A lot has changed since the last time there was a track and field meet at Bridgeport High School prior to Saturday.

 

But a couple of coaching changes, a move up to Class AAA and a global pandemic that wiped out the entire 2019 season and pushed back the start of the 2020 season to mid-April, still can’t change the fact that strength in numbers is a calling card for the Indians.

 

The roster size may not be as big as what the program is accustomed too. It probably isn’t even as big as it is expected to be by the end of the year (both boys and girls teams are still waiting for some winter sports athletes to get the required number of practices in).

 

Still, depth allowed the Tribe to sweep the team titles at the Bridgeport Physical Therapy/Connect-Bridgeport Invitational.

 

The boys finished with 178 points to beat Lewis County (95), Tucker County (94), Liberty (34) and Notre Dame (22).

 

The girls team standings were even tighter with BHS finishing with 114, South Harrison was the runner-up at 111 and was followed by Tucker County (98.5), Lewis County (91) and Liberty (73.5).

 

Lewis County swept the individual high-point honors with Dakota Lough winning the boys and Nevaiah Simmons taking the honor for the girls.

 

All in all it was successful head coaching debuts for Grant Burton and Ali Burton who are replacing Jon Griffith and Emily Yurish, respectively, after long tenures as assistant coaches.

 

“We knew there was a lot of behind the scenes work that went on and Griff took care of about 99 percent it and we got to coach which we love to do,” Grant Burton said. “But now that we are on this side of it, juggling both is a challenge.

 

“The biggest thing is it was good for the kids to be out here and get their feet wet with having a meet.”

 

Seven different boys won individual events for the Indians and a pair of relay teams took first place.

 

Sophomore Lucas Anderson had an impressive time of 11.50 in the 100. Kyle McCarthy took first in the 200 with a time of 23.28, edging Anderson, who came in at 23.49.

 

“Lucas has it in him to be a stud if he can stay healthy and realize this isn’t middle school now, this is the next stage,” Grant Burton said. “If he can embrace that, watch out. He has a bright future ahead of him.

 

“Outside of Lucas, Kyle McCarthy had a pretty good showing. Our throwers all improved, by feet in some instances.”

 

Cole Bracken won the 800 with a time of 2:11.38. Baily DeMoss crossed the finish line at 10:43.90 to win the 3,200.

 

The Tribe swept the hurdle events with Kane Spencer winning the 110 highs at 23.28 and Cam Hess posting a time of 48.01 to win the 300s.

 

Andy Miller gave the Indians a field event victory, winning the long jump at 18-04.75.

 

Also for the BHS boys, the 4x100 team won with a time of 49.28 and the 4x200 team won at 1:37.44

 

Anderson added a runner-up finish in the 400 (59.50). Other second-place finishes went to Sam Dodson in the 1,600 (5:01.73), Grover Grafton in the discus (107-08), the 4x400 (4:08.52) and the 4x800 (9:38.71).

 

Cale Culicerto was third in the 300 hurdles (51.63) and fourth in the 100 (13.08). Ian Teel placed third in the shot put (36-02.50) and fourth in the discus (96-07).

 

Other fourth-place finishes went to Landon Burns in the two-mile (11:00.30), Spencer in the 300H (53.51), Tayshawn Douglas in the long jump (14-05.00) and Grafton in the shot (35-09).

 

Landon Swann was fifth in the discus (96-01) and sixth in the shot (32-11). Sam Backus added a sixth-place time in the mile (5:30.80).

 

Other first-place results for the boys include Lewis County’s Lough in the 400 (54.40), Lewis County’s Slate Swiger in the high jump (5-09), the Minutemen’s 4x400 team (3:52.55) and 4x800 team (9:38.71).

 

Liberty’s Bryce Miller won the 1,600 (4:59.21) and his teammate, Tanner Moore, cleared 6-06 to win the pole vault.

 

Tucker County’s Tate Mullenax won both throws with a 40-00 in the shot and 111-11 in the discus.

 

The BHS girls won two events as Mira Blount took first place in the 3,200 with a time of 13:01.90 and Sallyanna Hamrick won the pole vault after clearing 8-00.

 

“Mira looked really good today and I thought Sally did really well considering this was her first time running in a high school meet,” Ali Burton said. “So many of our girls, even our upperclassmen, had never run in a meet because they were new to it last year. Today was so many first times for all of them.”

 

Blount added a runner-up finish in the 800 with a time of 2:45.63. Shea Hefner came in second place in the long jump at 14-10.75. Alyssa Mazhar was second in the 300 hurdles at 57.60 and the 4x100 team ran a 58.49 for second place.

 

Third-place finishes went to Hamrick in the 400 (1:08.20), Hefner in the 100 (14.12), Grace Backus in the 100H (19.82), Mia George in the pole vault (6-00), Olivia Goldizen in the shot put (26-05) and the 4x200 team (2:09.18).

 

Hamrick was fourth in the 100 (14.14). Backus added a fourth-place finish in the high jump (4-02) and a fifth-place finish in the 200 (30.64).

 

George was fourth in the discus (73-10) and fifth in the shot (25-09). Kaitlyn Pappas added a fourth-place finish in the mile (6:33.88).

 

Sierra Moses was sixth in both the 100 (15.20) and 200 (31.10), while Natalie Wagner was sixth in the 800 (3:09.97) and Madison Looker was sixth in the 1,600 (7:04.07).

 

In other girls results, Simmons, a freshman for Lewis County, not only took high-point honors but won all four of her events – the 100 (13.55), 200 (28.31), 400 (1:03.70) and long jump (15-02.25).

 

South Harrison had three different girls win two events apiece. Madison Stonestreet won the 800 (2:40.00) and the 1,600 (5:49.24). Emily Bennett swept the hurdles by winning the 100s (18.23) and the 300s (57.33). Another sweep for the Hawks came in the throws as Shellie Baughman won the shot put (31-04.50) and the discus (97-06).

 

Liberty’s girls won three relays – 4x100 (57.19), 4x200 (2:01.34) and 4x400 (4:47.91) – and Kaitlin Nutter took first in the high jump (5-06).

 

Tucker County won the other two relays – 4x800 (11:43.07) and shuttles (1:23.57).

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of McCarthy, second photo features Blount, third one shows Anderson and bottom one is of Hefner. Photos by Joey Signorelli for www.benqueenphotography.com