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Vikings have two sectional champs among six regional qualifiers

Huntington North’s Ricky Haught (first from left) accepts the baton from teammate Zach Baldridge (second from left) to run the anchor leg of the 400-meter relay at the New Haven Boys' Track Sectional on Thursday, May 19. The Vikings clocked in at :45.22 for fourth place, and earned an at-large regional-qualifying spot.
Huntington North’s Ricky Haught (first from left) accepts the baton from teammate Zach Baldridge (second from left) to run the anchor leg of the 400-meter relay at the New Haven Boys' Track Sectional on Thursday, May 19. The Vikings clocked in at :45.22 for fourth place, and earned an at-large regional-qualifying spot. Photo by Steve Clark.

The Huntington North High School boys' track team had two sectional champions among six regional qualifiers at the New Haven Boys' Track Sectional on Thursday, May 19.

Champions for the Vikings and thus among the top three placers, who advance to the regional next week at Marion, were the 3,200-meter relay team of Cody Jones, Brock Spahr, Aaron Hendryx and Elijah Chesterman and freshman pole vaulter Ricky Haught. The relay team edged out South Adams by .08 seconds with its win in 8:11.26, and Haught topped 11-6 to claim his title.

Junior weight man Jared Coolman was a double regional qualifier and Chesterman punched a solo ticket to regional by placing third in the 800-meter run.

Coolman placed  second in the discus with a heave of 136-4 and third in the shot put with a throw of 49-2, while Chesterman crossed the finish line in 2:01.17 for his regional chance.

The Vikings' 400-meter relay team of Jones, Isaac Smith, Zach Baldridge and Haught finished fourth in :45.22 and earned an at-large berth at regional.

The top at-large qualifiers in each event from the Angola, Marion, North Side and New Haven sectional are called back to fill up the field for regional.

Baldridge in the 200-meter dash just missed qualifying by placing fourth in :45.22.

Taking fifth place finishes for HNHS were J.J. Whicker in the 3,200-meter run and the 1,600-meter relay team of Alex Wiedenhoeft, Jones, Caleb Smith and Austin Spahr. Whicker clocked in at 10:24.09, and the relay quartet was clocked at 3:45.99.

Wiedenhoeft grabbed sixth place in the 1,600-meter run, with teammate Jacob Wust placing seventh, clocking in at 4:46.40 and 4:47.04, respectively.

Also scoring seventh place points for the Vikings and helping the team place fourth with a total of 71 points were Garret Smith in the 400-meter dash, :55.67; Brock Spahr in the 800, 2:05.57; and Hale Bowen in the 3,200, 10:29.33.

Earning eight place points were Mark Hultz in the 300-meter hurdles, in :43.87, and Aremis Ebert in the long jump, at 18-5.

Homestead won the team title with 127 points. Fort Wayne Wayne was second among the nine teams with 101 points and New Haven was third with 86.