Tommy Walker | For The Republic
At last year’s Conference Indiana track and field meet, Columbus North’s Tucker Smith made history when he broke the all-time state record in the shot put.
While Smith will look to better that mark tonight, his Bull Dog boys team will try to make a different kind of history. They’re favored to win their first Conference Indiana boys track championship since the conference debuted in 1996.
The conference meet will begin with field events at 5:30 p.m. and running events at 6 p.m. at Bloomington North.
The host Cougars figure to provide the biggest challenge to Columbus North’s boys and girls. The Bull Dog boys are ranked No. 6, and the girls are No. 13, while both Bloomington North teams are ranked No. 15.
While the Columbus North boys have never won a Conference Indiana title, the girls’ lone championship came in 2014.
“We feel like both our boys and girls teams have a chance to compete for a title,” Columbus North boys and girls coach Rick Sluder said. “Bloomington North is going to be very good in both genders, and Bloomington South has good athletes that can compete right up there, as well. Then of course, you’re going to get really good athletes from the two Terre Haute schools and Southport. But we feel like we’re going to go right in and compete with Bloomington North for a title on both sides, and we’ve been working really hard toward that.”
Smith, who won both the boys shot and discus at last year’s conference meet and is the defending state champion in the shot, is seeded first in both of those events. Matt Newell and Mateo Mendez are seeded 1-2 in the 800 meters, Will Russell and Evan Carr are 2-3 in the 3,200 and Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff is the top seed in the 1,600 and likely will add either the 800 or 3,200.
“We’re going to rely heavy on our field events and our distance runners,” Sluder said. “They’re going to be good for us. We’re going to spread them out, and we’ll have a couple guys definitely doubling and tripling to get a bunch of points.”
Columbus North’s Natalie Ho, center, approaches the finish line during the 100 meters during a meet at Columbus East High School, Thursday April 21, 2022.
Columbus North’s Liam Phillips competes in the pole vault during a meet at Columbus East High School Thursday April 21, 2022.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
The Bull Dog boys also are top seeds in the 4×800 and 4×100 relays. Alex Narvaez and Keegan Castetter are second and third in the 100, Liam Phillips is second in the pole vault, Liam Milne is third in the 110 hurdles and Josh Wright is third in the 300 hurdles.
“We’re starting to get more balanced there,” Sluder said. “Our sprinters are coming along, and our two relays on the sprint side are getting stronger. We feel like in years’ past, we’ve always had a weak spot. This year, I wouldn’t say we have a weak spot. We just have some areas that are better than others on the boys side.”
Like the boys, the strength of the girls team lies in the distance events. Brianna Newell and Katherine Rumsey are seweded 1-2 in the 1,600, Lily Baker and Julie Klaus are 1-2 in the 800 and Julia Kiesler and Rumsey are 1-2 in the 3,200. The Bull Dogs are seeded first in 4×800 relay and second in 4×400 relay.
Moana Steele is second in the shot, Natalie Ho is second in the 100 and Kylah Lawson is second in the 200. Third seeds are Sierra Newell in the pole vault, Emma Martin in the discus, Helen Alderfer in the 400 and Sasha Goodlow is third in the 300 hurdles.
“Our girls sprint group has been really coming on, so they will help a ton,” Sluder said. “They will be very competitive up front, as will our hurdlers on the girls side. But our distance will help carry us, as well, and give us a big foundation of points. Our throwers have looked really strong the last few meets in addition to that. So we’re starting to get very balanced at the right time.”
