JCHS finishes as runner-up (05/14/08)

MUNCIE - Heading into the state tournament series, the Patriots had lost just twice.

They won the Muncie Southside Invitational for the first time in school history, finishing ahead of rival Delta. But at Tuesday's sectional meet, once again at Southside, the Eagles got their revenge.

Seeking its first sectional crown in more than a decade, the Jay County High School girls track team fell 10 points short as Delta won with 139.

"Of course we wanted to win," said JCHS senior Erika Hunt, one of two Patriots to win individual sectional titles. "But it was super close. Everything we did tonight, girls just pushed for those extra places ... I think we did as much as we could tonight."

The Patriots entered Tuesday's competition at a disadvantage as Delta picked up 18 points during Monday's pole vault. The Eagles were the only team in the field with competitors in that event.

"I think everyone is a little, maybe disappointed in the end result," said Amanda Johnson, who won her third straight championship in the 800-meter run. "But personally, for us to still be competitive when we're already down 18 points before a meet, I think that's amazing. I feel like everybody stepped up and did their part. I don't really know if there was really much more that we could have done. Which is always good, to leave knowing that."

Four-time defending champion Muncie Central was a distant third with 99 points in the 12-team meet. Jay County's last title came in 1997, and either Central or Delta has won every other sectional crown since 1992.

"We knew we had a bit of a disadvantage coming in here, not that that's ever an excuse," said JCHS coach Brian McEvoy. whose team is now 36-3. "We just needed to come in here and fight hard. ... I'm proud of our girls. They fought tooth and nail."

Hunt and Johnson led a group of 13 Patriots, two more than a year ago, who earned regional berths by finishing in the top four in an event. Those athletes will compete Tuesday at Ben Davis at 6 p.m.

Johnson, a two-time state qualifier in the 800 run, started from the inside lane and was third as the field broke after the first 100 meters. She quickly moved to second place and then bided her time.

Just before the end of the first lap she surged past Randolph Southern's Katie Miller, opened a 10-meter lead and cruised the rest of the way. She finished in 2-minutes, 29.48 seconds, nearly four seconds ahead of runner-up Maya Leblanc of Muncie Burris.

"All my races kind of hurt tonight," said Johnson. "I just wanted to still go out there and maintain my sectional title."

She was also the sectional runner-up in the 1,600 run, leading a two-three finish with freshman teammate Leah Wellman. Johnson finished less than four seconds off the pace in 5:41.6, and Wellman was one second behind her in third.

The senior also anchored a pair of runner-up relays, including a near-upset victory over Delta in the 4x400. She fell just short at the finish less than a second behind the Eagles' Megan Marsh, joining Sarah Mescher, Kaelee Keller and Macey Gerber for a time of 4:19.3.

Johnson, Wellman, Aly Miller and Katie Butcher were second in the 4x800 relay in 10:29.67.

"Amanda Johnson in the 800, we expect a lot out of her," said McEvoy. "Sometimes we take what she does for granted. But winning the sectional is not easy ... We expect those things out of her and she always delivers. ... She's done a tremendous job for us."

Hunt matched Johnson's efforts in individual events, finishing with one championship and one runner-up effort.

She took control early in the 100 hurdles and posted a winning time of 17.23. Fellow Patriot senior Stephanie Wellman earned her first career regional berth, placing third in 18 seconds flat.

"I was super nervous for the 100 because there was a huge wind blowing right at us," said Hunt. "That was an obstacle for me ...

"(But) the start was really good for me out of the blocks."

Hunt took the runner-up slot in the 300 hurdles, surging to second place when Muncie Central's Natasha Thomas tripped over the final hurdle and had to crawl to the finish line. She was less than a second off the winning pace in 51.6.

"You can't say enough about Erika Hunt," said McEvoy. "She's a really special kid. ... She just works her tail off. ... She's just got a lot of heart."

Jay County finished second in two other events, with Miller holding the lead for the first three-quarters of the 3,200 run. The freshman, who won the sectional cross country title, stayed in front until Bonnie Kaminsky made her move on the back stretch of the seventh lap.

Kaminsky pulled away from the field while Miller and JCHS junior Kylie Wellman finished second and third in times of 12:28.33 and 12:41.04 respectively.

Lindsey Current was the high jump runner-up and narrowly missed matching the winning height turned in by Central's Erynn Young. Current looked to be over the bar on her final attempt at 5-feet, 2 inches, but the bar barely fell off the standard as she finished second at 5-feet, 1 inch.

Keller placed third in the 200 dash in 28.44, and Cara Garringer was third with a toss of 33 feet, 4 inches in the shot put. Mescher edged Keller by four hundredths of a second for the fourth qualifying spot in the 100 dash in 14.26.

Mescher, Keller, Kelsey Wood and Lindsey Shannon were fourth in the 4x100 relay in 54.44

"We're really proud of the number of girls who advanced to the next level," said McEvoy. "That was one of the big goals for our team this year."

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