IHSAA BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW!!

BOYS TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

Discus

Top performer: Zach Frieden, Kankakee Valley, 194’9

Top returner: Zach Frieden, Kankakee Valley, 4th place

Athlete to watch: Brock Conrad, Floyd Central

Outlook: This is a very strong year in the disc with seven boys over 180 feet, including two over 190 feet. It would be overly simplistic to say this will come down to two throwers, especially given the strength of the field. However, Kankakee Valley senior Zach Frieden and Churubusco junior Weston Ott are both in the top 25 all-time with performances from the last month. This event could impact the team title score with Avon, Bloomington North and Warsaw all having athletes in scoring range.

Shot Put

Top performer: Weston Ott, Churubusco, 64’11.75

Top returner: Weston Ott, Churubusco, 3rd place

Athlete to watch: Kaleb Rasheed, Avon

Outlook: Ott is the favorite here being nearly three feet ahead of the field and 13th all-time. He isn’t a lock, however. Southport senior Benjamin Brown has thrown over 60 feet with two additional athletes within a foot of that mark. Avon’s Kaleb Rasheed has the fifth best throw and teammate Austin Grays is seventh heading into the tournament which would be huge for the title chances of our projected number one team. This is also a pivotal event for Warsaw who has multiple possible scorers as well as Merrillville, another contender who would love to see Adam Camphor on the podium.

Long Jump

Top performer: Jaylen Ramsey, Merrillville, 23’10

Top returner: JonAnthony Hall, Fishers, 2nd place

Athlete to watch: John Peters, Merrillville

Outlook: The toughest event to predict could have the biggest impact on the team standings or no impact at all; such is the long jump. Merrillville is hoping for double digit points here with Jaylen Ramsey holding the best outdoor performance and John Peters winning this event at the HSR Finals. A 1-2 finish, far-fetched as it may be, would be massive for Merrillville’s very realistic championship aspirations. Only four athletes have eclipsed 23 feet so far this season. In addition to Merrillville, both Avon and Franklin Central are title contenders who have multiple possible scorers in this event.

High Jump

Top performer: Jordan Randall, Warsaw, 7’0

Top returner: Jordan Randall, Warsaw, 3rd last year

Athlete to watch: Darion Highbaugh, North Central

Outlook: This is the most straightforward of the field events. Warsaw’s Jordan Randall is the clear favorite and has progressed naturally from freshman phenom to sophomore title contender to runaway favorite as a junior. His team is a longshot for the title and that centers around getting ten points here. Avon’s Adetayo Adewunmi has cleared 6’8, which would be massive for the Orioles’ title chances if he finished in the top five.

Pole vault

Top performer: Isaac Roman, Crown Point, 16’2

Top returner: Landon Dobbs, Henryville, finished third

Athlete to watch: DeMarco Easter, Merrillville

Outlook: This will likely come down to sophomore Isaac Roman from Crown Point against junior DeMarco Easter from Merrillville, and could for another year as well. Merrillville would love to rack up field event points prior to the start of the finals. Outside of Easter, this event will have very little impact on the team race, though Hamilton Southeastern and North Central have athletes outside scoring positions that could earn points here.

100

Top performer: Jerome Smith, Lawrence North, 10.44

Top returner: Marcus Townsend, Avon, 2nd last year

Athlete to watch: Damario Moore, Lawrence North

Outlook: This is a very strong year in this event, and with good weather at the regional level, the field at the state finals could balloon again after poor conditions in 2024. A combination of past and recent performance might point to Avon’s Marcus Townsend as the favorite, though the field seems so close it is hard to predict much. In addition to Avon, Lawrence North is looking for big points here and Damario Moore did score last year in this.

