May 9 Edition - First of Two (Boys)

REGULAR COVERAGE

by Jeff Toquinto
Editor of The Bridgeport News

It wasn’t a first place finish. In fact, it wasn’t
even in the top five.
But, finishing 8th among a field of 24 teams from West
Virginia and Ohio at the Gazette Relays in Charleston
is no reason for Bridgeport’s boys track team to hang
its head.
“It was a pretty good field,” said coach Jon Griffith.
“ ...You had many of the top AA teams there.”
The Indians managed to collect 32.5 points in the
two-day meet held at Charleston’s Laidley Field. The
top three included Ravenswood (79), Chesapeake, Oh.
(70) and Doddridge County 55.
The boys team did manage to capture the Tribe’s only
first place - boys or girls - during the meet. Chris
Hampton did the honors in the long jump as the junior
hit a mark of 20 feet, 5 inches.
Hampton’s effort helped him be among the top two point
producers for BHS. The other was senior Joe Ielapi.
Ielapi finished second in the 110-meter hurdle event
with a mark of 15.99 seconds. He took sixth in the
300-meter hurdles with a showing of 43.66 seconds.
The Indians also took spots in a pair of relay events.
The Tribe was fourth in the 4x100-meter relay (46.74)
and second in the 4x110-meter relay (1:02.84).
The only other person to place individually was Matt
Fischer. The sophomore managed a mark of 5 feet, 10
inches in the high jump.
“Things are going well,” said Griffith. “We should
fare well in the (Big 10 and) the regional.”
The Big 10 meet will be held 4 p.m. Friday at BHS.