Pair of Tigers seeking more speed at track and field state championship meet

Everything felt right about Brayden Wilkins 100-meter run at the Greenfield-Central track and field sectional on May 17.

After qualifying for the sectional final race with a time of 11.03 seconds, the Triton Central senior went faster – a whole lot faster.

Wilkins (photo, right) stopped the clock in 10.79 seconds to win the race and qualify for the regional six days later. The new school record eclipsed every sprint record in Shelby County making Wilkins the fastest sprinter in Shelby County history.

“That’s pretty exciting,” said Wilkins of the feat. “That first day (May 16) I was really locked in. I wasn’t talking to anybody. I had that mindset that it was my senior year and my last race. I really needed to do something.”

Then the meet was postponed due to timing issues and pushed back one day, meaning Wilkins had to wait a little longer. The delay did not bother his focus.

“That whole time, I warmed up good. I felt great out of the blocks,” he said. “That was my best race I’ve ever done. That one was really exciting and I hope I can get that again.”

Wilkins did not duplicate that time at the Greenfield-Central Regional on May 23 but he did finish third in 10.92 to quality for the state championship meet. He also finished sixth in the 200 but has been added to the championship heats Saturday on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington.

“I had a bad block start (in the 100),” said Wilkins. “It was weird. It was our last day of school. There was a lot going on that day. I wasn’t really locked in.”

Wilkins will be joined at the Indiana High School Athletic Association Boys Track and Field State Championship Meet by his teammate Zeke Robertson (photo, left), who won the 300 hurdles sectional title in 40.36 seconds then finished third at the regional in a school-record time of 39.72.

“I was seeded to move on, so I was thinking as long as I ran how I was supposed to I was going to state,” said Robertson. “My plan there (at the regional) was to get a good start on them. The kids running in the 38s, I knew would catch me. I was trying to get a lead on the guys through the last 100 (meters) and stay with them to the end.”

Just a sophomore, Robertson is seeded 24th out of 27 competitors Saturday. He is one of four sophomores in a field of juniors and seniors.

“I can definitely run faster. That last 100 is when my competitiveness really takes me there,” said Robertson. “As long as I’m running against good competition, I should be able to go faster.”

The 300 hurdles races are scheduled to begin Saturday at 7:20 p.m.

Wilkins will take to the track at 5 p.m. for the qualifying trials for the 100 final. Approximately 40 minutes later, the trials for the 200 begin. Wilkins is seeded 20th out of 27 in the 200 field.

Wilkins’ regional time of 10.92 has him seeded 17th overall in a field of 33 sprinters. A repeat performance of his school record time of 10.79 could prove fast enough for a podium finish.

“Right now, with the time I ran I think I can easily get in the top nine,” said Wilkins with a smile.

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