200

Top performer: Christian Ortiz, HSE, 21.18

Top returner: Will Riley, Greenwood, 2nd last year

Athlete to watch: Monshun Sales, Lawrence North

Outlook: Like the 100, this has been a very strong year. Hamilton Southeastern’s Christian Ortiz dominated a competitive field at the HCC meet a couple weeks ago, and his late-season surge has vaulted the Royals into the fringes of contention for the team title. Townsend also figures to be a contender as he holds the number two time this year and finished fourth as a junior. Two boys from Lawrence North and North Central round out the top six on the current leaderboards, making this another pivotal event for many of the title hopeful teams.

400

Top performer: Dehnm Holt, North Central, 46.76

Top returner: Dehnm Holt, North Central, 3rd last year

Athlete to watch: Kervenson Clerger, Franklin Central

Outlook: North Central’s Dehnm Holt is a clear favorite after running 46.76 at the Marion County meet, the second-best performance of all-time and a full second clear of a still deep and talented field. Six total boys have broken 48 seconds already this season, though with an overlap of athletes in the 300 hurdles not all of them will choose this event for the tournament. Ortiz for Hamilton Southeastern, Chatard’s Kalen Sargent and Franklin Central’s Kervenson Clerger will be looking for points here to keep their team in the title race.

100 hurdles

Top performer: Rylan Hainje, Franklin Central, 13.61

Top returner: Kieran Barnewell, Chesterton, 3rd last year

Athlete to watch: Evan Williams, Lawrence Central

Outlook: The emergence of Rylan Hainje from Franklin Central headlines an incredibly strong year in the hurdles. Hainje’s 13.61 from the HCC meet ranks fifth all-time, but he’s certainly not guaranteed to win with Lawrence Central’s Evan Williams holding the number ten performance ever and Chesterton’s Kieran Barnewell also under 14 seconds this season. Merrillville’s John Peters ranks sixth this season but won the 60 hurdles at the HSR Finals, tying Hainje’s indoor record in the process. Team contenders Lawrence North and Bloomington North also have athletes that could score at state.

300 hurdles

Top performer: Demario Moore, Lawrence North, 36.93

Top returner: Antonio Smith, North Central, 4th last year

Athlete to watch: Alan Hays, Bloomington North

Outlook: Though not a huge overlap between athletes, the 300s are equally as deep. Lawrence North’s Damario Moore has the fifth best time ever but Haine is ninth all-time and Chatard’s Phoenix Boyer is also well under 38 seconds. North Central’s Antonio Smith is the top returner from last year and currently holds the fourth best time this season, but he’s also fifth in the 200 and 400 which requires decisions about what to pursue in the tournament. Avon could get some extra points here with Jamarion Lane (11th best time in the regular season) while Bloomington North and HSE both have athletes in scoring position.

4x1

Top performer: Lawrence North, 40.91

Last year: HSE won, return two

Team to watch: North Central

Outlook: An historically deep year in sprints and hurdles has predictably led to a strong year in the 4x1. Lawrence North is within striking distance of Brownsburg’s state record. LN has a half-second gap on Brownsburg and most of the other team contenders have times in scoring range: North Central, Franklin Central, Avon, Hamilton Southeastern. Merrillville has not yet gone under 42 seconds but certainly has the athletes to score high in this at the state meet.

4x4

Top performer: North Central 3:14.66

Last year: North Central won, returns three of four

Team to watch: Chatard

Outlook: After many down years, the 4x4 has come roaring back in the last two seasons. Both Chatard and North Central have broken their school records and either could break Gary West’s 1980 mark of 3:13. Assuming good weather for the state finals, this could be an incredible race that yields a new record time even with many of the team’s stars on a third or fourth race of the day. Franklin Central came very close to winning this race last year and looks like the best of the rest. Avon, HSE, Lawrence North and Bloomington North also have teams capable of scoring.

