Huntington North senior Brayden Voght represented his team on the state’s biggest stage on Friday, June 2, racing in the 400 meter run at the IHSAA State Finals at Indiana University’s Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex. Voght entered the State Finals as the 25th seed in the event, but surpassed his seeding by placing 22nd overall, stopping the clock at 50.79 seconds. Head coach Scott Bower noted how Voght’s race strategy was a bit different from normal based on the competitive field, though that is not uncommon at the state meet. “Brayden was definitely aggressive in the first 200 meters of the race and had to work pretty hard over the last 100 meters, which is usually a part of the race where he stays relaxed to go fast,” Bower said. Voght echoed the sentiment of enjoying the moment while competing in the State Finals. “I was amped up,” Voght said of the experience. “My heart was pounding.” Bower added how happy he was to see Voght earn a spot in the State Finals field, noting it was an appropriate way for Voght to end his high school career. “Brayden is one the best 200/400 sprinters in school history and it was great for him to conclude his career at the state championship,” Bower said. Voght’s personal-best time of 50.40 seconds at the Carroll Regional—which qualified him for the State Finals—proved to be the fourth-fastest time in the event at school history. Plainfield’s Nayyir Newash-Campbell won the 400 state title with a new State Finals record time of 46.98 seconds, which was just the second time the 47-second mark has been broken at the State Finals, with 2008 Olympic bronze medalist David Neville’s 46.99 winning the event in 2002. Brownsburg took home the state championship with 55 points in the team standings.
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 6:05 PM
