Lafayette Jeff wins unified track and field sectional

WEST LAFAYETTE − While the final scores were being read off, Troy T. listened intently with his right hand waving in the air.

Troy is a member of Lafayette Jeff's unified track and field team, which pairs students with intellectual disabilities with partner athletes to provide inclusion and opportunity and is now in its 10th year as a recognized sport by the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

Gordon Straley Field was the host of Saturday's sectional championship where Troy won his flight in the shot put and as a member of the boys 400 relay, providing 20 points for the Bronchos he hoped could provide the different in winning a title or not.

In 11th place, West Lafayette. In 10th place, Harrison.

In this moment' Troy's raised hand begins to waver more rapidly, which continues as public address announcer Dan Yeoman carries on reading final results.

In fourth place, McCutcheon.

At this moment, Troy is not alone as the rest of his Broncho teammates begin to pack tighter near the middle of the football field. The top three are guaranteed another meet by qualifying for the Kokomo Regional.

In third, Westfield. The runner-up, Western. And your 2023 unified track and field sectional champions, the Lafayette Jeff Bronchos with a score of 127 points, 17 points more than the second-place Panthers.

Troy lost control of his hand in the air. In that moment, the rest of the Bronchos did, too, beginning an emotion-filled celebration that only furthered when meet organizer David Joest presented the sectional championship trophy.

"That was the best. We tried our best to get here," Troy said. "When I figured out we got first, it was the best day of my life."

Lafayette Jeff was clinging to a narrow lead when Kevin Monge-Godoy and Ah'Keem Wilson, both partner athletes, finished first and second, respectively, in the first section of the 100-meter dash, a race that had to be re-run at the conclusion of the meet because the competitors ran the wrong distance initially.

Those 18 points sealed a victory.

"You saw several celebrating for five minutes straight because we got to hold the trophy a little bit," Lafayette Jeff senior and partner athlete Parker Rosi said. "It means a lot to everyone, the athletes, helpers and coaches involved. We all know how much it means to us to win, even if it is just for the fun, it is nice to see it paying off."

Local flight individual winners included Monge-Godoy (100 meters, section 1), McCutcheon's Micah Kiser (100 meters, section 2), McCutcheon's Diego Cornejo (400 meters, section 4), Lafayette Jeff's 400 relay (including participants and alternates Hill, Hezekiah Brown, Troy T., Kian Thomas, Nickolai Schultz, May Chavez, Devion Penny and Matthew Adams), Wilson (long jump, flight 1), McCutcheon's McKenzie Butler (long jump, flight 5), Lafayette Jeff's Davonte Stanton (long jump, flight 6), Troy T. (shot put, flight 3), Lafayette Jeff's Katie Graves (shot put, flight 4) and Lafayette Jeff's Dylan Dutton (shot put, flight 5).

"It's fun hanging out with coaches, hanging out with friends, hanging out with everybody," Troy said. "It feels great winning this for everybody. I knew how we used to practice and how Wednesday we faced Twin Lakes, I knew we could come here and win."

Prior to the announcement of final team scores, in traditional unified track and field fashion, all 11 competing teams lined up together for a photo.

While Lafayette Jeff was awarded a championship trophy, the photo signified what unified sports are truly about: inclusion.

"The feeling is like no other. Everyone is going out there and you're happy for every team that is competing out there," Rosi said. "Win or lose, it doesn't really matter. It is about getting everyone excited. You look at everyone's face after the meet, if they got last place or first place, it doesn't matter and we're all just having fun out here."

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Jeff wins unified track and field sectional