For The Tribune
BLOOMINGTON
One jump turned what might have been a disappointing debut at Friday’s boys track and field state finals at Indiana University into a somewhat fulfilling one.
After missing his first two jumps at the opening height of 6 feet, 2 inches in the high jump, Seymour’s Seth Ragon cleared the bar on his final attempt. He went out at 6-4, leaving him in 23rd place at 6-2.
“I’m happy to make 6-2,” said Ragon, a sophomore. “I would have liked to make 6-4, but that’s OK. There’s always next year.”
Ragon, who cleared 6-2 in last week’s Bloomington North Regional, had to start at that height at the state meet.
“It was definitely out of normal because I’ve never started that high,” Ragon said. “I’m used to working up to get that height. It’s kind of difficult.”
“It’s a little bit of a different situation coming over here when they start at 6-2, when he’s used to starting at lower heights and working his way up,” Seymour head coach Randy Fife said. “He had a couple good attempts at 6-2 before he made his final one, so we’re very happy with that.”
After nicking the bar on his first two attempts at 6-2, Ragon got over it cleanly on his third and final try.
“The last jump definitely puts the pressure on you,” Ragon said. “There’s a lot more adrenaline to get over the bar.”
Ragon, whose personal best is 6-3, didn’t come close on his first two jumps at 6-4. His body got over the bar on his third try, but he hit it with his legs.
“I just didn’t get my legs to flick up and dragged the bar off with me,” Ragon said.
“I would say throughout the season as we got into conference and sectional, his mindset that he was able to get in and stay focused was good,” Seymour High Jump Coach Aaron Floyd said. “We definitely wanted to get a bar cleared, and he did, and he had a good attempt at a PR bar. I was pleased with how he performed.”
Ragon was the Owls’ and Jackson County’s lone representative at the boys state meet.
“It was a great experience,” Ragon said. “I’m glad to see what the environment was like. Hopefully, I’ll get back here the next two years.”
Hamilton Southeastern senior Francis Ehigbai won the high jump at 6-11.
Ragon was one of three sophomores in the 29-competitor field. There was one freshman.
“He’s a sophomore coming into a meet with predominantly juniors and seniors,” Floyd said. “So for him to get here at this young of an age is a big advantage for years to come. Hopefully, we can get him back the next two years and see improvements each year we come back.”
“Just coming over here as a sophomore and getting some experience is a pretty big deal because there’s a lot going on around you,” Fife said. “I don’t have any doubt he’ll be back and do even better next year.”