Seymour’s Jaylan Johnson runs the 400 at the Bloomington North Regional this past spring.
Tribune file photo
Jaylan Johnson’s role every night this spring would differ depending on what the team needed.
Oftentimes, Johnson would max out the number of events he could do at four. Oftentimes, Johnson wouldn’t have much time to catch his breath in between events. But every time, Johnson would produce at a high level for the Seymour boys track and field team.
With his stellar sophomore season in the books, Johnson has been named The Tribune’s Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
“He always gave us everything he had,” head coach Randy Fife said at the team’s awards banquet. “He did whatever we needed from him in the individual events and in the relays.”
Fife, too, recognized Johnson’s importance to the team as he awarded him the most valuable member of the team this year. A team that was 19-1 during the regular season and placed first in the New Albany Relays and first in the Seymour Invitational. They finished second in the Hoosier Hills Conference meet and second in the Bedford North Lawrence Sectional and were 34-3 through the sectional.
Johnson was the HHC champion in the 400 meter dash by running 51.57.
“It was pretty nice,” Johnson said after he won the race, but the competitor in him knew he could do better, and he was aiming for that at sectional the next week.
In the sectional, Johnson ran a personal-best time of 51.14 to place second overall and qualify for regional.
Johnson also anchored the 4×400 relay for the Owls. Seymour finished just behind Jennings County in the relay at the HHC meet, and then one week later, the Owls beat the Panthers in the sectional, winning in 3:27.40.
One week after that, Seymour’s 4×4 team placed third in the Bloomington North Regional with a time of 3:26.10 to qualify for the state finals.
Johnson ran at state with teammates Devon Jackson, Michael Brooks and Josh Rennekamp. It was all their first trip to the state meet.
Only the top three in each event qualify for the state meet, and it came down to Seymour, Jennings County and Bloomington South for the final two spots at the regional, and Johnson closed it out for the Owls on the last leg.
“I’ve got a good feeling because Jaylan is a good anchor,” Rennekamp said of his teammate.
Johnson also competed in the 200, long jump and high jump throughout the regular season.
He is a three-sport athlete as he plays football in the fall and basketball in the winter. With two more years left in his high school career, the state meet will be a recurring goal for Johnson going forward.
Remaining members on the 2023 Boys Track and Field All-County Team:
- Caleb Cummings, Sr., Brownstown Central: MSC and sectional champ in 4×100, regional qualifier in 200 and 4×100.
- Jude Bane, Sr., Seymour: Sectional champ in 3200, regional qualifier in 1600, 3200 and 4×800.
- Josh Rennekamp, Sr., Seymour: Sectional champ in 4×400, regional qualifier in 400 and 4×400, state qualifier in 4×400.
- Isiaah Engle, Jr., Brownstown Central: MSC/sectional champ in 4×100, regional qualifier in 4×100, 4×400 and 300 hurdles.
- Dirk Crater, So., Crothersville: SAC champion in 1600 and 3200, regional qualifier in 3200.
- Jake Holland, So., Trinity Lutheran: Regional qualifier in 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
- Bryson Darlage, Sr., Seymour: Regional qualifier in high jump and long jump.
- Garrett Driver, Jr., Brownstown Central: MSC champ in 400, regional qualifier in 400 and 4×400.
- Michael Brooks, So., Seymour: Sectional champ in 4×400, regional qualifier in 800, 4×800 and 4×400, state qualifier in 4×400.
- Devon Jackson, So., Seymour: Sectional champ in 4×400, regional qualifier in 4×100 and 4×400, state qualifier in 4×400.
- Hudson Fritz, Jr., Brownstown Central: MSC/sectional champ in 4×100, regional qualifier in 200 and 4×100.
- Jack Pace, Fr., Brownstown Central: MSC/sectional champ in 4×100, regional qualifier in 4×100.
- Chance Ratliff, So., Brownstown Central: Regional qualifier in 3200 and 4×800.
- Jesse Mellencamp, So., Seymour: Regional qualifier in 200 and 4×100.
- Shane Ratliff, So., Brownstown Central: Regional qualifier in 4×800.
- Gregory Hutcheson, So., Brownstown Central: Regional qualifier in 300 hurdles and 4×400.
- Carter Murphy, Sr., Seymour: Regional qualifier in 4×800.
- Lane Zike, Jr., Brownstown Central: Regional qualifier in 4×400.
- Bradley Edwards, Sr., Brownstown Central: Regional qualifier in 4×800.
- Logan Shelly, So., Seymour: Regional qualifier in 4×100 and 4×800.
- Damien Owens, Fr., Brownstown Central: Regional qualifier in 4×800.
- Mason Nugent, So., Seymour: Regional qualifier in 4×100.