RUSSIAVILLE - A year after winning their first Mid-Indiana Conference Boys Track and Field Championship since the 1970s, the Western Panthers tightened their grip on the title Thursday night.

Competing on its home track, Western racked up 138 points, outdistancing the runners-up from Peru, who had 93. While the Panthers and Bengal Tigers each won five events, the hosts won the meet on their depth as they scored two places in eight events.

Northwestern nipped Hamilton Heights, 77-76, for third. Eastern was fifth (60) and followed by Cass (38), Taylor (14) and Maconaquah (4).

"We came out and scored twice in the pole vault, two in the high and intermediate hurdles. Adding things up before the meet, those were crucial places for us I felt," Panther coach Dana Neer said. "We were able to capitalize on that and that was important for us tonight.

"This is a tribute to our seniors. We haven't lost a meet on this track in the last three years."

That tribute begins with Kyle Walsh, who gained MIC titles in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs by turning in season best times. Jim Jackson joined him in scoring in the 1,600 and added a third in the 3,200.

"Kyle and Jim all of their careers have been able to get the job done," Neer said. "Then there's Jonathan Brittain in the shot put and Noah Hoover. He ran a solid 400 and then came out with the opening leg of the 1,600 relay."

Brittain captured the shot put title and helped the Panthers to score well in the field events. Blayne Burkholder captured the pole vault while Blair Stellhorn came through with third and Brandon Youngdale took second in the high jump.

Tommy Jenkins garnered Western's other victory, taking first in the 100 dash and ran second to Peru's David Shaffer in the 200.

"This is ideal closure for the regular season. We have the conference meet here. There was a little pressure on the guys, but they came through," Neer said.

The Miami County Tigers' performance was led by the four first-place finishes of Elliott Cohee. The hurdler ran away from the field in both the 110 highs and 300 intermediates, winning the latter by more than three seconds. Cohee ran the second leg of Peru's winning 400 relay and then took the baton for the final lap of the 1,600 relay and pulled his team to a nearly four-second victory.

Despite finishing fifth, Eastern went home with three firsts as Ryan Kenworthy (400 dash) and Jared Hill (long jump) claimed medals along with the Comets' 3,200 relay of Brad Dean, Brent Hickman, Johnathon Fansler and Tony Martin.

Jay Young of Northwestern came through with the victory in the high jump while Aaron Smith did the same in the discus.

RUSSIAVILLE - Excited by her own performance at Thursday's Mid-Indiana Conference Track and Field Meet, Krystol Hines was thrilled by that of her teammates after the Maconaquah Braves won their third consecutive conference crown.

"I'm very, very excited about winning three years in a row. The younger girls have really stepped up and are doing a wonderful job," the junior sprinter said after her team scored 124 points.

That was 40 points better than the runner-up Hamilton Heights Huskies. The host Western Panthers were third with 78 with Taylor grabbing fourth at 50. Eastern (43), Cass (37), Northwestern (27) and Peru (25) rounded out the team finishes.

Hines ran away with the meet's top point performance as she claimed the first-place medal in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, turned in the meet's top long jump and ran on the Braves winning 400 relay.

Hines felt there was room for improvement on her part.

"My 200 time was good, but my 100, I could have done better, but I was caught in the heat of the moment," she said. "But my team! They made me feel great. Katy Howlett, she's my hero. She tore it up on the 4-by-100. Kristine Hunt getting third in the 200, that surprised me, but she really did well."

Maconaquah coach Charlie Hubler noted the performances of his athletes up and down the line.

"This was a 100 percent team victory and a team effort. We got great, great performances in all 15 events," Hubler said. He pointed to the 400 relay Hines, Howlett, Hunt and Amy Hausner that turned in a season best of 52.27 seconds.

"Those were great handoffs. There were two or three others seeded right with us, but we did that with great handoffs," he said. "Krystol just needs a step and she's off and gone. Coach [Brent] Wagoner and [Dave] Noonan have done a good job working on those."

Senior Jocelyn Cook gave the team a pair of victories of her own as she captured her specialty -- the discus -- and also won the shot put. Savannah Sano came through with a first in the 400 dash.

"Jocelyn gave that to the team and they gave right back to her," Hubler said. He also noted the personal bests of the 1,600 relay that cut eight seconds and the 3,200 relay team as well as individuals Hannah Woods, Kristi Romine, Ashley Lehman.

Alyssa Burkhardt was the top performer in the Heights' camp as she won the 800 and ran on both the winning 1,600 and 3,200 relays. Heather Reeves also ran on both relays.

Western's Annina Gruber was the winner of the 1,600 run while teammate Kristi Irwin won the non-scoring pole vault.

The Comets' Ann Bedwell claimed the 100 hurdles and took second behind Cass' Abby Watkins in the 300s with a school record. Taylor's Dara Minglin claimed the high jump title.