Amar Singh has been a student in the Center Grove school corporation since January, guaranteeing the senior a crash course in everything from friendships to facilities.
Qualifying for the boys state track and field meet proves he’s a quick study.
Singh, who twice this season cleared a personal-best height of 14 feet, feels he has what it takes to find his way onto the awards podium at Ben Davis on Friday.
A student in the Whiteland school system since kindergarten, Singh transferred to Center Grove after Christmas break of the current school year. This after not competing as a junior after all spring sports were canceled due to COVID-19.
“It was rough. It was kind of hard leaving all my friends back at Whiteland,” Singh said. “I just came to (track) practices and made my friends there. I wouldn’t say I’m really surprised to make state. I kind of expected it.
“As a freshman, I jumped 9-6, and (Whiteland coach Brandon) Bangel said that was pretty good for a freshman. I always knew I was pretty athletic and have good body awareness.”
Second-ranked Center Grove is qualified in 12 of the 16 events — including two entries apiece in the 110-meter high hurdles, 200-meter dash and long jump. Singh’s familiarity with the complex at Ben Davis, a fellow Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference school, could benefit him.
On April 17, the Trojans took part in the Ben Davis Invitational.
Like many senior athletes, Singh’s athletic career has incorporated its share of starts and stops. He started pole vaulting as a Whiteland freshman, but he missed most the season after dislocating his knee while taking part in a drill in practice.
Singh returned for the 2019 campaign, then wondered what might have been a year ago as the pandemic took hold.
Nate Line, a 12th-place state finisher as a Center Grove senior two years ago, is in his first season coaching the Trojan boys pole vaulters. He’s been impressed with Singh’s evolvement over the course of the season.
“I didn’t know much about Amar going in, but he’s shown a lot of improvement. I met him in late February or early March, and he told me his PR was 12 feet,” Line said. “For him, it was a matter of getting him on bigger poles and then tweaking some things during the season.”
Singh now incorporates a 14-foot pole designed to bear the brunt of 170 pounds. He’s also narrowed his grip on the pole and is more focused on keeping his legs together while introverted.
“Amar has set some pretty lofty goals, like 15 feet or 15-6, and he has the potential,” Line said. “If he puts everything together, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hits 15 feet. I definitely think Amar is worthy of medaling. The state meet always has a little bit of magic in it.”
Asked why he chose to pole vault, Singh, knowing he’s been asked the same question too many times to count, smiles.
“I like to live on the edge,” Singh said. “Coach Bangel and a lot of other people have told me you have to be kind of crazy to pole vault. I like doing stuff that a lot of people don’t do. The fact you can get flung 14 feet high and then coming down, it’s a cool feeling.”
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Boys track and field state finals
When: Friday, 3 p.m.
Where: Ben Davis High School
Admission: $12
Webcast: Pay-per-view available at IHSAATV.org
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A look at how Johnson County athletes stack up against the field at Friday’s state meet:
100-meter dash
Top seed: Kameron Gethers, Lake Central (10.77)
Local entry: Brandon Wheat, Center Grove (16th, 11.04)
Outlook: Wheat, a junior, is poised to fare better than his seeding. A 10th-place finisher at state in the 200 two years ago, he has the kind of big-meet experience necessary to land him in the top nine and on the awards podium.
110-meter hurdles
Top seed: John Colquitt, Brownsburg (14.07)
Local entries: James Schott, Center Grove (17th, 15.15); Parker Doyle, Center Grove (27th, 15.73)
Outlook: The Trojans’ outstanding hurdling tradition is carried on by Schott, a junior, and Doyle, a sophomore. Based on regional times, however, both appear to have an uphill climb to advance to the finals.
