Boys track and field preview

Even with everything Brandon Wheat has achieved, the Center Grove senior feels two sports seasons deprived of what could have been accomplished.

A global pandemic cost Wheat his sophomore track and field season; he missed the ensuing football campaign after sustaining a stress fracture in his right foot, and the Trojans rolled to an undefeated Class 6A state championship.

Suffice it to say that the 5-foot-9, 165-pound sprinter, architect of a three-medal performance at the state meet last June, isn’t lacking inspiration.

“I’m definitely trying to win state this year, both as a team and in my individual events,” said Wheat, who placed third in the 200-meter dash, fifth in the 100 and anchored the Trojans to runner-up status in the 4×100 relay.

“Honestly, I wasn’t thrilled with the 4×100. Warren Central beat us, and we had beaten them, like, three times during the season. I just think we could’ve run better.”

Welcome to Wheat’s universe when it comes to all things track and field.

He is a perfectionist through and through. A stickler for the most minute of details, whether it’s his diet, technique, baton handoffs, any lingering pre-race superstitions and so much more.

“Brandon is just an elite track kid,” said Trojans coach Eric Moore, whose program added to its lengthy scroll of top-five team finishes at state with last year’s third-place performance at Ben Davis. “He shows up, knows how to warm up and how to run races.

“He takes care of himself and hydrates well. Brandon loves to compete and he makes track important. There’s just all these intangibles that go into running track meets.”

Wheat’s sister, Ashley, a 2018 Center Grove graduate, started the family’s tradition of outstanding sprinters — one that continues with younger brother Drew, a junior who also was a key contributor to last season’s success.

“I started in sixth grade, and ever since then I’ve been a track kid,” Brandon Wheat said. “I would always go to my sister’s track meets and watch her run, but I knew I was fast when playing bantam football.”

Brandon Wheat just missed the awards podium as a freshman, finishing 10th in the 200 with a time of 22.01 seconds. He’s confident he would’ve made his presence known had COVID-19 not eliminated the 2020 season.

As a junior, he posted state meet times of 10.81 in the 100, 21.98 in the 200 and 41.79 as part of the 4×100 that included his brother, Connor Delp and Micah Coyle. In the fall, the football team pieced together a second consecutive undefeated season, this time with Wheat playing a major role as a receiver and return specialist.

Moore knows he’ll use Wheat in the 100, 200 and 4×100 this spring. The senior is also a possibility to partake in the 400 or 4×400 relay, if needed.

“Brandon might be a 400 and 200 guy in college, but right now he can do all three,” Moore said.

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SCOUTING THE COUNTY 

Center Grove Trojans 

Coach: Eric Moore 

Last season: Won county, sectional and regional championships; third at state meet 

Key returnees: Raef Sauer, James Schott and Brandon Wheat, seniors; Parker Doyle, Zach Greller, Griffin Hennessy, Parker Mimbela, Jarret Rockwell and Drew Wheat, juniors; Kyle Montgomery, sophomore 

Top newcomers: Christian Antal, Will Boas, Earl Ridlen and Logan Sheley, seniors; Charlie Gardner, Eli Hohlt, John Lyon and Evan Shirer, juniors; Peyton Coffey, Brady Curnutt, James Davies, Evan Neiswanger and Gavin Rockwell, sophomores; Brady Dicken, Austin Hennessy and Brevan Holubar, freshmen

Outlook: The Trojans again appear capable of fielding another top five squad at the state meet in June, though there remain some spots to be filled in terms of relay quartets and field events. Sprints will again be a strength with the brothers Wheat locked into the 100- and 200-meter dashes, while Greller, a medalist at state in the 400, also returns. Coach Howard Harrell’s cross country runners will also make a significant impact considering Mimbela was 20th at state last spring in the 3,200 and Hennessy was 24th in the 1,600. Meanwhile, 800 specialists Jarret Rockwell and Sauer nearly made it out of regional in the 800, the same as Montgomery in the 3,200. 

Edinburgh Lancers 

Coach: Amy Schilling 

Key returnees: Travis Vidal and Parker Young, seniors; Enrique Callejas and Tanner Kohl, juniors; Austin Brockman, Ethan Campbell and Anduan Chavez, sophomores 

Top newcomers: Braylon Bryant and Blaze Jensen, juniors; Jackson Hartwell and Irving Luis-Orozco, freshmen 

Outlook: “I expect our boys to be very competitive and do really well in our conference,” Schilling said. “We could have a few all-conference contenders and some even a chance to make it out of sectional.” 

