Patriot pair to state (05/31/06)

Early in the season, Amanda Johnson didn’t believe the 800 was her race. As recently as a few days ago, Joseph Vormohr thought his high school career was over.

Both were wrong.

Johnson ran a stunning 800-meter race at the Lawrence North regional May 23 to earn her state berth. Vormohr watched his chance slip away at the Indianapolis North Central regional two days later, but then got a reprieve from the IHSAA.

Both will compete in the IHSAA Track and Field State Tournament at Indiana University this weekend.

Johnson was seeded sixth in the 800-meter run heading into regional action, needing to cut at least six seconds from her previous best time to even have a chance at cracking the top three. She dropped nine seconds.

“Probably the head, and a lot from the heart,” said Johnson, who was a sectional champion in the 1,600-meter run during her freshman season, of what made her state-qualifying effort happen. “I really wanted it.

“I think it was just being regional and I wanted to go on. I really had to bring it all out. I don’t think I was ever determined enough to do that before.”

While Johnson walked away from the regional meet with a thrilling feeling, Vormohr was dejected. Although he had personal-best throws in both the discus and shot put, he had failed to secure a state berth.

His toss of 52 feet, 9 inches in the shot put left him in fourth place, just three inches back of Delta’s Trey Sacksteder. Only the top three in each event earn state berths.

But a day later when checking results, Vormohr realized there was still a chance. The IHSAA leaves several spots in the state meet open for those who reach the state standard, which earns them an automatic state berth, without finishing in the top three. Those spots had not been filled.

After regional competition at several sites was completed Friday, those positions were still open. Vormohr’s toss of 52 feet, 9 inches was the second best among non-qualfiers, and he was awarded one of the three remaining berths.

Jay County boys track coach Greg Garringer said following the regional meet he would have rather have been three feet short as opposed to three inches. But, “It worked out great,” he said Tuesday. “He threw his personal-best in both events that day and the shot got him through. He’s real excited. It’s a great graduation gift for him.”

“I don’t think it’s really set in yet because I was really disappointed after Thursday night,” added Vormohr, explaining the process of waiting to see if he would get a second chance. “When I found out it was for sure, it was a pretty good day.

“I was disappointed of course,” he added of the regional competition. “After looking back at it, I gave it my all. If it would have been my last meet, I gave it everything I had.”

Johnson clearly gave everything she had as her sectional time didn’t place her very high on the regional radar coming in, despite winning the title at Muncie Southside.

After doubting how much she wanted to win early on in that sectional race, the sophomore showed great desire at Lawrence North. She ran a steady first lap, then exploded in the second.

She finished in 2:17.89 — her previous best time was 2:26.60 — and was just one hundredth of a second behind Lauren Massey of Indianapolis North Central. They were just a half-second back of regional champion Alyssa Webb of Lawrence Central.

Johnson’s time also destroyed Jay County’s previous school record. The mark of 2:22.4 by Sharon Donnally had stood for nearly 25 years.

“We’ve talked during the season about getting the head right, but if you get the heart on board then the mind and the body are going to follow,” said first-year JCHS girls track coach Les Bantz. “That’s the way I feel about it. She just got competitive. She just wanted something and went out and got it.”

The goals Johnson set for the regional meet were to break the school record and the 2:20 mark. She did both, and she’s not pulling back on her hopes for the state meet.

Seeded 11th in the race which is scheduled to start at about 7:45 p.m. Friday, she said she wants to place in the top five. According to regional times, Johnson would need to cut another 1.5 seconds from her 2:17.89 to achieve that goal.

“I hope to see just a good, hard race,” said Bantz. “If you put it in perspective it’s just a little short time. You’ve just got to lay it on the line.

“I feel good about the race. If she says she’s going to make the top five, I wouldn’t put it past her. I’m not putting anything past her.”

Vormohr is following a family tradition of strong athletes in the shot put. His grandfather, also named Joseph, was a stand-out at Xavier (Ohio) High School, and his father, Frank, and uncle, John, each have held the Jay County school record in the event.

Frank had the record until John, who holds the current mark at 59 feet, seven inches, took it during his state championship season in 1984.

Joseph is hoping for another solid day — the shot put competition will follow the discus, which begins at 3 p.m. Saturday — and perhaps a chance to make the finals. He is tied for the 21st seed, and the top nine will make the finals.

“I just want to throw a personal-best and let things happen,” Vormohr said.

Both coaches expressed excitement about getting to see their athletes compete at the highest level. And they’re both hoping the trips become more frequent.

The last Patriot to make the state meet was Nick Hoffman in 2002. He finished sixth in the 300 hurdles and 11th in the 110 hurdles.

Kerri McClung, who won shot put state titles in 1999 and 2000, is the last female athlete from Jay County to earn a state berth.

“Amanda and Joseph are both great kids,” said Garringer. “I’m excited as a coach just to be a part of this ... Hopefully it carries on a tradition, that the underclassmen see these people there and it makes them want to have a goal to be down there and compete and represent the school.”[[In-content Ad]]