The IHSAA boys track and field state finals took place Saturday at Indiana University in Bloomington, and all six Hamilton County schools that participated had something to celebrate once the meet was over.
Fishers got the last blue ribbon of the night, cementing a fourth-place team finish with 39 points. The Tigers’ 4×400 relay team of Makell Wiggins, Tyler Tarter, Grant Shelton and Keefer Soehngen one that race in a time of 3 minutes, 18.85 seconds. Fishers had been hanging around the top 10 all evening, and clinched fourth with that victory.
The 4×400 was the third relay squad to earn a podium finish for the Tigers. Fishers began the meet by taking third in the 4×800 relay; that team consisted of Matthew Kim, Colin Simons, Alec Foster and Soehngen. The senior Soehngen would later run in the 400 dash, placing third, giving him a total of three medals as he completes a stellar high school career.
The Tigers also took fifth in the 4×100 relay, which was run by Joseph Syrus, Bryce Williams, Shelton and Dawson Scally. In addition, Tarter finished as runner-up in the 300 hurdles, while Josh Forbes took eighth in the pole vault, giving Fishers two more medals.
Carmel placed a close fifth at state by scoring 38 points. Kole Mathison led the way, claiming state championships in the meet’s longest events.
Mathison started with a victory in the 1600 run, which he finished in 4:04.82. He then cruised to a win in the 3200 run, taking the race in 8:59.05. Charlie Schuman had an outstanding 3200 run, improving on his 19th seed to finish third. Schuman clocked in at 9:02.39, and his result gave the Greyhounds seven more team points, clinching them a top-five finish.
Carmel picked up two relay medals, with its 4×800 relay team of Charlie Leedke, Drew Grogan, Thomas Biltimeier and Connor Heagy placing eighth and the 4×100 relay squad of Christian Peterson, Gregory Gottlieb, Jaylen Zachery and Desmond Duffy finishing seventh. Aydrian Caldwell had an excellent day in the high jump, clearing 6 feet, 6 inches to place fifth. Nolan Ring took ninth in the discus.
Hamilton Southeastern placed 12th as team, totaling 15 points and picking up five medals at the meet. The Royals’ 4×800 relay group of Nolan Satterfield, Ian Ross, Andrew Knight and Bennett Dubois started the meet strong, placing fourth.
Satterfield and Dubois came back to run the open 800 and earned spots on the podium, with Satterfield finishing seventh and Dubois ninth. Michael Griffith took sixth in the long jump, and the Southeastern 4×100 relay team of Kobe Dade, Christian Miller, Ethan Falconer and Mason Alexander also finished ninth.
Hamilton Heights took 15th place as a team, scoring 15.33 points. The Huskies were led by their sensational thrower Colin Wilson, who medaled in both events. Wilson took fifth in the discus, then was impressive in the shot put, where he was the runner-up. Wilson threw 64 feet, 4.5 inches in his last attempt; that turned out to be his best of the evening.
Peyton McQuinn also earned a medal, taking ninth in the pole vault. There was a three-way tie for ninth in that event, which resulted in the 0.33 points for each of those athletes’ respective teams.
Westfield scored 12 points to finish tied for 17th. Kai Connor led the way, blasting to a state championship in the 800 run. In an exceptionally fast race, Connor won in 1:51.84. He was back on the track not too much later, joining Josh Barnett, Dylan Walker and Colin Lakomek (who placed 11th in the 800) to take eighth in the 4×400 relay.
Noblesville scored five points and picked up three medals. Joel Mumaw finished eighth in the 1600 run, while Asher Propst also took eighth in the 3200 run. The Millers’ 4×800 relay team of Noah Bushong, Alec Moor, Luke Shinneman and Jack Strong opened the meet by placing ninth.
Plainfield won the state title by scoring 61 points, while Brownsburg was the runner-up with 47 points.
Team scores (Top 10 and all county): 1. Plainfield 61, 2. Brownsburg 47, 3. Columbus North 43, 4. Fishers 39, 5. Carmel 38, 6. Center Grove 35.33, 7. Warren Central 23, 8. Concordia Lutheran 21, T9. Floyd Central 18; Ben Davis 18, 12. Hamilton Southeastern 15, 15. Hamilton Heights 13.33, T17. Westfield 12, T40. Noblesville 5.
4×800 relay: 1. Columbus North 7:37.90, new state record, 3. Fishers (Matthew Kim, Colin Simons, Alec Foster, Keefer Soehngen) 7:43.30, 4. Southeastern (Nolan Satterfield, Ian Ross, Andrew Knight, Bennett Dubois) 7:44.06, 8. Carmel (Charlie Leedke, Drew Grogan, Thomas Biltimeier, Connor Heagy) 7:53.27, 9. Noblesville (Noah Bushong, Alec Moor, Luke Shinneman, Jack Strong) 7:55.19.
110 hurdles: 1. John Colquitt (Brownsburg) 13.90. Prelims: 11. Tyler Tarter (F) 14.87, 21. Will Gerig (HSE) 15.21.
100 dash: 1. Anthony Brodie (Evansville Memorial) 10.57. Prelims: 28. James Philpott (C) 14.04.
1600 run: 1. Kole Mathison (C) 4:04.82, 8. Joel Mumaw (N) 4:15.34, 26. Luke Shinneman (N) 4:33.96.
4×100 relay: 1. Brownsburg 41.60, 5. Fishers (Joseph Syrus, Bryce Williams, Grant Shelton, Dawson Scally) 42.25, 7. Carmel (Christian Peterson, Gregory Gottlieb, Jaylen Zachery, Desmond Duffy) 42.27, 9. Southeastern (Kobe Dade, Christian Miller, Ethan Falconer, Mason Alexander) 42.45.
400 dash: 1. Nayyir Newash-Campbell (Plainfield) 47.45, 3. Soehngen (F) 48.12, 16. Jaylon Cooper (HSE) 50.12.
300 hurdles: 1. Colquitt (B) 37.92, 2. Tarter (F) 38.57.
800 run: 1. Kai Connor (W) 1:51.84, 7. Satterfield (HSE) 1:54.39, 9. Dubois (HSE) 1:54.84, 11. Colin Lakomek (W) 1:55.31.
200 dash: 1. Kemari Robinson (Cardinal Ritter) 21.49.
3200 run: 1. Mathison (C) 8:59.05, 3. Charlie Schuman (C) 9:02.39, 8. Asher Propst (N) 9:10.51, 24. Tate Meaux (F) 9:40.04.
4×400 relay: 1. Fishers (Makell Wiggins, Tarter, Shelton, Soehngen) 3:18.85, 8. Westfield (Josh Barnett, Connor, Dylan Walker, Lakomek) 3:21.49
High jump: 1. Bode Gilkerson (Plainfield) 6-9, 5. Aydrian Caldwell (C) 6-6.
Long jump: 1. Piere Hill (Portage) 23-4.75, 6. Michael Griffith (HSE) 22-5, 17. Lamine Sall (HSE) 21-3.5.
Discus: 1. Antoine Cooper Jr. (Ben Davis) 172-6, 5. Colin Wilson (HH) 164-1, 9. Nolan Ring (C) 158-9.
Shot put: 1. Tucker Smith (CN) 66-6.75, 2. Wilson (HH) 64-4.5, 10. Jack Greer (HSE) 56-10.25.
Pole vault: 1. Cody Johnston (Hobart) 16-8, 8. Josh Forbes (F) 14-6, T9. Peyton McQuinn (HH) 14-0.