The Herald-Times names boys' track and field athletes of the year, all-area team
For each of them, the road to a state medal had a mental minefield to navigate.
Whether it be four narrow second place finishes, an off-day at regional or missing the podium by the tiniest sliver of time, they didn't let disappointment derail them.
Because of that, Bloomington North's Kyle Clark and South's D'Andre Black are the Herald-Times Boys' Co-Track Athletes of the Year and North's Marcus Wynalda is the Boys' Field Athlete of the Year.
Girls' all-area: Three of a kind: Bloomington North stars sweep Herald-Times girls' track honors
Here's a closer look at each athlete:
Clark switches gears
Clark's strongest event last season was probably the 3,200, North coach Justin Helmer noted. But somewhere between then and the start to the 2022 track season, Clark's increased footspeed became evident.
"I don't think he ran one (3,200) this year," Helmer said. "But what he was able to do through all the distances, his speed definitely improved to where he ran a 51 on the four-by-four. It was definitely impressive."
More: Long road back for Clark and Crain as cross country state finals approaches
More: Despite her initial doubts, North's Amanda Warthan Clark worthy of Hall of Fame induction
So was his three-race resume, 1,600, 800 and then a 400 to end the meet. He did it all the way to the last race of the season.
"Going to state to compete in three events in pretty remarkable," Helmer said.
At the same time, Clark went into the state series expecting to win, but was edged twice at sectional and again at regional, each time the difference came over the last 200 meters. In the end, having that strong competition, whether it be from Martinsville's Martin Barco or Austin's Brandon Rice, may have paid off.
Undeterred, he put himself in the top eight halfway through the 1,600 at state and hung in to place sixth in a school record 4:13.41, snapping the mark set in 2007. He hadn't planned on it, but he'd trained for it.
"I'm sure the competitor in him was disappointed not winning those races," Helmer said. "But (he lost) to a very good runner and was running fast. One thing that's awesome about Kyle is the number of events he ran, running at least three at every meet."
Clark followed with one of his best 800s ever, going 1:57.72 in the first heat, then anchoring the 1,600 relay in 50.4.
Black bounces back
Black was the top finishing sophomore in the 110 hurdles and No. 2 in the 300s.
There's a good reason for his quick rise and why there's no reason to think he can't meet his goal of a state sweep one day.
"D'Andre has physically grown since last year from age, but he has also gotten stronger through his lifting and speed work," South coach Larry Williams said. "Put those together with better technique over the last year, and his competitiveness has put him on a new level.
"D'Andre is a very coachable young man, shows a lot of discipline and respects those around him. He and coach Zack Pedersen work well together and D'Andre has matured so much as a hurdler."
More: Splitting hairs: D'Andre Black on both sides of close calls at boys' state track finals
More: 'Is that your real name?': Golf phenom 'Happy' Gilmore working toward pro dreams
Black was one of only four hurdlers to place in the top 10 of both events. He was eighth in the 300s, but it also came with the sting of not medaling in the 110s by just .002.
"He could of hung his head," Williams said. "But he came back more determined to medal in the 300s. Then had a personal best for a split in the four-by-four."
Still, his times (14.84 and 39.46) were just off his career bests and not far off the school records of 14.23 and 39.00. He is one of just three Panthers, Kaleb Budde and Eli Stidd are the others, to break 15 and 40 in both races.
All that after dealing with a hip issue that forced him to dial back his training in both football and track.
"We even kept him off the high hurdles for a few weeks," Williams said. "His hip got better, but only the off season was going to totally take care of that. But with a change to some of his work, and constant monitoring of his leg, D'Andre was able to perform at a high level going to state."
Wynalda goes big
Wynalda, a senior, went into the postseason as on one of the top three throwers in his regional.
Things worked out great in the shot put. He was a sectional and regional runner up and set his PR at state (57-8¼) where he placed seventh. In discus, where he had gone 163 feet, his season ended at regional with a fourth place finish, but it was after that letdown that he had a then career best in the shot to ensure a trip to state.
"I look at the improvement he made over the last year, from junior to senior, was unbelievable," Helmer said. "He missed his sophomore year (COVID) and was 48 feet as a junior and 57 as a senior...
More: Throwers from Bloomington area schools put on a clinic at Edgewood track invitational
"That kid is in the weight room a lot and he's gotten stronger playing football (as an all-state lineman) and doing those things. He just kept improving his body every year."
It was just a matter of getting down the technique to go with it.
"He was getting better and better," Helmer said. "You could see him starting to figure some things out. You saw that in practice. He was putting up some 58 and 59s, so we knew it was just a matter of time and more reps."
Then there was the matter of enthusiasm. It seemed to grow when he saw how good he was getting at it. Then there was Max. As in younger brother Max who decided to start throwing shot and in two weeks, beat Marcus at the Edgewood Invite and was soon in the 50s.
Marcus wasn't having it.
"They started going back and forth in practice," Helmer said. "And when Max started getting over 50, that made Marcus better."
2022 HERALD-TIMES ALL-AREA BOYS' TRACK TEAM
Nolan Bailey, North, Sr.
