BLOOMINGTON
The jerseys were golden, and so too was the collective effort.
Many of the Center Grove athletes qualified for the boys state track and field meet at Indiana University took on a slightly different look from what had become the norm.
However, as has become custom, the again Trojans emerged as one of the teams to watch on Saturday — fresh threads and all.
Center Grove finished sixth in the final standings, scoring 35 1/3 points to continue an impressive run that includes nine top-seven placings at state since 2010.
Considering CG’s 4×100 relay wasn’t present after dropping the baton at regional — and the Trojans endured some more misfortune on Saturday — coach Eric Moore was pleased with his squad’s performance.
“We were set up to have a championship meet, but that took care of itself last week,” Moore said. “But we fought back tonight, and I thought the kids ran well. People competed like they should’ve competed, and I’m really proud of them.”
Two second-place finishes were good enough to set new school records.
In the day’s first running event, the 4×800 relay, Raef Sauer, Christian Antal, Griffin Hennessy and Jarret Rockwell ran a time of 7 minutes, 42.91 seconds.
“I honestly had no idea what place we were going to end up in. I just knew we all needed to run the best race we good,” said Rockwell, who anchored the effort. “I’m absolutely elated we got the record. We knew we had a chance, but I wasn’t really expecting it much.
“We all ran great. I don’t think it was any specific person.”
Later, senior pole vaulter Conner Burries eclipsed his own standard by clearing 16 feet. Hobart junior Cody Johnston won by going 16-8.
“I’m satisfied with it. I got a PR. Taking second to the seventh-ranked (vaulter) in the nation, and someone taking shots at the state record,” Burries said. “I came in ready to compete. Go at it with him.”
The pole vault competition saw three local athletes medal. Whiteland junior Scott Parrish was awarded a fifth-place medal after making it over 14-9; Center Grove sophomore Carter Pheifer was part of a three-way tie for ninth.
Center Grove sprinter Brandon Wheat overcame a rocky start to his final state meet to excel in two of the meet’s latter events.
Wheat’s preliminary time of 11.05 seconds failed to qualify him for the finals in the 100 meters. In fact, his time was an uncharacteristic 18th-fastest of 28 state qualifiers, leaving him two events to atone. The senior started by placing fourth in the 200-meter dash in 21.82 seconds; Wheat then anchored the Trojans’ 4×400 relay, charging from seventh place with approximately 300 meters left to third in what was the fastest of the three heats. Overall, the time of 3:20.72 from Zach Greller, Eli Hohlt, Drew Wheat and Brandon Wheat earned them the right to stand on the fourth-place perch of the awards podium.
Trojans junior Parker Doyle provided some points of his own by finishing fourth in the 110 hurdles in 14.54 seconds.
“It feels amazing. I came in seeded seventh, so it’s something I didn’t expect,” said Doyle after lowering his previous personal best of 14.76. “I think a lot of it is the competition I was going up against. The guys here were a lot faster, so I obviously had to go a lot faster.”
Doyle later slipped to 26th in the 300-meter hurdles after hitting one of the hurdles in his heat.
In the shot put, Greenwood senior Dylan Mayhew placed eighth with a personal best of 57 feet, 5 inches.
“I’m happy I got a place. That was my goal from the start of the season, to place at state,” Mayhew said. “I wanted to hit around 58. I fell a little short, but that’s okay. I’m happy with the finish.”
Center Grove’s Greller took ninth in the 400-meter dash, winning the first heat by a wide margin, while teammate Hennessy finished 10th in the 1,600. Whiteland sophomore Matthew Wray just missed making the final of the 200, his preliminary time of 22.09 seconds being 11th-fastest.
Trojans junior Parker Mimbela ran a 3,200 time of 9:23.48 to cross the finish line 13th.
The boys meet was preceded by the Unified track & field state finals, in which the Indian Creek girls and boys combined to finish seventh of the 13 teams qualified.
Top performers for the Braves included sophomore Peyton Strunk and senior Trey Housand placing seventh and ninth, respectively, in the mixed 100-meter dash. Housand also took third in the mixed 400 and Indian Creek was fourth in the boys 4×100 relay. Meanwhile, Sam Creek tied for third in the mixed long jump, and Hunter Meyer was fourth in the mixed shot put.
