor, Suoming, Zhang, Garrett Pitkin, Bullock), 8:10.61; 4. Northview, 8:18.24. 10. Edgewood (Beauchamp, Sigman, Enghauser, Kohne), 8:33.71.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington North dominates, wins 5th straight boys track regional