FRANKLIN — At one point Thursday, seniors Gavin Hausz and Braden Brown made eye contact, got running starts and engaged in a chest bump.
Never mind that they’re from different schools.
Hausz, from New Palestine, had assured himself a trip to the state finals by winning the high jump at the Franklin track and field regional. All he could do now is watch Greenfield-Central’s Brown attempt to do the same in the long jump.
And though Brown didn’t win, he, too, is off to this state’s ultimate high school track showcase after placing second.
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Hausz cleared 6-foot-4, while Brown soared 22 feet, 4½ inches.
“It feels great,” said Hausz, who is making it to state for the first time. “I’m so excited. One of my goals when I got to high school was to make it to state. Another one was to win sectional, and I did both of them in my senior year.”
As a freshman, Hausz spent the spring focused on bettering himself at basketball. The following year he played golf before making himself into a high jumper last season.
Along the way he and Brown became friends. They’ll most certainly be rooting for each other next week at Indiana University’s Robert C. Haugh Complex.
“He told me right after I made (6-4) that he was going to see me at state,” Hausz said.
Brown lived up to his end of the deal, holding the lead for a while until Warren Central sophomore Elijah Price jumped 22-6¼ to pick up the blue ribbon.
Also headed to the state meet are Dragons’ junior Drew Austin in the 1,600-meter run and Greenfield-Central pole vaulter Adam Lee. Flashing a strong kick over the final 60 meters, Austin took second to Greenwood senior Nathan Pine in 4:24.22.
“It feels pretty good,” Austin said of making it to state. “I give credit to my coaches. They put a lot of faith in me. Last year we had a pretty good team, so I feel like I had big shoes to fill. I was doing my best to fill them.
“It’s all or nothing in the last 60, and I’m not going to give up any spot easy. That’s always been my strategy. My goal for next week is just to go out as hard as I can and see what I can do.”
Lee’s top vault of 14 feet positioned him second behind Brigham Kleinhenz of Columbus North.
New Palestine finished 11th in the team standings with 23 points — two points ahead of the Cougars.
