Vormohr, Kelly win titles (05/20/05)

MUNCIE — The Patriots have the field part down pat.

Jay County thrower Joseph Vormohr and jumper Mark Kelly each won a field-event title Thursday, and the pair combined to score more than half of the team’s points at the Muncie Central boys track sectional.

JCHS scored 58.25 points, 34 for which came from Vormohr and Kelly, to finish sixth at the 12-team event.

Muncie Central eked out the team title 119-118 over defending champion Muncie Burris. Delta was third with 74 points.

Seven other Patriot athletes — Adam May, Justin Gilbert, Doug Murray, Ben Wellman, Micah Enyart, Clint Muhlenkamp and Alex Michael — also advanced to regional action by placing in the top four in an event. All nine will compete Thursday at Indianapolis North Central, but it was Vormohr and Kelly who highlighted the night.

“If they’re on next week those two guys ... could be at the state level,” said Jay County coach Greg Garringer. “Mark knows he’s capable of good jumps. ... He’s challenging himself. He wants to be at that level. He’s focused more this year than he was last year.

“For Joseph the 50-foot barrier was just a mental block. He’s past it now. ... we’re looking for big things next week.”

Vormohr’s first throw in the shot put went 44 feet, 11 inches. The toss put him in contention for the sectional title with Daniel Oliver of Cowan and Muncie Central’s Matthew Wilburn, but it was not where he wanted to be.

The junior pushed to 48 feet, five inches on his third throw of the prelims. That toss would have been good enough for victory, but with his first throw put in the finals he showed why he has state potential.

His best throw of the evening went 51 feet, three inches, giving him the sectional title by three feet.

“I’m surprised,” said Vormohr, who would likely need to clear 53 feet to make it to the state meet. “I didn’t expect to come out this big tonight. I wanted to, but I’ve been away from it all year. I haven’t even been close.

“I was excited, and I wanted to beat (Oliver). It was just a good night, I guess.”

Vormohr was also the sectional runner-up in the discus at 140 feet, 51/2 inches. Union City’s Justin Anderson won the event at 149 feet, two inches.

Kelly was clearly the best high jumper at the sectional meet as he cruised into a battle for the title with Kristopher Ezra of Muncie Burris. Kelly, Ezra and Monroe Central’s David Skillman were the only athletes to clear five feet eight inches, and only Kelly and Ezra made it over the bar at five feet 10 inches.

Both finalists missed their first tries at six feet, but after Ezra failed on his second attempt Kelly locked up the title. After jumping into the bar on his first try he went up and over easily on his second attempt, and Ezra missed on his third and final try.

Kelly then bumped the bar up to six feet, 41/2 inches — the state qualifying mark — in order to try for a trip to Indianapolis. He missed all three attempts, but will get a second chance next week at North Central.

“I didn’t jump real well but I still won, so I’m happy about that,” said Kelly. “I’ll get some work in this week and just go from there.”

Kelly sat third in the long jump at 18 feet, nine inches with one attempt to go. He made his last effort count — it was his best of the day at 19 feet, one-half inch — but still missed out on the title by 11/2 inches.

Jay Isom of Muncie Southside won at 19 feet, two inches, and his Rebel teammate J.P. Shopher was second at 19 feet, one inch.

Only one other Jay County athlete qualified in an individual event as senior Adam May was third in the 400-meter dash in 52.92 seconds. May was also a member of the 4x100 relay team along with Justin Gilbert, Ben Wellman and Alex Michael which placed third in 46.03 seconds. He joined Micah Enyart, Doug Murray and Clint Muhlenkamp for fourth in the 4x400 relay in 3-minutes, 39.76 seconds.

“Overall with the effort we had tonight I was very happy,” Garringer said. “Everyone that we were hoping to get through got through.”[[In-content Ad]]