IHSAA track: 10 individual performers who stood out at the West Lafayette Sectional

Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier

May 20, 2022 at 3:07 PM·6 min read

WEST LAFAYETTE — Harrison took home six individual sectional titles and in the process, the Raiders won a fourth-straight boys track and field sectional championship (over five years, with the 2020 season canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic).

The Raiders got there on the strength of the throwing events and relays to outscore runner-up West Lafayette, which won also won six events, 166.5-145. Lafayette Jeff won three individual events and was third in the team standings.

Here are 10 performers who stood out at Thursday's West Lafayette Sectional:

Wyatt Curl (11), West Lafayette High School, attempts to clear a new personal best at 15-6 in the Pole Vault at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Wyatt Curl, West Lafayette

The junior pole vaulter cleared a personal best mark of 15 feet, 2 inches with ease. Curl raised the height four inches, but was unsuccessful in three attempts. Curl's 15-2 was more than two feet better than runner-up Gavin Goodwin of Harrison, repeating Curl as the sectional champion. Curl should be the most surefire bet in the area at a state qualifier during next week's regional.

Micah Lillard (10), Lafayette Jefferson High School, and Nathan Myers (11) West Lafayette High School, fight for second place as Connor Czajkowski (12), Harrison High School, pulls away in the 4x100 Meter Relay at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Connor Czajkowski, Harrison

The senior sprinter has battled an injury most of the season, but looked plenty fast in his two events Thursday. Last year's 200-meter state champion cruised to a victory with ease in 21.80 seconds, beating runner-up and teammate Hunter Newman by more than a full second. He also anchored a winning 400 relay team.

JT Downey (12), West Lafayette High School, smiles after winning the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 10.95 at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

JT Downey, West Lafayette

The senior sprinter ran a best time of 10.95 seconds to edge Lafayette Jeff's Glenn Patterson at the finish line to win the 100 meters. Downey competed in three individual events, finishing second in long jump and fourth in the 200, while also helped the Red Devil 400 relay team place second.

Cotter Hogan (10) takes the baton from his team Elija Strong (10), Harrison High School after the first lap of the 4x400 Meter Relay at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Harrison relays

This is where the Raiders scored big points, winning all three events. Harrison gained 11 points on West Lafayette in the relays alone and from the get go, when George Hufendick, Ethan Getz, Cotter Hogan and Jaiden Goins won the meet-opening 3,200 relay, while the Red Devils placed sixth. The Raiders hit the state standard with a 42.28 in the 400 relay behind Carter Knoy, Finley Huber, Hunter Newman and Connor Czajkowski, while Harrison ended the night holding off West Side's 1,600 relay for the second time in as many weeks. Andres Negron-Carerro was swarmed after running the anchor leg and solidying the win for he, Elijah Strong, Hogan and Achiel Biggs.

Thomas Urban (12), Harrison High School, launches his shot hitting 52-11.00 in the Boys Shot Put at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Harrison throwers

Another event where the Raiders distanced themselves from West Lafayette in a meet that, on paper, was a two-point differential going in based on the regular season performance list. Senior Cooper Crum beat his previous best shot put by nearly five feet to place second behind teammate Thomas Urban. Drew Payne won the discus and Urban placed fourth. Harrison scored 33 points alone in throws and is really where the meet might have been won. West Lafayette got just five points, from a fourth-place finish from Matthew Richardson in shot put.

Micheal-Bryant Holsclaw (12), Lafayette Jefferson High School, clears 6-00 to win the Boys High Jump at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Michael Holsclaw, Lafayette Jeff

The Broncho senior repeated as sectional high jump champion and also added the long jump title. Holsclaw was one of two competitors to win two individual events Thursday. He cleared 6-4 early in the season and hasn't reached that mark since. The Wabash College football recruit will be tested in the regional to do so.

Micah Lillard (10), Lafayette Jefferson High School, leads the 110 Meter Hurdles finals at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Micah Lillard, Lafayette Jeff

Perhaps a bit of a surprise, the Broncho sophomore was the fourth seed coming in before putting up the best preliminary time Thursday. Lillard then bettered his prelim run with a personal best 15.16 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles. He also helped the Broncho 400 relay team qualify for the regional.

Ryan Miller (10), Crawfordsville High School, sprints the last 100 meters of the 3200 Meter Run at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Ryan Miller, Crawfordsville

On a night without many surprises, the Athenian sophomore maybe was the biggest. He entered as the fourth seed in the 3,200 and left as sectional champion. A year ago, Miller barely scored, placing eighth in the 3,200. On Tuesday night, he won the race by 6.65 seconds.

