Moore’s win in 100 meters is ‘a beautiful surprise’

100-meter champ heads to state along with Gaskins and Tecumseh’s Steinbrunner.

Springfield's James Moore competes in the 200-meter dash during the Division I regional track meet Friday, May 29, at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. Moore finished fifth in the event, but is heading to state after a first-place finish in the 100.

Staff photo by Jim Witmer Springfield's James Moore competes in the 200-meter dash during the Division I regional track meet Friday, May 29, at Welcome Stadium in Dayton. Moore finished fifth in the event, but is heading to state after a first-place finish in the 100.

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By David Jablonski, Staff Writer 11:57 PM Friday, May 29, 2009

DAYTON — James Moore hopped onto the second-place spot on the podium, ecstatic he had qualified for the state meet. Then he was told to climb one notch higher.

Only when he ascended to the top of the podium did the Springfield High School junior realize he had won a Division I regional championship in the 100-meter dash.

“It was a smile I really couldn’t contain,” Moore said. “It was really huge. I was happy. I was thanking God.”

Moore finished the 100 in a personal-best 10.87 seconds Friday, May 29, at Welcome Stadium. He edged Northmont’s Mark Mays and Trotwood-Madison’s Julius Ruby by one one-hundredth of a second.

Moore hoped to win but didn’t expect to. He wanted to finish in the top four to qualify for state. He got that and more.

“It was a beautiful surprise,” Springfield coach Elliott Shuman said. “One of his goals was to beat the guy from Northmont, Mark Mays, and to see him actually do it and the smile on his face, it’s hard work paying off.”

Moore will be joined at the state meet by teammates Josh Bass, a sophomore, who won the long jump on Wednesday, and junior Alex Gaskins, who finished fourth in the 110 hurdles (14.71) on Friday.

All three are first-time state qualifiers.

“A lot of our success is due to our coaches,” Gaskins said. “They’re the ones who have us out there making sure we’re stretching and doing our work. I just want to give them some props.”

Gaskins finished sixth in the 300 hurdles (40.84), and Moore finished fifth in the 200 (22.35). Springfield’s Tye May tied for 11th in the high jump (6 feet).

The area’s other D-I state qualifier is Tecumseh senior Allison Steinbrunner. She placed third in the 3,200 (11 minutes, 4.90 seconds) for the second straight season and earned her second state berth in the event.

A year ago, she placed seventh at the state meet.

“She really showed up today and just impressed all of us,” Tecumseh coach Sam Lloyd said. “We knew she had it in her.”

Steinbrunner’s regional time in 2008 was 11:25. She shaved 20 seconds off that in 2009.

“I really just wanted to get (to state),” Steinbrunner said. “It’s just icing on the cake. I want to go out and give it my all. It’s my last race in high school.”

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