KOKOMO — A total of eight individual athletes and a relay from The Goshen News coverage area qualified for the state meet Thursday night at the Kokomo regional.

The top three finishers in each event advance to the state meet on Saturday, June 2 at Indiana University in Bloomington.

The Penn Kingsmen won the evening’s final event which gave them the team title over the Warsaw Tigers by a score of 83-82. Fairfield was sixth at 43, Concord ninth at 26, Goshen 10th at 23, Northridge 18th at 8 and Wawasee 27th at 2.

The Goshen Redskins had senior Brandon Daniels finish second in shot put (54-9 1/2), senior Reade Carboneau third in high jump (6-3), junior Luke Kaufman, senior Louis Kissinger, senior Logan Schlabach and junior Reid Zimmerman third in the 4 x 800 relay (8:12.91).

“We had a great night and it was the 4 x 800 relay that got us off to a good start,” Goshen coach Brock Maust said. “We had 11 kids come in and compete well.

“Carboneau had misses at 5-10 and 6-2 but then cleared 6-3 on his first attempt which ended up getting him third place. I’m not sure when the last time we had a high jumper go to state. Daniels threw 52-0 to get into the finals and then threw a 54-9 1/2 in the finals.”

Daniels is going to state for the second straight year. He placed seventh a year ago.

“I could not get my footwork going tonight,” Daniels said. “I was not getting the strength from my legs. Coach (Daniel) Rief told me he wants to work with me on that this week in practice.

“I’m happy going to state. It would be neat to get another medal. That would make me and my family very happy.”

Besides leading off the 4 x 800, Kaufman ran the 1,600 (11th in 4:48.59) and the 3,200 (ninth in 10:03.59).

“Luke (Kaufman) ran a great split in the 4 x 800 and then ran well in his other two races,” Maust said.

The Fairfield Falcons were led by senior Dillon Hinen second in the 800 (1:56.50), junior Brett Baumgartner second in the 200 (22.84) and junior Kyle Ostrander third in discus (154-7).

“We can down here and competed,’ Fairfield coach Bob Miller said. “Dillon, Brett and Kyle are all going on to state. It’s a result of the all hard work they have put in. It’s so good to see them go on and have a chance to compete for a state championship.”

Baumgartner had the best time in the 200 (22.84) after the preliminaries.

“Brett qualified for regional in four events,” Miller said. “He is going on to state in his best event. We are really excited to see what he can do when he gets his events trimmed down to just one. He was running into the wind all night and I think it took a toll on him.”

Junior Dillon Lockwood placed seventh in long jump (21-0).

“In my 26 years of coaching track he is only the third jumper I’ve had go 21-0,” Miller said. “The others were Matt Rush and Tanner Foust. That is some pretty good company.”

Ostrander was a little off his career best of 157-8 in discus.

“It was a rough night with the high winds. We were throwing right into the wind,” he said. “I have just been doing what my coaches have been telling me to do.

“Our team did well. The winds were a big factor for the runners. It really affected their times, but I know they all did their best and I want to commend them for that.”

Concord senior Grant Bass won the 300 hurdles (38.68) and classmate Jason Spriggs was second on discus (162-2).

Bass repeated as regional champion in the 300 hurdles. He edged out Penn sophomore Timothy Deal (second in 38.74).

“It was one heck of a race with Deal. He is an amazing runner,” Bass said. “We were in a tight race coming out of the final curve and I just sprinted as hard as I could to the last hurdle.

“It takes a lot of endurance and a lot of speed to be a 300 hurdler. You have to have speed to get off to a quick start and at the same time the endurance to keep it up for the whole race. It’s not really a distance race and it’s not really a sprint. It takes a lot of endurance to run the hurdles while you are sprinting.”

Northridge junior Josh Rheinheimer placed third in pole vault (13-6).

“I had achieved all of my goals this season,” he said. “I wanted to be first in the NLC, first in sectional and qualify for regional. So going to state is just a little something extra sweet.”

His personal best is 13-9.

“The wind was to our back in pole vault so it was a good night for what I was trying to do,” Rheinheimer added. “The biggest thing I have been working on this season is pushing through my mental blocks. Also adjusting to new poles. I spent a lot of time last summer and winter working with a strength trainer so I could use a bigger pole this season.”