Alan Hays wasn't the only state hopeful on the Bloomington North boys track team with plenty of hurdles in his way this season.
The Cougars were runner-ups last year and three-time indoor champs, and with most of the crew back, they're looking to grab the first outdoor state ******* le in school history. But things hadn't gone as planned, and until last week's regional, competing for the top spot was suddenly in doubt.
Bodies healed well enough among a few of North's star athletes, but the reason they could bide their time, especially when it came to the Cougars' three relays that all made it to state, was due to the depth and talent around them.
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"I'm pretty impressed," North senior Caelan D'Onofrio said. "We've had so many guys step up. Our depth is insane. This is one of the strongest teams I've ever seen overall. We used to be just a heavy distance program, but we've seen everyone come along."