Athletes from Fort Wayne schools won five of the 16 events and Fort Wayne Concordia captured the 1999 IHSAA Boys Track & Field state championship by a four-point margin over Fort Wayne Northrop.

It was the first IHSAA boys track & field state title for the Cadets and the second IHSAA title in school history in any sport. Fort Wayne Concordia's other IHSAA title came in girls cross country in 1983.

Fort Wayne Concordia totaled 42 points, followed by Fort Wayne Northrop with 38, Carroll (Fort Wayne) 32, Evansville Reitz 31 and Carmel 29.5.

Rolando Scott of Fort Wayne Concordia gave the Cadets their only individual title by winning the 100 meters in 10.78. Scott, who finished fifth in the event in 1998, entered the 1999 state finals as the third seed. Senior Contrell Ash, the top seed from Harding, took second in 10.83.

Scott came back to finish fifth in the long jump at 21-11.25 and ran the anchor leg on Fort Wayne Concordia's victorious 400 relay team. The Cadets cruised to the title in 41.39, besting Lawrence North's 41.77 in the same heat.

Brett Tipton of Fort Wayne Northrop repeated as the 1600 meters champion in 4:15.71. The senior was accompanied to the finish line by teammate Nate Peffley in 4:17.25, giving the Bruins 18 points in the event. Sophomore Aaron Fisher of Franklin Central, the 1998 IHSAA cross country state champion, was third in 4:18.71.

The only other repeat state champion was senior Jason Briggs of Richmond in the 800 meters. Briggs clocked in at 1:52.32 to nip Mike Taylor of Portage at 1:52.98.

Senior Scott Starost of Carroll (Fort Wayne), who was seeded seventh coming out of regional competition, posted the upset victory in the discus with a 167-11. Top-seeded Ron Provo, a senior at White River Valley, took second at 166-2.

Bloomington South opened the day with a state-meet record in the 3200 finals. The Panthers clocked a 7:42.64 to win handily over Portage. The former state meet record was 7:48.84 set by Fort Wayne Northrop in 1998. Bloomington South's time also ranks as the second fastest time in state history regardless of the venue.

Phil Yoder of East Noble won the 3200 meters in 9:06.69 and joined his sister, Amy Yoder, as an IHSAA track state champion. Amy Yoder, now competing at the University of Arkansas, was the state champion in the 3200 meters in 1995, 1996 and 1997.

In the 110 high hurdles, David Lewis of Terre Haute South took top honors in 14.23 after entering the state finals as the 10^th seed. Shalom Denny of North Central (Indianapolis) was second in 14.52.

John Miles, a senior at Lawrence North, went 6-10 in the high jump to dethrone defending state champion Lamar Johnson of North Central (Indianapolis). Bobby Brooks of McCutcheon also jumped 6-10 but Miles prevailed with fewer misses. Johnson, a senior, finished third at 6-7.

The long jump winner was senior George Tinnin of South Bend Washington at 23-3.75 with junior Caran Chapman of Fort Wayne North Side second at 22-4.5.

The pole vault title went to sophomore Matt Campbell of White River Valley at 15-3. Campbell won on the basis of fewer misses as Carroll (Fort Wayne) teammates Paul Gensic and Dustin Runkle also cleared 15-3.

Wil Fleming of Bloomington North posted a decisive victory in the shot put. The junior's best effort of 59-4.5 was nearly two feet better than runner-up Rocky Moore, a junior from Union County with a 57-6 best.

The IHSAA Executive Committee named Chris Powers of Muncie Central High School as the 1999 recipient of the Robert S. Hinshaw Mental Attitude Award for Boys Track & Field. A senior, Powers finished third in 3200 meters in 9:13.33 to cap an outstanding high school athletic career.

Powers ranks 10^th in Muncie Central's senior class of 291 students and has been admitted with distinction to the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. In addition to track and field where he earned four varsity letters, he also was a four-year letterman and four-time MVP in cross country. He has been active in a number of extracurricular activities, including National Honor Society, student council and the school's jazz band where he was the first chair trombonist.

The award is named in honor of the late Mr. Hinshaw, former assistant commissioner of the IHSAA. Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 check in the name of Powers to Muncie Central High School.