May 30 Edition - First of Three (Boys)

REGULAR COVERAGE - State

by Jeff Toquinto
Editor of The Bridgeport News

It wasn’t the highest finish ever for the Bridgeport
boys track team in state tournament competition. But,
it ranked right up there.
Trailing on only 1994 seventh place finish and 28
points, BHS found itself scoring 15.5 points at the
end of the meet Saturday at Charleston’s Laidley Field
to finish 15th. Last year, the Indians scored 10
points in the meet.
“We had a good season,” said BHS coach Jon Griffith.
“We asked a lot from our underclassmen and they came
through for us. I was very proud of the effort the
entire team put forth.”
Among the underclassmen Griffith was referring to was
junior Chris Hampton. Hampton placed fourth in the
long jump , fifth in the 100 meter (11.5 seconds) and
was part of the sixth place shuttle hurdle relay team.

“Chris was still hinder by his hip flexor ...,” said
Griffith. “Under the circumstances he did well and
should prove to be a major factor for us next year.”
The team’s “major factor” this year, senior Joe
Ielapi, didn’t disappoint in his final meet. Ielapi
collected his team’s highest finish with a third place
finish in the 100 meters (15.3), while taking sixth in
the 300-meter hurdles (41.89) and being part of the
shuttles team.
“Joe has put a lot of effort into getting ready for
this season,” said Griffith. “He has been much more
focused and it showed in his times.”
Ielapi anchored the shuttles team that included
Hampton, Matt Fischer and Philip McElfresh. The
group’s time was 1:01.7, which earned a sixth-place
finish.
The 4x100-meter team managed also managed to take a
sixth place finish to earn a point for the Tribe. The
group of Jeff Weimer, Chris Byrd, Josh Goad and
Terrell Coleman posted a time of 45.72 seconds.
The Indians track team finished second in Region II,
first in the Big 10 and runner-up in the Harrison
County Championship.