Murphy, McMillan score wins for Jay

UPLAND - Field events proved to be the strength of the Jay County High School girls track team Saturday.

Competing in the Taylor Invitational Indoor meet, the Patriots had four top-five finishes in field events led by Maria Murphy's victory in the shot put. Jordan McMillan added a sprint victory for the girls team, and he JCHS boys team's top effort was a third-place in the distance medley relay.

Murphy's win in the shot put field of 34 throwers came at a distance of 35 feet, 2 ½ inches. It qualified her for a spot in the Hoosier State Relays March 20 at Purdue.

McMillan also qualified for the state meet with her win in the 55-meter dash. Her time of 7.57 seconds outdistanced the 50 other runners.

The junior also finished as the long jump runner-up at 15 feet.

Senior Kelsey Wood placed second in the high jump at 4 feet, 10 inches, and was fifth in the long jump with a leap of 14 feet, ½ inch. Morgan Link placed 10th in the 55 hurdles in 10.74, and the team of Leah Wellman, Katie Simmons, Kari Hemmelgarn and Liz Lennartz was fifth with a time of 14 minutes, 37 seconds in the distance medley relay.

The boys relay team of Tevan Nichols, Patrick Johnson, Brad Leuthold and Dylan Cope turned in a pair of top-10 relay efforts. They were third in the 4,000-meter distance medley in 12:03.15, and finished seventh in the 4x800 at 9:22.09.

Johnson also finished fifth in the high jump at 5 feet, 6 inches.[[In-content Ad]]