BC's Bloomfield regional runner-up in long jump, first state qualifier since 2015
HEATH - One year ago Buckeye Central's Corbin Bloomfield's focus was on the quarter-mile with long jump just an event he happened to also do.
He qualified for regionals in the 400-meter dash but bowed out in preliminaries while missing long jump by one spot jumping 19-05½ at districts.
Fast forward one year and Bloomfield ended day one of the Division III regional track meet on the podium with a runner-up finish in long jump at 22-02. This coming one week after winning a district title with a new meet record of 22-00.
"I'm jumping higher since last year, and running faster," Bloomfield said. "Last year long jump wasn't my main event, I think the 400 was my main event. But this year it's long jump, I've been really focused on that and it really helped me.
"I came in (seeded) second off that district record, and I knew I had to jump farther than 22 to compete. I came out here and my second to last jump I jumped my farthest, 22-02."
He has now added a foot onto his jumps in the course of two weeks — Bloomfield's district jump was 10 inches further than his previous best — feeding off the level of competition. Rock Hill's Izaak Cox won with a jump of 22-11¼.
"There's a lot of 21s and 22s, I just had a had to come out here and give it my all," Bloomfield said. "I can't be intimidated because that's when you have bad performances. I was mentally prepared and I was just ready to go out and give it my all."
Bloomfield still managed to qualify for regionals in the 400 this season but finished 13th. His focus is now solely on the long jump. And he's Buckeye Central's first state qualifier since Aubrey Wright in 2015, and the first field event qualifier since Tyler Kreim podiumed in long jump back-to-back years in 2006 (third, 21-09½) and 2007 (sixth, 21-08).
"It's special, I didn't think I would ever be able to make it to state," Bloomfield said. "Last year I only jumped 19, this year I'm jumping 22. I have one more year left, so I think I can really jump farther and get the school record."
Gary Maul's record of 22-05 has stood for nearly 50 years. It came in the lead-up to his state runner-up finish in 1977.
Colonel Crawford's Shipman and 4x800 relay nab automatic state bids
Senior Niyah Shipman was third in the high jump clearing 5-02 on her second attempt. She was bested by senior Lexi Tucci of Sandy Valley and freshman Remi Moon of Fairfield, both cleared 5-04 but Tucci did it in fewer attempts to earn the regional title.
Not long after the distance relay team of senior Cecelia Chase, sophomore Brynn Bruner, junior Olivia Hardy, and sophomore Rylinn Edgington battled with league foe Seneca East and Tuscarawas Valley for the first three legs before Edgington closed out strong giving the Eagles the regional title by nearly seven seconds ahead of the Tigers.
Colonel Crawford junior Logan Goddard placed seventh in the pole vault clearing 11-08 before missing all three attempts at 12-00, and the 4x800 relay team of sophomores Shawn Auck and Braeden Grau, junior Adam Scott, and freshman Landon Strausbaugh finished 13th.
Qualifiers for Friday's regional finals
GIRLS
100-meter dash — Hailey Slagle, Colonel Crawford, 7th
4x200 relay — Colonel Crawford (Olivia Hardy, Lynae McKibben, Ayla McKibben, Mira Holt), 4th
4x100 relay — Colonel Crawford (Mira Holt, Ayla McKibben, Gabby Roston, Hailey Slagle), 1st
200-meter dash — Hailey Slagle, Colonel Crawford, 6th
4x400 relay — Colonel Crawford (Olivia Hardy, Lynae McKibben, Gabby Roston, Mira Holt), 2nd
BOYS
4x200 relay — Colonel Crawford (Brady Hill, Jacob Cochran, John Degray, Trevor Vogt), 5th
4x100 relay — Colonel Crawford (Ryan McMichael, Jacob Cochran, Lucas Foy, Trevor Vogt), 4th
400-meter dash — Eli Sprague, Bucyrus, 6th; Anthony Evans, Wynford, 7th
300-meter hurdles — Trevor Vogt, Colonel Crawford, 2nd
4x400 relay — Colonel Crawford (Brady Hill, Adam Scott, Jacob Cochran, Trevor Vogt)
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Buckeye Central's Corbin Bloomfield a regional runner-up in long jump
