Central competes in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
New Castle competes in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Jay County competes in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Monroe Central competes in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Winchester Community competes in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Teams compete in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Teams compete in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Teams compete in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Delta competes in the pole vault during the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
MUNCIE – Yorktown sprinter Dawson Allen found himself without his best event on the docket at Wednesday’s Muncie Relays.
But the Tigers coaches asked a lot from the sophomore, and across three events, he delivered.
Allen won the 100-meter dash and was part of a trio of first-place relay teams to help push Yorktown to the Class B (small school) team title at the 77th edition of local event. The host Bearcats managed the best finish among local large schools, taking third place.
Teams compete in the 77th annual Muncie Central Track and Field Relays Wednesday evening.
Allen was on the 1,600 and 400 relay teams, but did get to run his 200 as part of a sprint medley relay.
“It felt good to be running that with the team instead of individually,” Allen said. “My starts aren’t as great, so getting out in the 100, focusing a little more on starts is going to help me in the 200 too.”
And the value of taking first in the 100?
“It was smaller schools, but still it was a good victory.”
His coach, Jared Turner, said the team came in expecting him to produce on the points front across all four events. The coach called Allen’s output “unbelievable.”
The 200 has become Allen’s specialty because even with his starts, he could make up ground with his speed. Turner said he’s worked on those starts, improved greatly and seen it translate (he ran an 11.53 Wednesday).
And as only a sophomore, Allen, who also plays football, has taken on another role.
“Dawson came in last year and really became the leader of our sprints,” Turner said. “For this year, just to have an extra year of experience under his belt, just to know how these meets run at the high school level, he’s really kind of blossomed.”
No local athletes won more than one individual event, but Allen’s teammates Kevin Kratz (3,200) and Riley Miller (long jump) each had one. Throw in a few seconds and the relay wins (Monroe Central’s distance medley run denied the Tigers a sweep of all five), and the Tigers came away with what they felt was a solid day.
Especially considering how sloppy things got in their last meet.
“We did not have a great meet last Thursday,” Turner said. “We were at the Pendleton Heights invite. The kids kind of challenged themselves, which was awesome to see, to bounce back.
“The fact that we responded with (Wednesday) night’s meet was the best part about it.”
Hood throws his name in
Although no area athlete won two individual events, Muncie Central’s Dominique Hood came closest.
The senior thrower won the discus by a few feet (135 feet, 6 inches) and came in second in the shot put (43-5 1/2). The latter accomplishment actually stood out more in his mind, especially after an oscillating balance between the two events.
“I used to be better at shot put,” said Hood, a former Southside athlete. “Then I transferred over and now I became better at discus and I like it more. It came better to me, getting used to it.”
He said this season he’s switched from a gliding technique to spin with the shot, and the coaches have asked him to focus more on that event. Bearcats coach Jason Wray pointed out Hood tended to gravitate toward the discus because he was more comfortable, but there’s a natural tendency to shy away from something a bit harder.
It started coming together the night before the meet, with a personal record of 44-1 against former state qualifier and all-around physical force Nate Trawick.
“He took a big step in the shot put,” Wray said. “We went to Richmond for a dual meet. I told him, ‘Yeah, we’ll throw the disc, but I told him, focus on your four throws in the shot put.’ It started to click (Tuesday night), it just continued (Wednesday), and it will just continue for the rest of year year.”
Muncie Relays
Team scores
Class A: 1. Huntington North 1191/2, 2. Kokomo 99 3. Muncie Central 96 4. New Castle 48 5. Anderson 45 1/4 6. Jay County 17 1/4
Class B: 1. Yorktown 132 2. Monroe Central 92 3. Tipton 86 4. Wapahani 54 5. Winchester 32 6. Anderson Prep 22
Top ECI finishers
Class A
100: 3. Carter (C) 11.46; 1,600: 5. Melton (NC) 4:56.19; 3,200: 1. Privett (C) 10:45.49; Distance Relay: 2. Central (Young, F. Bell, T. Bell, Dorsey) 12:01.25; 3,200 relay: 1. Central (T. Bell, F. Bell, Jackson, Johnson) 8:31.02; 1,600 relay: 2. Central (Johnson, Jackson, YOung) 3:36.11); 400 relay: 2. Central (Nevings, Branson, Searcy, Carter 45.98); SP: 2. Hood (C) 43-51/2; D: 1. Hood (C) 135-6; 300LH: 3. Morrow (C) 43.7; HJ: 2. Taylor (C) 6-0; LJ: 2. Neal (JC) 19-91/2; PV: 6. Foster (D) 9-6.
Class B
100: 1. Allen (Y) 11.53; 1,600: 1. Herbst (Wa.) 4:58.36; 3,200: 1. Kratz (Y) 10:46.91; Distance Relay: 1. Monroe Central (Sears, Brown, Grant, Wilson) 11:59.51; 3,200 relay: 1. Yorktown (McNamara, Moore, Smith, Mullins) 8:50.11; 1,600 relay: 1. Yorktown (Allen, Applegate, Mullins, Miller) 3:30.65; 400 relay: 1. Yorktown (Applegate, Lloyd, Allen, Miller) 1:36.11; SP: 2. Chalfant (Wi.) 42-91/4; D: 2. Howard (Y) 123-91/2; 300LH: 2. Applegate (Y) 43.41; HJ: 1. Burtley (MC) 5-6; LJ: 1. Miller (Y) 20-2.