Columbus North and Columbus East had a chance to test themselves against some top-flight competition Saturday in their first big meets of the outdoor track and field season.
While they didn’t come away with a title, the Bull Dogs boys showed they could belong in the conversation as one of the state’s top teams. They finished second with 116 points, behind fifth-ranked Center Grove’s 161½ and ahead of No. 15 Bloomington North’s 108.
“It was great competition, and I thought our kids responded well,” North coach Lou Sipe said. “We stepped up to the competition. It was really good performances all around.”
The Bull Dog girls finished fourth with 80 points, trailing Center Grove (154), Chicago Whitney Young (109½) and Bloomington North (105). The East boys, which scored 66, and girls, which had 52, both finished sixth.
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Both Columbus North and East were missing athletes for all or part of the day who were taking the ACT test or on college visits.
Mitchell Burton won the long jump (21 feet, 7¼ inches) and finished second in the 100 meters (11.50 seconds), and Triston Perry won the 300 hurdles (39.92) and took second in the 110 hurdles (15.20) to lead the Bull Dogs. They joined Damon Hunter Jr. and Jaylen Flemmons to place second in the 4×100 relay (43.52).
Columbus North’s Elijah Brooks finished second in the 1,600 (4:40.23). Grant Fehribach took third in the pole vault (11-6), and Hunter Wolford was third in the shot put (49-11¾).
East’s Paul Bean won the 1,600 in 4:34.39. T.C. O’Neal tied for second in the high jump (6-0), Jared Clark finished third in the discus (148-4) and Cam Wilson was third in the 100 (11.63).
“It was an OK day,” East boys coach David Miller said. “It’s always good to run in this meet. It gives kids experience against really good competition, and it gives them experience in a big-meet atmosphere. There were some good times and good splits, so overall, it wasn’t bad.”
The Columbus North girls were led by a win in the 1,600 from Arig Tong (5:22.37). Maura VanDeventer finished second in the 100 hurdles (17.27), Jahna Smiley took third in the high jump (5-0), Olivia Morlok was third in the 1,600 (5:27.79) and Kennedy Cook was third in the 200 (27.41).
Beyoncey Coleman-Turner (127-6) and Seena Greiwe (118-10) went 1-2 in the discus to lead the East girls. Elena Stoughton finished second in the high jump (5-0), and Coleman-Turner took third in the shot (36-1-¾).
“I think we did great,” East girls coach Glen Brown said. “Our throwers had (personal bests). Some girls had to step up, and I thought they stepped up.”
