Columbus North’s Matthew Burge and Columbus East’s Kaydn Johnson-Bey compete in the 100 meters April 24 at Columbus North High School.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
Columbus North will be a big favorite to win its first boys track sectional title since 2018 when the Bull Dogs host a 13-team field Thursday.
The North Sectional, which also includes Columbus East and Hauser, looks a little different than in previous years, with the Johnson County schools no longer there. They have been replaced by Jennings County, South Decatur, Greensburg, Lawrenceburg, Milan, North Decatur, Rising Sun, South Dearborn and South Ripley.
The top three in each event automatically qualify for the May 29 Bloomington North Regional. Beyond that, the next-best four performances in each event from among the four feeder sectionals will earn call-backs.
Columbus North, East and Jennings all have several individuals in position to qualify.
The Bull Dogs’ Owen Russell is the top seed in the 110-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles. Matt Burge is the top seed in the 100, Jace Works is tops in the 800 and North’s 4×800 relay team is a top seed.
Graham Pumphrey in the 1,600 and Neal White in the 3,200 are seeded second. The Bull Dogs also are second in the 4×100 and 4×400 relays.
No. 3 seeds for North are Ethan Lovell in the pole vault, Tucker Tower in the long jump, Flint Santi DeLuna in the discus, Jonny Klaus in the 1,600, Evan Bense in the 800 and Denton Sluder in the 3,200.
East’s Keaton Lawson is the top seed in the high jump, and Jared Brooks is the top seed in the discus. The Olympians also are the top seed in the 4×100 relay.
The Olympians’ Austin Menefee in the 400 and Kadyn Johnson-Bey in the 200 are No. 2 seeds. Ryder Meek is tied for third in the high jump, Brooks is third in the shot put and East is third in 4×800 and 4×400 relays.
Jennings’s Kraedyn Young is the top seed in both the 1,600 and 3,200. Logan Lawson is tops in the pole vault, and the Panthers are the top seed in the 4×400 relay.
David Dixon in the pole vault and Zachary Wahlman in the 800 are second seeds for Jennings, which also is second in the 4×800 relay. Dawson Leak is third in the 400, and Jackson Earl is tied for the third in the high jump.
South Decatur’s Lucas Ballard is seeded first in the 200 and second in the 100. The Cougars are third in 4×100 relay, although their school-record time of 43.98 seconds in last week’s Mid-Hoosier Conference meet that came after the entry deadline would put them first.
Hauser’s Luke Bruner is seeded fourth in the shot and sixth in the discus. Nolan Dailey is fifth in both the 1,600 and 3,200.
Field events are scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m., with running set to begin at 6 p.m.
