Here’s what we’ve come to know about Bridgeport High School’s 2016 track season. First, both the boys and girls team will remain competitive. And second, McKenna Smith is pretty darn good.

 

Smith helped lead the Indians to a second place finish on the girls’ side of the Dick Dunlap Classic at Winfield High School Friday. The Indians finished with 92 points among a 13-team field that largely consisted of Class AAA schools. The host team, the Generals who are a ‘AAA’ school, won with 168 points.

 

Bridgeport’s boys didn’t fare too bad on the day. The Tribe was fourth with a total of 50.25 points, which was the highest Class AA school in the 12-team field. Winfield completed the sweep with 107.25 points, while Huntington was second (94.25 points) and Hurricane was third (82 points).

 

As for Smith, just how good was she Friday? Just ask her coach.

 

“She broke her own records in the 100, 300 (meter hurdles), and 400. She had a tough run against the AAA 300 defending champion, but with enough time to spare, McKenna took over and won that event, while crushing her previous record from just one week ago,” said BHS Coach Emilee Stout.

 

The junior standout finished with personal bests and school records in the 100 (12.07 seconds), the 400 (57.43 seconds) and the 300 hurdles (44.9 seconds).

 

For good measure, she added a win in the 200 (25.75 seconds). Those four victories easily sealed high medalist honors.

Bridgeport got another first place. Caroline Lloyd won the pole vault by way of jumps by clearing 9 feet, 6 inches. Stout was pleased with her showing as well as several others that competed and helped compile points.

 

“Sarah Randolph improved tremendously in both throwing events and Caroline Lloyd continues to vault higher each week.  We had several personal bests with Julia Muller, Jenna Soltesz, Haley Chamberlain, Rory Marple, Hailie Davis, Laurel Muhly-Alexander, Isabella Bowen and our shuttle team,” said Stout. 
“I'm very proud of their showing in such a competitive field.

 

“There were several strong AAA teams there, and I think we did quite well against them,” Stout continued. “I am very pleased with our performances.”

 

Like Stout, Griffith was also pleased with his team in the field loaded with some of the state’s top Class AAA schools.

 

“Considering we were running in a predominantly AAA meet, the youth of our team and we were missing 3 of our sprinters, I would say we fared pretty well.  The kids showed a lot of intensity that had seemed to be missing in some of our earlier meets,” said Griffith. “We had a lot of personal bests and that always makes me happy because it show that the kids are responding to the training and giving great effort.”  

 

Bridgeport didn’t pick up any victories, but the team did fare well in several distance events. In fact, two of the Indians’ top finishes – second place in the 1600 meter run and the 4x800 meter relay – were of the distance variety.

 

Ian Frailey just missed winning the 1600 meter run with a time of 4 minutes, 34.37 seconds. Winfield won the race with a time of 4 minutes, 34.08 seconds.

 

“Ian Frailey had a great race in the 1600 meters.  He was in a very fast pack with some of the top runners in the state.  He stayed with the pack and about 60 meters out, you could see his facial expression change,” said Griffith. “A look of determination came across his face and I knew he was not going to give up.  He surged down that final stretch and passed several other runners to take second place with a career best time of 4:34.37; over sever seconds faster than his previous personal record.”  

 

Frailey ran the opening leg on the 4x800 meter relay team that was runner-up. He was joined by Jimmy Lacaria, Timmy Kinney and Coleteon Marsh to post a time of 8 minutes, 35.32 seconds.

 

“The distance group is progressing very well.  Almost every kid set a personal best in every distance event they ran.  I’m not sure it could have gone any better for us,” said Griffith. “The nice thing is that we have a lot of depth and they are constantly fighting to make those top few spots in each event.  That constant competition drives the entire group to achieve way more than they could alone.”

 

Josh Osborn picked up the final runner-up spot. He took home the honor with a time of 43.49 seconds in the 300 meter hurdles.

 

“Josh Osborn also ran a personal best in the 300 Hurdles at 43.49 and still has more to give,” said Griffith. “He clipped a few hurdles and didn’t finish as strong as he could have at the end.  He will definitely keep improving.” 

 

While those were the top finishers, Griffith had words of praise for several other athletes as well.

 

“Jimmy Lacaria had an outstanding race in the 3200 meters.  Running in a group of five outstanding runners, they battled the entire race.  Jimmy managed to finish third in a time of 9:42.98, which is just over 11 seconds better than his previous personal best,” said Griffith. “Our group of young sprinter/hurdlers made a lot of improvement as well, led by sophomores Maverick Eddy, Josh Osborn, Trenton and Tristen Shaw and freshmen Tyler Hardesty.  You will start seeing their names more frequently over the next couple of years as they continue to get better and better.”

 

Bridgeport returns to action this weekend for the two-day Gazette Relays at Laidley Field. The event kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday and at on 9 a.m. Saturday.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of McKenna Smith, who won four events, while Mateah Kittle, middle, placed in the long jump. Photos by www.benqueenphotography.com. Bottom photo of Ian Frailey is courtesy of Bridgeport Track Facebook page.