200-meter dash
Top seed: Connor Czajkowski, Lafayette Harrison (21.60)
Local entries: Wheat, Center Grove (ninth, 22.37); Micah Coyle, Center Grove (14th, 22.53)
Outlook: Wheat missed out on a finals medal by the slimmest of margins as a freshman, but should be poised to get the job this time around, especially given his familiarity with the Ben Davis track. Coyle, a sophomore, has been a welcome complement to Wheat in the sprints this season and also has what it takes to medal.
1,600-meter run
Top seed: Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff, Columbus North (4:10.37)
Local entry: Griffin Hennessy, Center Grove (26th, 4:28.66)
Outlook: The decision by Whiteland senior Will Jefferson to focus on the 3,200 takes away one of the strongest challengers to vie for the top spot. Sophomore Hennessy, though seeded 26th, has big-event experience after helping the Trojans place fourth as a team at the state cross country meet.
4×100 relay
Top seed: Carmel (41.79)
Local entry: Center Grove (second, 42.08)
Outlook: The foursome of Connor Delp, Coyle, Drew Wheat and Brandon Wheat worked seamlessly all season. With Warren Central seeded third (42.11), this could come down to the fastest of the fast from the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference.
400-meter dash
Top seed: Owen Schafer, Carmel (48.01)
Local entry: Zach Greller, Center Grove (10th, 49.99)
Outlook: As a sophomore, Greller is more than capable of a top-nine finish, which would be a tremendous momentum-builder for the final two years of his track career.
300-meter hurdles
Top seed: John Colquitt, Brownsburg (37.61)
Local entry: Delp, Center Grove (seventh, 39.48)
Outlook: Center Grove has excelled in this event at this meet many times in the past, and Delp aspires to be the latest to shine. Lowering the career-best time run from last week’s regional could possibly land the senior in the top five on Friday.
800-meter run
Top seed: Jaylen Castillo, Fishers (1:53.68)
Local entry: Ethan Pheifer, Franklin (16th, 1:56.91)
Outlook: Fittingly, Pheifer closes out his multi-sport athletic career on the biggest of stages. The senior will likely need to eclipse his personal-best time, clocked at last week’s regional, in order to bring home a medal, but he’s certainly capable.
3,200-meter run
Top seed: Kole Mathison, Carmel (9:05.98)
Local entries: Jefferson, Whiteland (20th, 9:42.33); Parker Mimbela, Center Grove (24th, 9:44.09)
Outlook: Looking to atone for a less-than-satisfactory state finish in cross country, Jefferson, who also qualified for state in the 1,600, is pouring his all into this one final event to cap his brilliant prep career. His personal best of 8:56.17 at the Carmel Showcase this season most definitely makes him a title contender.
4×400 relay
Top seed: Carmel (3:21.79)
Local entry: Center Grove (eighth, 3:25.58)
Outlook: The quartet of Greller, Delp, Tayven Jackson and Drew Wheat ran its fastest time at regional and could not only contend for one of the top levels of the awards podium to close the meet, but potentially help the Trojans win the overall team title.
High jump
Top seed: Kamyren Garrett, Lawrence Central (6-10)
Local entry: Jackson Schott, Center Grove (13th, 6-4)
Outlook: In 2012, then Roncalli-senior Will Schott won state in this event with a best effort of 6-8. Younger brother Jackson Schott now takes center stage with hopes of going 6-6 or better and bringing home a medal of his own.
Long jump
Top seed: Devin Mockobee, Boonville (23-2 1/2)
Local entries: Jackson Schott, Center Grove (eighth, 22-5) and Delp (19th, 21-9)
Outlook: Schott and Delp are accustomed to the sports spotlight as part of the Trojans’ undefeated Class 6A state champions in football. That experience will no doubt benefit them as they look to pick up points for their team in the long jump.
Pole vault
Top seed: William Staggs, South Knox (16-1 1/4)
Local entry: Amar Singh, Center Grove (14th, 13-8)
Outlook: Singh’s personal best of 14 feet would likely put him on the fringes of a top-nine finish. His familiarity with the Ben Davis pole vault setup could be to the senior’s advantage.
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