IHSAA track and field stars shine in 2024 indoor Nike Hoosier State Relays
INDIANAPOLIS – Fishers is playing for a Class 4A state championship in boys basketball next Saturday.
On this Saturday, Fishers was competing for a boys track state championship to be awarded June 1. The Tigers almost won indoors anyway.
Bloomington North, featuring the nation’s fastest 4x800-meter relay this year, defeated Fishers 64-46 in the large-school division of the Nike Hoosier State Relays.
An unofficial state meet could not have been more authentic, given the splendor of the new Fall Creek Pavilion on the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the performances here.
“It’s the fastest track I’ve ever run on,” said Fishers hurdler Tyler Tarter.
It is the fastest Tarter, or any Indiana high school hurdler, has covered 60 meters.
He finished in 7.81 seconds, breaking the state record of 7.85 set by Brownsburg’s John Colquitt in 2022 and worth No. 9 in the nation in 2024.
“He’s coming into this season with a purpose,” Fishers coach Nathan Warnecke said. “He’s on a mission. And you saw that today."
Tarter injured his right hamstring as he crossed the finish in placing second in the 110-meter hurdles at last June’s state meet, and he has spent every day since rehabbing. He said only recently has he felt back in form.
“This means so much to me,” he said.
More: 'Comparable to anything I’ve ever seen.' New indoor track possible game-changer for Indy.
More: It's an Olympic year, and Cole Hocker put folks on notice after dominant national title
It would mean so much for Fishers to break through for a championship. The Tigers were fourth in 2023, 2022 and 2021, and they were second in state cross-country last fall.
Tarter’s 50.86 leadoff helped Fishers finish third in the 4x400 relay. Sam Quagliaroli won the 3,200 meters in 9:08.74, then ran a 4:18.67 anchor 1,600 for fourth in the distance medley relay.
Indoors, there are no 300-meter hurdles, in which Tarter is aiming to become the fourth Hoosier to clock under 37 seconds. He is an Indiana University signee.
“We’ve had a few illnesses and injuries. We don’t take indoors very seriously as a program,” Warnecke said. “We like where we’re at, heading into April.”
North Central and Zionsville tied for third with 36 points. Brownsburg, the defending state champion and DyeStat dual-meet national champion, was 12th with 19.5.
Brownsburg sprinter Dominic Calhoun set a meet record of 6.74 in the 60 meters, winning by .01 over Bloomington North’s Jaidyn Johnson. Calhoun pulled up in the second turn with a hamstring strain on his leadoff of the 4x200 relay, taking Brownsburg out of that relay and the 4x400.
This meet awards double points in relays, and there are just 11 events. So indoor results don’t necessarily correspond to outdoor state.
Nonetheless, expect Hoosier Crossroads Conference rivals Fishers, Brownsburg (if Calhoun is healthy) and Zionsville to challenge Bloomington North in 10 weeks
Bloomington North is the first outside the Indianapolis area to win the large-school title in a championship held since 2009. The Cougars’ highest outdoor finish is fourth in 2023 (tying Fishers) and 1996.
Bloomington North set a state indoor record of 7:43.08 in the 4x800 on legs by Caelan D’Onofrio, Jack Holden, Dominic D’Onofrio and Caleb Winders (1:51.73). Winders, as a freshman, ran a 1:50.20 anchor in a state record relay of 7:37.24.
On Saturday, Winders subsequently ran a 4:21.31 anchor 1,600 in a winning distance medley relay. Minutes thereafter, he ran a 49.51 anchor for a fourth-place 4x400 team.
“He’s a winner,” Bloomington North coach Justin Helmer said. “To do that, you have to have something in you.”
Carmel relays worth girls title
Carmel scored 50 of its 60 points in four relays for a repeat large-school girls title and sixth overall. The Greyhounds last won an outdoor state championship in 1999.
Hamilton Southeastern was second (50), North Central third (48), Warren Central fourth (42) and defending outdoor champion Noblesville fifth (39).
Warren Central had two individual champs: Jila Vaden, 20 feet, 0.5 inches for a meet record in the long jump, and Laila Smith, 8.74 in the 60 hurdles. Smith received her medal from cousin Ashley Spencer, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 hurdles.
The same HSE foursome that won at Nike nationals – Ciara Kepner, Addison Smith, Anissa Lammie, Chloe Senefeld — set a meet record of 3:53.03 in the 4x400. Laila Smith anchored in 57.92 for third-place Warren Central.
National leader Hadley Lucas of Bloomington North won a third shot put title at 49-9.75, five inches off the meet record.
Heritage Christian duo stays on top
Based on indoor U.S. rankings, the top boys and girls track and field athletes in Indiana are arguably Luke Himes and Kya Crooke.
Both attend Heritage Christian, enrollment 496.
That is not their important number. The overriding figures are 70 feet to Himes, 6 feet to Crooke.
Himes, seeking to become the state’s second 70-foot shot putter, broke his own small-school state record with a distance of 66-8.
“It has eluded me,” Himes said of 70 feet. “But I know it’s there, and I know I’m going to hit it. It’s just a matter of when and where.”
The Notre Dame signee threw 67-5 on Jan. 27 but could only manage 63-9.5 in placing third at New Balance nationals March 10. On Saturday, all six of his throws exceeded what he did at Boston. He said he had trouble adjusting to the fast ring there.
He threw 67-10 outdoors last year, or No. 2 in the nation.
“I’m feeling it could be a big year in the discus, too,” Himes said. “I feel quicker than ever.”
Crooke is quicker than ever.
She won the 60 meters in 7.76, and her 24.75 anchor (fastest of 192 runners over all classes) brought Heritage Christian to second in the 4x200 relay.
She took one attempt in the long jump and won at 19-2, and she high jumped 5-6 before missing at 6 feet. She was second at Nike at nationals at 5-10.5 — her highest jump since winning Adidas nationals at 5-10.75 in June 2022.
Crooke said she intends to concentrate outdoors on the high jump and long jump, something she has not done in high school.
“I think it’s going to be up from there,” she said.
Bishop Chatard sweeps team titles
Bishop Chatard was a dominant small-school team, winning 91-51 over Delta in boys standings and 73-53 over Heritage Christian’s girls.
Only other small-school sweep was by Brebeuf Jesuit in 2015.
Chatard boys scored 72 of a possible 80 points in relays. Sophomore Phoenix Boyer ran a 22.23 leg for a team setting a meet record of 1:30.10 in the 4x200 and a 49.52 anchor in the 4x400 (3:26.00). Sam Feeney, second in the 60 meters by .01, anchored Chatard in the 4x200.
Chatard’s girls scored 64 points in four relays. Julia Score, also a soph, anchored in 2:16.91 for a winning 4x800 and in 5:06.58 for a second-place distance medley quartet.
Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA indoor track stars shine in 2024 Nike Hoosier State Relays
