Columbus North’s Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff and Center Grove’s Griffin Hennessy compete in the 4x800-meter relay during Thursday’s Boys Track Sectional at Columbus North High School.
The Republic file photo
If things fall right for Columbus North Saturday night, the Bull Dogs could be in contention for its first-ever boys track and field state title.
The top-ranked Bull Dogs are seeded to score 30 points in the state meet based on times and distances from last week’s regional meets. But when taking into account North’s top performances this season, that number soars much higher, perhaps to a level that could give them a championship.
“When you look at that (30 points on seeds), it is deceiving,” North coach Rick Sluder said. “With our season-best, we’re still No. 1 in the 4×800, and with our discus, that puts us back up there, and the same with the 800. We do think we’ll be back in the 40s or 50s. We have that capability, so that’s kind of what we’re setting for ourselves.”
Tucker Smith
At the very least, the Bull Dogs are shooting for state records in three events at Indiana University’s Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex. Senior Tucker Smith, who broke the state meet record in the shot put last year with a throw of 67 feet, 11 1/4 inches and broke his all-time state record with a throw of 72- 1/2 this season, is a good bet to at least break his state meet mark.
North is seeded fifth in the 4×800-meter relay, based on the regional time of 7 minutes, 52.30 seconds put up by juniors Mateo Mendez, Clayton Guthrie and Kellen Hottell and senior Matt Newell. But senior Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff, who has the state’s top time in the 800, was held out for precautionary reasons, and the Bull Dogs have run 7:46 with him this season. They are looking to break the state record of 7:38.62 set by Lawrence Central in 2011.
“That’s been one of their goals all season, to go after that 4×800 and win it and do so with a fast time,” Sluder said. “They’re going to have to come after us, is how we’re approaching it. We’re going to go out and run hard. Mateo is going to run a great leg after he wasn’t so happy with his performance in the 800 in the regional. We’re really excited to go after that win.”
Kilbarger-Stumpff, who finished second at state in the 1,600 last season and was the state cross-country champion in the fall, is seeded second in the 1,600 with his 4:09.82. Carmel’s Kole Mathison ran 4:04.82 in the regional, and those two could challenge the state meet record of 4:03.00 set by Center Grove’s Austin Mudd in 2011.
“Being so close last year, I’d like to win that,” Kilbarger-Stumpff said. “I might have to run 4-flat to win.”
“In the 1,600, one of the things that’s really encouraging for us is, Reese ran a negative split in the regional,” Sluder added. “He ran a 2:02 second 800, and he did that alone, so we feel feel pretty confident he’s going to have a good shot to run with Mathison. It will be a great race, and then doubling back in the 800, there’s an outside chance those two (Kilbarger-Stumpff and Newell) could go 1-2. They haven’t really been pushed hard in an 800 yet, not from the gun.”
Kilbarger-Stumpff and Newell are seeded sixth and seventh in the 800, but their times are less than two seconds out of first.
“I think I could win,” Kilbarger-Stumpff said. “I think Matt could win. I think we could go 1-2.”
“The 800 is a very close race this year, and very competitive, and there are a lot of guys who have the ability to win it,” Newell added. “I’d say I have as good of a chance as any to win it. I wouldn’t say my odds are better than anyone, but if I keep a good mindset, I am working hard, then will definitely have the ability to put myself in position to win it.”
Will Russell
Junior Will Russell is seeded 15th, and senior Evan Carr is 26th in the 3,200. The top nine earn spots on the medals stand.
“In the 3,200, every year, somebody gets a medal that nobody was expecting, and I really think one of our two guys, if not both, can get that,” Sluder said. “They’re ready to run 9:20, and if they can do that, they’re going to be in the hunt for a medal late in the race. I think both of them have an excellent shot to go after a medal, but they’re on the outside, and they’re going to have to do some work to get in there.”
Before Smith throws the shot, he will compete in the discus. He is seeded 15th in that event with his 158-11 regional throw, but his season-best of 174-5 would put him No. 1.
“It’s easy to take him for granted in the shot, but he has big goals of throwing far to end his career, and that will be his second event that night, so he really wants to end well,” Sluder said. “In the discus, he’s fired up. In practice this week, he’s been throwing well. He’s been focused on it. I think we’ll see some big improvements in the discus from the last two weeks.”
Meanwhile, Jennings County and Brown County each will be competing at state in one event. Panther seniors Lane Elsner, Aidan Ernstes and Brenden Baker and junior Eli Wahlman are seeded 19th in the 4×800 relay. Brown County junior Chase Austin is 25th in the 1,600.