Brice Rider (12), West Lafayette High School, battles for first place in the 300 Meter Hurdles at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Brice Rider, West Lafayette

The 300-meter hurdle champ qualified for the regional in three events. Rider also was third in the 110-meter hurdles behind Lillard and teammate Cannon Melchi and part of West Lafayette's runner-up 1,600 relay.

Elijah Stenberg (11) and Henry Balagtas (12), West Lafayette High School, fight for the lead in the last 100 meters of the 1600 Meter Run at the 2022 IHSAA Boys Track and Field Sectional at West Lafayette Athletic Complex, on May 19, 2022, in West Lafayette.

Elijah Stenberg, West Lafayette

The Red Devil junior edged teammate Henry Balagtas in a great race to win the 1,600 by .05 of a second. He'd later win the 800 over Jeff's Jahir Montes De Oca by .09 of a second. Other than the 100 meters, those were the two closest races of the night.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

IHSAA Sectional

At West Lafayette

Harrison 166.5, West Lafayette 145, Lafayette Jeff 100, McCutcheon 60, Frankfort 30, Crawfordsville 27.5, Rossville 25, North Montgomery 25, Clinton Prairie 17.5, Faith Christian 10, Clinton Central 9, Central Catholic 8.5

3,200 relay — 1. Harrison (George Hufendick, Ethan Getz, Cotter Hogan, Jaiden Goins) 8:17.85; 2. Lafayette Jeff (Chris Uribe, Luis Martinez, Henry Salazar, Jahir Montes De Oca) 8:20.71; 3. McCutcheon (Andrew Spenner, Connor Felty, Luke Benner, Jack Rabideau) 8:21.27

100 — 1. JT Downey (WL) 10.95; 2. Glenn Patterson (LJ) 10.95; 3. Finley Huber (Har) 11.02

110 hurdles — 1. Micah Lillard (LJ) 15.16; 2. Cannon Melchi (WL) 15.58; 3. Brice Rider (WL) 15.78

200 — 1. Connor Czajkowski (Har) 21.80; 2. Hunter Newman (Har) 22.84; 3. Daiden Taulbee (ClCn) 22.96

1,600 — 1. Elijah Stenberg (WL) 4:31.46; 2. Henry Balagtas (WL) 4:31.51; 3. Ethan Getz (Har) 4:37.90

400 relay — 1. Harrison (Carter Knoy, Finley Huber, Hunter Newman, Connor Czajkowski) 42.28; 2. West Lafayette (Liam Burton, JT Downey, Max Mullis, Nate Myers) 43.40; 3. Lafayette Jeff (Jwann Allen, Glenn Patterson, Steven Stephany, Micah Lillard) 43.51

400 — 1. Connor Blankman (WL) 50.73; 2. Andres Negron-Carerro (Har) 51.04; 3. Luis Martinez (LJ) 52.58

300 hurdles — 1. Brice Rider (WL) 41.19; 2. Antonio Negron-Carerro (Har) 41.82; 3. Matthew Hughes (McC) 42.75

800 — 1. Elijah Stenberg (WL) 2:00.73; 2. Jahir Montes De Oca (LJ) 2:00.82; 3. Jaiden Goins (Har) 2:01.69

3,200 — 1. Ryan Miller (Cville) 10:02.31; 2. Henry Balagtas (WL) 10:08.96; 3. Hayden Kemple (CP) 10:09.85

1,600 relay — 1. Harrison (Elija Strong, Cotter, Hogan, Achiel Biggs, Andres Negron-Carrero) 3:28.25; 2. West Lafayette (Brice Rider, Max Mullis, Connor Blankman, Cannon Melchi) 3:28.84; 3. Lafayette Jeff (Luis Martinez, Darien Olivo-Hernandez, Henry Salazar, Jahir Montes De Oca) 3:35.98

High jump — 1. Michael Holsclaw (LJ) 6-0; 2. Keonte Henderson (Faith) 5-10; 3. Preston Padgett (Rville) 5-10

Long jump — 1. Michael Holsclaw (LJ) 21-7 1/2; 2. JT Downey (WL) 21-6; 3. Logann Wills (Fft) 21-1 1/2

Discus — 1. Drew Payne (Har) 150-4; 2. Myles Jackson (McC) 145-7; 3. Josiah Houston (LJ) 138-5

Shot put — 1. Thomas Urban (Har) 52-11, 2. Cooper Crum (Har) 52-7 1/4; 3. John Schnerre (McC) 48-2 1/2

Pole vault — 1. Wyatt Curl (WL) 15-2; 2. Gavin Goodwin (Har) 13-0; 3. Aidan Hudspith (Fft) 11-6

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: 10 individual performers who stood out at the West Lafayette Sectional

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