4x8

Top performer: Concord, 7:50.43

Last year: Bloomington North won, returns two of four (also won in 2023)

Team to watch: Noblesville

Outlook: Bloomington North has won this event the past two years and enters the tournament as the favorite. Juniors Caleb Winders and Caelan D’Onofrio both split 1:52 in helping the Cougars win this event at the HSR Finals. Line-ups from other teams could dictate how hard Bloomington North needs to run for a three-peat. Noblesville has three that hit the standard and could put together a relay capable of approaching the state meet record that Bloomington North owns. Avon and Franklin Central are team contenders who will almost certainly load their relays while Warsaw is a much longer shot for the overall team title but finished third at the HSR Finals in this event Hamilton Southeastern has decisions to make with a group capable of finishing on the podium but would need to use distance runners who could score individually in subsequent events. Westfield and Columbus North could conceivably push Bloomington North (and potentially Noblesville). 

1600

Top performer: Kraedyn Young, Jennings County, 4:13.28 (Westview’s Noah Bontrager faster for full mile)

Top returner: Ian Baker, Brownsburg, 4th place

Athlete to watch: Noah Bontrager, Westview

Outlook: Westview junior Noah Bontrager dominated the Franklin Central Showcase in record time and will be a difficult contestant for anyone to deal with this spring. Bontrager’s hold on this event might send athletes to other events, making it easier for some to finish on the podium. Jackson Gackenheimer from Warsaw has the third best time over 1600 meters; a strong showing here could help keep the Tigers in the team race in combination with strong field events.

800

Top performer: Caleb Winders, Bloomington North, 1:50.88

Top returner: Caleb Winders, Bloomington North, 2nd last year

Athlete to watch: Banner Barnes, Noblesville

Outlook: This is probably the running event with the most secure favorite. Winders looks likely to get his first individual championship after finishing second as a freshman and sophomore. Behind him is a deep field with 11 others under 1:55 this season. Bloomington North is certainly in the team mix and tacking more points onto Winders’ ten from D’Onofrio would be huge. Hamilton Southeastern might have a decision to make regarding the 4x8 and the open 800; sophomore Mason Schmitz was fourth at the state meet in 2024 but fifth in the Hamilton County meet just last week.

3200

Top performer: Noah Bontrager, Westview, 8:55.79

Top returner: Noah Bontrager, Westview, 5th last year

Athlete to watch: Jacob Mitchell, Bloomington North

Outlook: Bontrager looks poised to become the fourth boy to complete the 1600/3200 double in the last thirty years; he easily won Showcase races in April at Franklin Central and Carmel. Evansville Reitz senior Jackson Nolan, Danville senior Jack Hearld and Portage senior Shane Conroy are capable of running under 9:00; all could theoretically push Bontrager if he has to expend all his energy earlier in the 1600. Bloomington North is hoping for points from Jacob Mitchell and Caleb Webb in this event. Hamilton Southeastern junior Liam Powers could be in scoring range as well for another contending team. 

TEAM RACE

Top Contenders: LN, Avon, Merrillville, Bloomington North

Fringe contenders: NC, FC

Lloyd Christmas: Warsaw, HSE, Chatard

Outlook: Avon has consistently been among the best teams in the state, and the Orioles have the highest ceiling with ten performances currently ranked in the top ten in the state. Townsend in combination with great field events makes Avon the number one team entering the tournament, though the throws and long jump can often be inconsistent. Lawrence North and North Central are very similar teams with strengths concentrated in the sprints and hurdles. LN has a little more firepower, but NC has come on strong in the last few weeks.

If any team emerges in the final week of the season, it might be Merrillville. The Pirates performed very well at the HSR Finals, and if stars John Peters and Jaylen Ramsey have a great state meet it could be hard for any team to keep up. Bloomington North is another contender but stars concentrated in distance events make it tougher to amass the points that more sprint-oriented lineups can. The Cougars have seen athletes develop into potential scorers in the hurdles and field events, which could keep them atop the points standings at state.

Franklin Central has not been atop the list of contenders all season, but Rylan Hainje could garner 20 points in the hurdles while helping the Flashes pick up more points in the 4x1. Franklin Central’s mid-distance strength should help with the other relays as well as the open 400 and potentially even the 800. Hamilton Southeastern, Warsaw and Chatard all have at least one individual contending for an event title; each has a possible route to 40 points, which might be enough to win this year.