By TED SCHULTZ, for The Democrat
BLOOMINGTON — Two Brown County seniors saw their high school athletic careers come to a close Friday night on the state’s biggest stage.
Both Jackson McPheeters and Dale Phelps were making repeat appearances at the Boys Track and Field State Finals. McPheeters was part of the Eagles’ medal-winning 4×800-meter relay team last season and also ran in the 800 as a junior, while Phelps had been part of Brown County’s 4×400 relay unit.
Friday night, McPheeters was back in the 800 and Phelps qualified in the 300 hurdles. McPheeters finished 18th in 1 minute, 58.50 seconds.
“I’m not happy,” McPheeters said. “I wanted to go under 1:56 at the very least to try to win that slow heat and have a shot at the podium. I guess I didn’t have it today. It’s disappointing.”
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]McPheeters, who plans to continue his running career at the University of Evansville, came into the state meet seeded 17th based on his regional time of 1:56.65, which was his personal-best in the open 800. He ran a 1:56.06 split in the 4×800 at state last year.
“Before (this year’s) sectional, I hadn’t even broken 2 minutes,” McPheeters said. “Going 1:57 (at sectional), 1:56 and now 1:58, I’m glad I’m here.”
Meanwhile, Phelps came in seeded last among the 27 entrants in the 300 hurdles with his regional time of 40.79. Although he slipped to 40.97 on Friday, he finished 24th.
“I came in here really focusing on the school record (40.5),” Phelps said. “I’m definitely happy that I seeded up. At the end of the turn, I made a wrong step. At least I seeded up, and that was part of the plan this week.”
North Central edged Pike 42-41 to win the team title.
