BARDSTOWN – Warren East’s Jacob England put in a full day’s work – and looked it – by the end of Tuesday’s Class 2A, Region 2 track and field meet at Bardstown High School.

Teammate Brevon Whitney might well have been the polar opposite in appearance to the sweat-drenched England, looking all the world as if he’d just stepped off an air-conditioned bus for a quick stroll on the track.

They found common ground on Tuesday – both left Garnis Martin Field as regional champions, part of a strong effort that netted the Raiders a runner-up finish with 74 points in the boys’ meet behind only champion Bardstown (96).

England actually took home three regional titles after anchoring the Raiders’ winning 4×800-meter relay and then completing the grueling task of winning both the 1,600 and 3,200.

“It was tough,” England said. “This was just sort of trying to get some points for the team in regionals, and just seeing what I could do and where I’m at going into states.”

England started his long day by finishing that relay, combining with Calvin Blankenship, Colton Bullington and Alex Conway to win the 4×800 in 8 minutes, 36.79 seconds.

England then picked up individual wins in the 1,600 (4:36.73) and 3,200 (10:01.74).

“I was worried because he’s been sick – he’s had bronchitis and the flu, and his mileage hasn’t been up there,” Warren East coach Tara Henshaw said. “So I asked him last week if he was up to doing all three events, and he said ‘Yeah, I can do it.’ And I knew he could.”

Whitney had a similarly busy schedule, competing in the long and triple jumps, plus running the 100 meters and a leg on the Raiders’ third-place 4×100 relay. But his regional title in the triple jump didn’t take much time – on his first attempt, Whitney landed the winning jump of 42 feet, 9 inches.

Raiders jumps coach Mike Roberson said he’d never had an athlete win a championship on their opening jump.

“I mean, wow – I’ve been coaching 22 years and that has never, never happened,” Roberson said.

Whitney admitted he was “pretty shocked” when that distance was called out after his first attempt.

“I was feeling good today,” Whitney said after scoring his personal record in the triple jump. “I’ve been training hard in practice.”

Franklin-Simpson’s boys took third with 63 points, many coming from speedster Josiah Robey, who won a regional championship in the 200 meters (23.39), also qualified for states with a second-place finish in the 100 (11.33) and ran legs on two second-place relays.

Robey joined Cain Newland, James Baker and Tavin Lovan to set a new school record in the 4×100 relay (44.40). Earlier, Robey and Newland joined Tavian Jones and Keyshawn Hammonds for a runner-up finish in the 4×200 relay (1:35.06).

Edmonson County’s Brett Brannon swept the throws despite not holding the top seed in either event. Brannon, a junior, won the discus as the fourth seed with a winning throw (120-10) near his best mark, then claimed the shot put as the No. 2 seed with a toss of 41-04.50.

“This is the time,” Brannon said. “It’s all in.”

Also earning automatic berths to the Class 2A boys’ state meet with top-two finishes were Edmonson County’s Marcus Elmore in the long jump (second, 20-01.75), Franklin-Simpson’s Ollie Eutsey in the high jump (second, 6-00), Franklin-Simpson’s Tavias Babb in the shot put (second, 41-02.00), Warren East’s Calvin Blankenship in the 800 (second, 2:02.10) and Warren East’s Jacob Williams in the 200 (second, 23.54).

John Hardin rolled to the girls’ titled with 154 points, easily outpacing runner-up Bardstown (100). Warren East had the top fifth among area schools, taking fifth with 41 points. Warren Central was seventh (26) and Franklin-Simpson ninth (13).

The Lady Raiders also produced the lone regional champion among area schools, as junior Meredith Chaffin bested her personal record by six feet to win the discus with a throw of 86-05.

“She PR’d, then she made an adjustment and PR’d again,” Henshaw said. “Going in she wasn’t feeling real confident, but she had a great throw and got herself to state and won herself a regional title.”

Warren Central’s quartet of Egypt Cullom, Tyindia McCormick, Krisheanna Johnson and Tiffany Taylor scored a pair of runner-up finishes in the relays, taking second in both the 4×200 (1:49.87) and 4×100 (53.19).

“All four of them ran good,” Dragons assistant coach Greg Ware said. “They all ran strong.”

Other second-place finishers in the girls’ meet were Franklin-Simpson’s Jaydee Degraffenreid in the 1,600 (school-record 5:29.10) and Warren East’s Rylee Fansler in the pole vault (7-06).