Starfires top Jay County

The Patriots edged South Adams in victories 8-7 on Thursday. But the Starfires came out on top.
Thanks to a pair of relay wins and dominance in the long-distance races, the South Adams boys track team knocked off host Jay County 68-55.
“I was actually pleased,” said SAHS coach Clint Anderson. “I thought we had the potential to score more, but a lot of the guys we’re counting on are new to the idea of being a go-to guy on the track team.
“We’ve got the makings of a pretty good team. It’s just getting all the pieces into place.”
Eric Isch’s effort led South Adams to victory as the senior picked up a couple of individual wins. He took the top spot in the 1,600 run in 4 minutes, 58 seconds and was also first in the 3,200 run in 10:47.
The Starfires also won the 4x400 and 4x800 relays.
The only other double winner of the night was Jay County’s Zach Cash. The senior set the pace in both hurdle events, winning the 110 event in 16.87 and the 300 in 42.9.
Joe Imel, also a senior, was first with a time of 24.4 in the 200 dash. Blake Crouch, Gary Corle, Imel and Cash took the 4x100 relay in 45.8.
“He was the one that kind of stood out tonight,” said JCHS coach Greg Garringer of Cash. “He’s been nursing a couple of little injuries. … He stepped it up and took a couple of firsts in the hurdles.
“In the 200 Joe Imel ran a nice race for us and took first. He always runs a nice lead leg for us in the 4x100.
“Those two guys, two senior captains, four-year letter winners, did a nice job.”
The Patriots also got three field-event wins from Tyler Back (discus – 109 feet), Raistlen Rice (high jump – 5 feet, 8 inches) and Corle (long jump – 18 feet, 10 inches). Dylan Cope was first in the 800 run in 2 minutes, 18 seconds.
For South Adams, Tim Lehman took the top spot in the 400 dash in 53.2, and Josh Ehr earned a victory in the 100 dash in 11.7. Chaise Moore gave the Starfires their lone field-event win with a toss of 38 feet, 4 inches in the shot put.[[In-content Ad]]