Franklin Grizzly Cubs 

Coach: Ray Lane 

Last season: Fourth at Mid-State Conference meet, fifth at sectional and ninth at regional 

Key returnees: Zion Barnett, Ashton Freese-Gastil, Greg Hueston, Myles Nickleson, Bryson Nixon, Jared Stayte and Collin Webb, seniors; Luke Cambridge, Ty Murphy, Riley Shaff and Noah Stevenson, juniors; Aidan Jefry, JD Sever and Carson Sommers, sophomores 

Top newcomers: John Holtz, senior; Jacob Houston, junior; Edgar Tisdale, Jesse Toves, freshmen

Outlook: “We’re going to lean pretty heavily on our seniors this spring,” Lane said. “After finishing fourth in the county and conference last year and fifth at sectional, our goal is to take a step up forward and compete with those top-tier teams. Greg Hueston (300 hurdles) and Noah Stevenson (400) both finished fifth at regional last spring and will be looking to compete for a trip to the state finals this season.” 

Greenwood Woodmen 

Coach: Blaine Williams 

Last season: Sixth at Mid-State Conference meet, seventh at sectional 

Key returnees: Brayden Gardner, Dylan Mayhew, C.J. Meyer and Conner Watson, seniors; Jordan Bonser, Stuart Luhigo and C.J. Price, sophomores 

Top newcomers: Sam Grimes, Jackson Haessig and Kobe Keithley, sophomores; Chris Bassler and Will Riley, freshmen 

Outlook: “Almost two-thirds of the team are freshmen and sophomores this season, so our learning curve might be a little steep early on, but I’m confident that our senior leaders like Watson and Meyer will help bring everyone along quickly,” Williams said. “I’m really pleased with my senior throwers, Gardner and Mayhew. They were both regional qualifiers last year, and they’re really working hard to get themselves in a position to go on to state this year. We didn’t have anybody at the state meet last season for the first time since 2015, so that’s our top priority, along with an improved finish at the conference meet.” 

Greenwood Christian Cougars 

Coach: Sean Branch 

Key returnees: Carson Dillard, Owen Harder, Lucas Miller and Ethan Rothrock, seniors; Drew Adams and Elijah Herndon, juniors 

Top newcomers: Xander Honeycutt, sophomore; Nathan Cottongim and Noah Miller, freshmen

Outlook: Led by the return of Harder, a regional qualifier in the 1,600 a year ago, the Cougars look to improve in both conference and the postseason. Branch, too, is back as coach following a one-year hiatus. 

Indian Creek Braves 

Coach: Brady Devine 

Last season: Fourth in Western Indiana Conference meet, sixth at sectional 

Key returnees: Caden Ringer and Aidan Neathery, seniors; Brendan Conner, Chris Parsley, EJ Woodke and Logan Woodrum, juniors; Jackson Neibert and Caleb Yount, sophomores 

Top newcomers: James Kelly, senior; Gerson Coroa, Ben Springate, Gavin Walker and Matt Ward, juniors; Lance Butler and Caleb Rector, sophomores; Henry Fleetwood, Nick Jackson, Luke Neibert, Levi Pappas and Carson Volz, freshmen 

Outlook: “This is by far the biggest boys team in school history. With depth should come success. We have many new additions this year that will make us so much stronger as a team, especially on the sprint side,” Devine said. “Distance will be led by Caden Ringer, EJ Woodke, Luke Neibert and Henry Fleetwood. Look for Caden Ringer to surprise many come tournament time. Our throws are led by Aidan Neathery, Chris Parsley and Carson Volz. Neathery is poised to make a deep run in the state tournament this year as one of the state’s best throwers. The sprints are led by many newcomers and the likes of returnees such as Woodrum, Yount and Pemberton.” 

Whiteland Warriors 

Coach: Brandon Bangel 

Last season: Second at Mid-State Conference meet; third at sectional, seventh at regional 

Key returnees: Michael Perkins and Ashton Spoonamore, seniors; Dalton Hughes and Tayton Schakel, juniors; Benian Walls and Matthew Wray, sophomores 

Top newcomers: Scott Parrish, junior; Nyrius Moore-Smith, freshman 

Outlook: The Warriors graduated state champion Will Jefferson (3,200), along with others, though the core of athletes back has Bangel excited about the possibilities of the weeks ahead. Hughes and Schakel should provide points in the throws, while Wray handles sprints, Walls the hurdles and long jump and Perkins and Spoonamore the distance events. 

“Overall, team should be pretty solid this season. We are returning a lot of athletes with varsity experience and look to be competitive in most of the 16 events,” Bangel said. “Losing some key contributors will certainly hurt in the bigger meets, but I feel like this team will have a chance to compete for a Mid-State conference championship.”