HANCOCK COUNTY — To say it is to no surprise, would be an understatement.
With a number of Hancock County’s 2022 state-placing and state-qualifying student-athletes from last year’s IHSAA Track and Field State Finals meets returning for 2023, it is hardly a shock to see teams and individuals ranked among the state’s best.
Ten different individuals, or relays, are ranked among the state’s Top 10, another is just outside.
Both Mt. Vernon and Greenfield-Central’s boys track and field teams are considered among the state’s best, too.
School records seem to be re-written on a regular basis. Six new marks broke records that had lasted between 30-40 years.
Mt. Vernon’s boys track and field team was coming off a school-best 11th place finish, scoring 16 points, at last year’s state meet. The Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches (IATCCC) poll has the Marauders currently ranked No. 13.
By current state-meet points (rankings of the best individual times, distances and heights in the state), the Marauders are ranked No. 8. Greenfield-Central is No. 19.
Greenfield-Central junior Elliot Ryba, just missed out on a podium placing in last year’s state high jump competition. He is currently ranked No. 1 with a height of 6-feet, 9-inches.
Mt. Vernon’s fantastic four from last year’s third-place 4×400-meter relay are also picking up where they left off.
The relay crew of Tre Jones, George Burhenn, Tristan Trevino and Andres Langston are currently ranked No. 3 in the relay race with a season-best time of 3:23.15.
Burhenn, is currently No. 4 in the 110 hurdles (14.66 seconds) and No. 6 in the 300 hurdles (39.64). Langston joins his teammate in the intermediates with a No. 9 ranking at 40.39 seconds.
Trevino is No. 10 in the 1600-meter run with a time of 4:25.26.
Joining teammate Ryba in the top 10 is Greenfield-Central distance runner Griffen Wheeler. He is No. 8 in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:56.63.
It’s not just Cougars and Marauders, New Palestine pole vaulter Sage Halter, who just missed out making the state meet last year, has cleared 14-feet, 6-inches this season and is ranked No. 6.
It’s not just boys, Mt. Vernon pole vaulter Riley Nielsen is currently No. 9 in the state at 11-feet. New Palestine discus thrower Sydney Miller, is ranked No. 10 with a distance of 126-feet, 10-inches.
Eastern Hancock’s Ellie Meyer is just outside the top 10 in the high jump, ranking No. 12 with a height of 5-feet, 4-inches.
In one weekend earlier this month, four 37-year or older school records were broken, by Ryba, Wheeler, Burhenn and Greenfield-Central’s Kirk Knecht. Another 30-plus year old record was broken this past weekend by Wheeler. Earlier this season, a 40-plus year old pole vault school record was broken by Halter.
In March, Halter broke a 43-year old record set in 1980 by Mark Gilpin (14-feet), and tied in 1999 by current New Pal pole vaulting coach Chad Clark, by clearing 14-3. He cleared 14-6 earlier this month.
In one weekend, Wheeler erased a 37-year old G-C record in the 1600. He ran a 4:17.26 to break a 1986 mark of 4:19 set by Ryan Morris. Knecht set a new school long jump mark of 22-feet, 10 ½ inches to best a 1982 Cougar mark of 22-feet, 8 ½ inches set by Brian Raney. When Ryba cleared 6-feet, 9-inches, he beat a record, by one-inch, set by Chris McKee in 1983. Burhenn broke a 39-year Mt. Vernon record in the 110 hurdles. His race in 14.66 seconds beat the 1984 record of 14.7 by Matt Dickerson.
On Friday, Wheeler put his name at the top of the school’s 3200-meter run list, giving him school outdoor records in the 800, 1600, 3200 and as part of the school’s 4×800 relay.
He ran a time of 9:26.28, breaking the mark of 9:34.9 set in 1989 by Gary Holt.
All this is leading up to what should be an exciting championship season in May.
It will start with all four schools in the Hancock County Championships on Wednesday, May 3 at Mt. Vernon High School. The week of May 8, all four teams will compete in their respective conference championships. The Mid-Easter Conference is Friday, May 12. Hoosier Heritage Conference titles will be awarded May 9 (girls) and May 11 (boys).
–
Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches
Boys Track and Field Rankings
(April 19, 2023)
1. Center Grove
2. Brownsburg
3. Carmel
4. Plainfield
5. Lake Central
6. Fishers
7. Zionsville
8. Bloomington North
9. Floyd Central
10. Westfield
11. Jeffersonville
12. Columbus North
13. Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
14. Elkhart
15. Warren Central
16. North Central (Indianapolis)
17. Hamilton Heights
18. Heritage Christian
19. Hamilton Southeastern
20. Harrison (West Lafayette)
–
Boys Track and Field Rankings
(By State Meet Points)
1. Center Grove
2. Brownsburg
3. Carmel
4. Plainfield
5. Fishers
6. Lake Central
7. Zionsville
8. Mount Vernon (Fortville)
9. Warren Central
10. Bloomington North
11. Park Tudor
12. Delta
13. Jeffersonville
14. Westfield
15. Floyd Central
16. North Central (Indianpolis)
17. Columbus North
18. Heritage Christian
19. Greenfield-Central
20. Whiteland
–
Hancock County’s Top Ranked Track and Field Performers
Boys
800-meter run: Griffen Wheeler, Greenfield-Central (8th, 1:56.63)
1600-meter run: Tristan Trevino, Mt. Vernon (10th, 4:25.26)
110-meter hurdles: George Burhenn, Mt. Vernon (4th, 14.66 seconds)
300-meter hurdles: George Burhenn, Mt. Vernon (6th, 39.64 seconds)
300-meter hurdles: Andres Langston, Mt. Vernon (9th, 40.39 seconds)
4×400-meter relay: Mt. Vernon (3rd, 3:23.15)
High jump: Elliot Ryba, Greenfield-Central (1st, 6-feet, 7-inches)
Pole vault: Sage Halter, New Palestine (6th, 14-feet, 6-inches)
Girls
Pole vault: Riley Nielsen, Mt. Vernon (9th, 11-feet)
Discus: Sydney Miller, New Palestine (10th, 126-feet, 10-inches)
High jump: Ellie Meyer, Eastern Hancock (12th, 5-feet, 4-inches)
