Brandon Wheat, Center Grove beat No. 1 Columbus North in IHSAA boys track regional

If thrower Tucker Smith and middle-distance runner Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff become double state champions, that’s 40 points toward a team title for No. 1-ranked Columbus North.

Except the Bull Dogs would have to beat Center Grove.

The No. 4 Trojans underscored their quantity of quality in boys track and field, winning a resounding victory Thursday night at the Greenfield-Central Regional.

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Led by sprinter Brandon Wheat, Center Grove totaled 137 points for a fourth title in six regionals. Columbus North was second with 84 and Warren Central, the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference champion, third with 82.

Top three in each event automatically qualify for the June 4 state meet at Bloomington. Center Grove, whose lone state championship in boys track came in 2011, finished third last year.

In the 100 meters, Wheat edged Warren Central’s Jaelyn Reeves-Lile, 10.87 to 10.88 seconds. Reeves-Lile had led prelims at 10.79.

In the 200, Whiteland sophomore Matthew Wray beat Wheat to win in 22.02. Wheat was second in 22.16 and Reeves-Lile third in 22.32.

The Trojans did endure one setback because of a dropped baton in the 400 relay, in which they have Indiana’s best time of 41.74.

Also for Center Grove, Parker Doyle was second in the 110 hurdles in 14.76 and won the 300 hurdles in 40.04. Parker Mimbela was winner of the 3,200 in 9:22.29. Pole vaulter Connor Burries won with a clearance of 15 feet, 6 inches, and teammate Carter Pfeifer tied for second at 14 feet.

Smith, the first 70-foot shot putter in Indiana, threw 67-11 in that event and was third in the discus at 158-11. East Central’s Leo Maxwell, ranked No. 2 in Indiana at 179-8 , did not have a measured discus throw and thus did not advance.

Kilbarger-Stumpff won the 1,600 in 4:09.82 for the No. 2 time in the state and 800 in 1:53.71, slower than his state-leading 1:52.13. Columbus North’s Matthew Newell was second in 1:53.96 but teammate Mateo Mendez, ranked third in Indiana, was sixth.

Warren Central’s Brion Stephens, a national champion indoors, won the high jump at 6-11.

Columbus North has not won regional since 1986. The Bull Dogs have six state championships in cross-country but none in track.

Contact IndyStar reporter David Woods at david.woods@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.