Published: May 14, 2008 11:15 pm            

Boys track sectionals preview: Confident Patriots are team to beat

TERRE HAUTE — Beating the host team will be a challenge for any of the others in today’s boys track and field sectional at Terre Haute North High School.

Consider:

• On May 3, the Patriots won the Big Four Classic at Northview. They scored 103.5 points, compared to 74.5 for Terre Haute South, 47 for Northview and 19 for West Vigo.

• On May 6, North defeated South 70-62 in their annual dual meet.

Even South boys coach Eric Graves admits that North’s quality team can be intimidating to young athletes from other schools.

“Terre Haute North obviously has a lot of confidence,” Graves said Wednesday. “They have so many strong athletes.”

Some of North’s top contenders to win their events are senior Shaun Smith (seeded first in the 100 and 200 meters), the 3,200-meter relay team (seeded first), senior Zach Mayhew (seeded third in the 1,600 meters and second in the 3,200 meters), the 400-meter relay team (seeded first), senior Zach Jenkins (seeded first in the 400 meters), sophomore John Mascari (seeded third in the 3,200 meters), the 1,600-meter relay team (seeded first) and senior Aaron Edwards (seeded second in the discus and first in the shot put).

“We’re positive, excited, ready to go to the regional and hopefully get some people qualified for the state finals,” North boys coach Chris Conner told the Tribune-Star.

The top four finishers in each event of the sectional will move on to the Evansville Central Regional next Wednesday. Field events will start at 5:30 p.m. today.

Conner mentioned that freshman Daniel Gabbard, seeded in a tie for first in the long jump, suffered a calf/hamstring injury in training last Thursday and may not be able to compete today.

“If he can get a jump in,” Conner noted, “we’d feel a lot better.”

For South, some leading performers could be the 3,200 relay team (seeded third), junior John Haley (seeded second in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles), senior Andrew Sullivan (seeded second in the 1,600 and first in the 800), the 400 relay team (seeded second), junior Dylan Bubeck (seeded in a tie for second in the 400 and second in the pole vault), senior Deli Stinnett (seeded third in the 300 hurdles), the 1,600 relay team (seeded second), sophomore Nate Housley (seeded third in the long jump), junior Adam Austin (seeded second in the high jump), junior Josh Bridwell (seeded first in the discus and second in the shot put) and junior Tyler Crooks (seeded first in the pole vault).

“We’re hoping for a real close meet,” Graves noted. “I’m actually thinking each team’s second performer in each event will make the difference [in the team standings] over the all-stars.”

Meanwhile, Northview will pin much of its hopes on the 1,600 relay team (seeded second) and senior Landry Moore (seeded third in the 800).

“All of our relays have a chance [to advance],” Northview boys coach Jeff Gambill said. “I think our distance runners are going to be able do well too.”

Senior Drew Aff should be one of the bright spots for West Vigo. He’s seeded in a tie for second in the 100 and third in the 200.

“Shaun Smith will be very hard to beat [in the 100 and 200],” West Vigo boys coach Bill Petscher acknowledged. “But if somebody can do it, it’s Drew Aff.”

Aff also is part of the Vikings’ 400 relay squad that’s seeded third.

Other highly seeded athletes from the Wabash Valley include South Vermillion sophomore Mike Hughes (tied with Aff for second in the 100), Sullivan junior Gene Bradford (first in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles and third in the pole vault), South Vermillion freshman James Craigmyle (second in the 200 and tied with Bubeck for second in the 400), Shakamak senior Anthony Witt (first in the 1,600 and 3,200), Shakamak sophomore Drew Gambill (second in the 800), Shakamak junior James Marlow (tied with Gabbard for first in the long jump), Shakamak senior Jaret May (first in the high jump), Sullivan senior Jacob Willis (third in the high jump), North Central senior Ian Johnson (third in the discus) and Shakamak sophomore Terry Hill (third in the shot put).

        

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