Whitko Track Team Makes History
PLYMOUTH – It turns out that all the Whitko boys track program needed was a little change of scenery.
The Wildcats made history Thursday night in claiming the first-ever sectional championship in school history.
Whitko, which competed last year in the Fort Wayne Wayne Sectional, stole the show in the Plymouth Sectional field.
The Wildcats of coach Ron Cherry scored 128 points to lay claim to the title.
Whitko, which had placed second in the Three Rivers Conference Meet last week, knocked host Plymouth from the champion ranks. The Pilgrims, who finished as runner-up with 98 points, had won nine sectional titles in a row and 20 overall.
“I am very proud of our team,” said coach Cherry via email. “They were disappointed at not winning the conference championship last week, but they did a great job of moving on and refocusing on the sectional at Plymouth. Not only did they run well tonight, but they did an excellent of supporting each other during the meet.
“Daniel Kirkham did a great job as usual in the 400 dash. I didn’t know how Alex Morales would do in the 110 hurdles after injuring his ankle at last week’s conference meet, but he felt good enough to run and won the high hurdles pretty easily. Brady Weeks has been a very pleasant surprise as he only became a hurdler three weeks ago and has now qualified for the regional in both hurdle events.”
The Wildcats were led by champions Alex Morales in the 110 hurdles and Daniel Kirkham in the 400. Morales won in a time of 15.80, while Kirkham was first in 52.18.
Whitko will be well represented at the South Bend St. Joseph Regional next Thursday.
Brady Weeks earned regional spots in both hurdles races as he placed second in the 300 and third in the 110.
Will Bumbaugh was second in the pole vault for the Wildcats. Conner Sherwin was second in the discus and Walker Hobbs second in the shot put.
Whitko also got third-place efforts from regional qualifiers in Garrett Elder in the long jump and Zach Baughman in the shot put.
The Wildcats will also have two relay teams in the regional as both their 4 X 100 and 4 X 400 were second in the sectional. The team of Bumbaugh, Elder, Weeks and Alex Wilson was runner-up in the 4 X 100 with the foursome of Elder, Weeks, Kirkham and Morales second in the 4 X 400.
Tippecanoe Valley, which was fifth in the final team standings with 65 points, had a pair of sectional champions.
Deontee Smith claimed the top spot in the 300 hurdles for the Vikings in a top time of 43.99. Aaron Hoffman won the discus with a throw of 137-06 for Valley.
Also qualifying for the regional for Valley was Michael Thacker, who was second in the 100, and Neil Clampitt, who was second in the 200. The 4 X 100 relay team of Clampitt, Jon Fields, Jared Mikel and Dakota Parker also advances after placing third.