When healthy, one of the area's top distance runners. Ran a 9:15.46 at the Carmel 3,200 Showcase, the fifth fastest time in school history and went 4:20.25 in the 1,600 for third at CI Meet. Sectional and regional champ in 3,200 before taking 20th at state finals. Indiana All-Star in 3,200.
Sawyer Bailey, South, Jr.
Took a big jump in the pole vault this year, reaching a career best 14-0 to win a sectional title. Added regional title before placing 17th at state. CI champ.
Jallah Barbu, North, Sr.
Area's top long jumper ended up with a heavy workload by the end of the year. Had a best jump of 21-3¾ to win a CI title and was sectional runner-up, missing state berth at regional by two inches. Had season bests in both of his regional hurdles races, going 15.90 in the 110s and 41.20 in the 300s. Also at CI meet, third in 110s and ran on 1,600 relay.
D'Andre Black, South, So.
Herald-Times Boys' Co-Track Athlete of the Year placed eighth in the 300 hurdles (39.46), just off his career PR of 39.23. Finished 10th in the 110s by a mere .002 in 14.84. Had lowered his PR to 14.75 at regional. Also ran leg for 1,600 relay that was a sectional and regional runner-up and 21st at state. CI champ in 110s, runner-up in 300s. Repeat All-Area.
Kyle Clark, North, Jr.
The Herald-Times other Boys' Co-Track Athlete of the Year, cranked out a school record 4:13.41 to take sixth at state in the 1,600. Also qualified in the 800, finishing 17th in the second best time of his career (1:57.52). Sectional and regional runner-up in both races. CI runner-up in 1,600, third in 800 (1:56.88). Also held down leg for 1,600 relay that won sectional and regional titles and placed 19th at state. Repeat All-Area.
Amare Draughn, North, So.
Only local high jumper this year to reach the 6-foot mark, doing so while winning a sectional title.
Cody Mikulich, North, Jr.
Focused on just two events this year and it paid off. Had a breakout season in discus with a career PR of 169-0. Won sectional and regional titles and placed 10th at state finals. Also ran leadoff leg for 400 relay that won sectional and regional titles before placing 19th in season best 43.21 at state. At CI meet, runner-up in 100, third in discus. Repeat All-Area.
Broc Murphy, North, Jr.
Battled back and forth with South's D'Andre Black all season in the hurdles. Had season best of 14.91 in 110s. Was sectional runner-up. In 300s, had a season best time of 39.37. Sectional and regional champ and wound up 10th at state (39.50) by .03. Ci champ in 300s, runner-up in 110s. Also ran leg for 1,600 relay that won sectional and regional titles and placed 19th at state. Repeat All-Area.
Reece Lozano, North, Sr.
Traded 400 for the 200 late in the season. Won sectional title in 200 (22.88) and was third at regional (22.71), 26th at state. Played key role for 400 (anchor) and 1,600 relays which both won sectional and regional titles before placing 19th at state. CI runner-up in 400 (51.28). Headed to Indiana University for football.
Zack Raake, Edgewood, Sr.
Fastest boy in school history, blasted out a school record 10.79 to win a WIC title in the 100. Sectional champ and regional runner-up, placed 17th at state. Season best 22.93 in 200 and was sectional runner-up. Anchor for 400 relay that was sectional runner-up and 1,600 relay that was third at sectional. Repeat All-Area. Will attend and may run for Colorado College of Mines.
Ryan Rheam, South, So.
Injuries shortened his season but left the back end open for the 3,200. Sectional runner-up and third at regional in a then career best 9:31 before popping a PR of 9:21.59 to take 12th at state finals. He was one of only three freshmen/sophomores in the race. Repeat All-Area.
Murry Ross-Harman, South, Sr.
Middle-distance ace had a best time of 50.54 this regular season. Sectional champion and runner-up in regional before taking 19th at state in a season best 50.45. Third at CI Meet. Also member of 1,600 relay that was sectional and regional runner-up and 21st at state. Repeat All-Area. Will run at Marian.
Marcus Wynalda, North, Sr.
Herald-Times Field Athlete of the Year came on strong at the right time, setting career bests at regional and state (57-8¼) in shot put to take seventh. Had a best discus toss of 163-3 and was a sectional runner-up. Finished second in both events at CI Meet. Repeat All-Area.
Honorable mention: Conner Shin, North, Sr. (100, 200, 400 relay); Sam Cosner, South, Jr. (100, 200, 400 relay); Chris Davis, Edgewood, So. (shot put); Jack Gildea, South, Jr. (3,200); Isaiah Hamilton, Lighthouse Christian, So. (long jump); Ronan Hancock, Edgewood, Sr. (long jump); Mason Law, Edgewood, Jr. (hurdles); Ivan Lynch, South, So. (discus); Jack Nelson, North, Sr. (3,200, 3,200 relay); Carl Norris, Edgewood, Fr. (high jump); Joseph Powell, North, So (200); Quincy Slaper, North, Sr. (800, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay); Ivin Tait, South, Sr. (hurdles, 1,600 relay); Will Valentine, Eastern Greene, Sr. (pole vault); Zander West, South, Sr. (800, 1,600); Max Wynalda, North, So. (shot put).
Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Herald-Times names boys track athletes of the year, all-area team
