- Anglers earned almost as many points at the state level as they did at the regional level (73).
- Tyler Tarter of Fishers, Martin Barco of Martinsville and Jaidyn Johnson of Bloomington North were all double winners.
BLOOMINGTON – There are safe havens on a rainy, windy spring day. A slippery disc circle (eight feet in diameter) is not among them.
That’s where Joel Gates found himself after two puck attempts on Saturday. His longest throw was 40 feet shorter than his best throw. He was going to miss the finals when his Fishers Tigers needed every point to win their first state championship in boys track and field.
“It only takes one,” he said.
One? They were all needed.
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Gates pulled through, as did many teammates, particularly two-time hurdles champion Tyler Tarter. The Fishermen outlasted crosstown rival Hamilton Southeastern 60-54 in a contest that came down to the 4×400 meter relay.
Both teams scored more points than projected.
Counting regional marks, the Tigers were seeded to score one point in the discus, 4×100 relay and 4×800 relay. Instead, they scored 24.
Thus, Fishers, after losing in state, conference, county, sectional and regional indoor competitions, won the biggest trophy. It is unlikely that Fishers earned nearly as many points at the state as regional level (73).
“They almost had a flawless competition,” coach Nathan Warnecke said, “and they’re going to become state champions.”
Indoor champion Bloomington North was third with 40, Franklin Central fourth with 26 and Carmel fifth with 25.
Despite constant rain that forced all three jumps inside Gladstein Fieldhouse, Indiana showed those who deserved a national stage.
In addition to Tarter in the hurdles, the double winners were Martin Barco of Martinsville in the 800 and 1,600 meters and Jaidyn Johnson of Bloomington North in the 100 and 200.
But first, go to the last one.
Before the 4×400, Fishers had 56 points and HSE 49. If top seed HSE won the relay by 10 points, Fishers needed to be sixth to secure a one-point victory.
Tarter’s 49.1-second start put Fishers in front. HSE finished fifth and Fishers sixth.
There was no stopping the Tigers.
“It’s awesome. I can’t wait to get on the bus with the kids to celebrate,” Tarter said.
It was a stark contrast to 365 days ago. The Indiana University signee injured his hamstring at the end of the 110-meter hurdles, could barely move for a month and couldn’t run for four months.
“I’ve been thinking about it every day for a year,” he said, “and it finally paid off.”
His diligent rehab allowed him to achieve a 3-for-3 state sweep. After setting an indoor state record in the 60 hurdles, he won the 110 hurdles in 13.85 and the 300 hurdles in 37.25.
The latter was slower than the state record of 36.17 he set at the regional level (ranked No. 2 nationally), but was disappointing after the 110 hurdles. Given the slight headwind, cool temperatures, and standing water, that moment was amazing. Only once since 2007 has anyone run faster than 13.85 at state.
“Halfway through that run, I thought, ‘Oh, gee, I’m cooking.’ Let’s go,’” Tarter said.
Before her 110 hurdles preliminary, Fishers already had 23 points.
Gates threw the discus 166 feet, 2 inches on this third attempt to gain three more, then improved to 180-3. That earned him second place behind Josiah Bird, a HSE thrower whose distance was 182-9.
Fishers was second in the 4×800 relay, as was JonAnthony Hall in the long jump. Another pivotal event was the 800, in which Matthew Kim was fifth, one place behind HSE freshman Mason Schmitz.
There was no separation from Fishers or Barco.
Barco, a University of Washington recruit, became the first to win a middle distance double since Center Grove’s Austin Mudd in 2011. He is the first to repeat in the 1,600 since Fishers’ Drew Shields in 2009.
In the 1,600, state cross-country champion Cameron Todd of Brebeuf Jesuit ran the first 800 in 2:02.74, too slow to beat Barco. Barco, a soccer player, ran the final 400 meters in 59.47 and finished in 4:06.34 to Todd’s 4:08.53.
In the 800, Schmitz led the first lap with a time of 54.44, again too slow. Barco bested everyone and finished with a personal best of 1:50.97, compared to Mudd’s meet record of 1:49.25.
Due to a timing malfunction, Johnson almost had to repeat a heat of the 100 meters, but ultimately advanced to the final, where he clocked 10.52. The Bloomington North sprinter became the first to double since Evansville Harrison’s Noah McBride in 2017.
Hall, a top football prospect as a junior, achieved a different kind of state double, having played for Class 4A basketball champions Fishers. Only two other schools have won state titles in basketball and track and field in the same year: Anderson in 1946, Carmel in 2021.
Another two-sport champion was Ben Davis shot putter Nylan Brown, who set a school record of 63-1.5. Brown, known as the “Big Eight” for wearing a No. 8 jersey, is a linebacker recruited by Kent State who helped the Giants win a state football championship.
This could have been his last competition in athletics, although not because he hates all of this.
“I love shot put. “I love the record,” Brown said. “I love sport. “It’s a great atmosphere.”
It was a big day for Fishers, who won without the injured Sam Quagliaroli, a junior who was third in the state in cross-country.
The Tigers placed fourth in state track and field in 2023, 2022 and 2021, and were coming off second place in cross country. After getting close so many times, Fishers shut him down.
“We saw the potential a few months ago and said, ‘Yeah, let’s focus,’” Tarter said. “We have a great team bond and I’m glad we’re finally on top.”
Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at endwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
IHSAA Boys’ Track and Field State Meet Winners
Team scores: 1. Fishermen, 60 years old; 2. Hamilton Southeast, 54 years old; 3. Bloomington North, 40; 4. Franklin Central, 26 years old; 5. Carmelo, 25 years old; 6. (tie) Jesuit Brebeuf, 24; 6. (tie) Center Grove, 24; 6. (tie) North Center, 24); 9. (tie) Martinsville, 20; 9. (tie) Penn, 20.
100 scripts: Jaidyn Johnson, Bloomington North (10.52)
200 scripts: Jaidyn Johnson, Bloomington North (21.77)
400 scripts: Cainen Northington, Evansville North (48.38)
800 races: Martin Barco, Martinsville (1:50.97)
1600 stroke: Martin Barco, Martinsville (4:06.34)
3200 stroke: Tony Provenzano, Carmelo (8:51.40)
110 hurdles: Tyler Tarter, Fishermen (13.85)
300 hurdles: Tyler Tarter, Fishermen (37.25)
4×100 relay: Hamilton Southeast (41.79)
4×400 relay: North Center (3:16.88)
4×800 relay: Bloomington North (7:47.94)
High jump: Elliot Ryba, Greenfield-Central (6-10)
Long jump: Elijah Coker, Penn (23-3)
Disk: Josiah Bird, Hamilton Southeast (182-9)
Shot put: Nylan Brown, Ben Davis (63-1.5)
Pole vault: Peyton McQuinn, Hamilton Heights (16-3)
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