(La Porte, IN) - The first regional track title in La Porte High School history was brought home last night.

 

The Slicers defeated Merrillville by a mere 1.5 points. Lake Central placed a close third in the regionals held in Valparaiso. 

 

The team was ushered downtown by a fire truck and several police vehicles. Next, they were escorted to their home track at Kiwanis Field to further the celebration.

 

Head Coach Dan Jeffers said the experience for him was like no other.

 

“As they’re coming through town, and all of these fans are sitting on the side of the road and cheering you on and hooting and hollering. Then we arrive at the track complex, we got fireworks shooting off, and there’s rows of cars walking us in. We got cheerleaders out there. It was just a very special moment for our program. It’s just an awesome thing to be able to say we did it,” he Jeffers.

 

Jeffers said the members of his track team followed a strategy designed to give them over the hump against Merrillville and Lake Central, to who they suffered narrow losses during the regular season and conference tournament.

 

“This is the greatest moment in my coaching career, bar none,” Jeffers said.

 

The track team from La Porte High School also had not won a sectional tournament since 1975. The Slicers advance to the state tournament scheduled for June 4 in Bloomington.