While those four competing in five events don’t sound like a lot, they could very well have one of the county’s more successful trips to the finals in some time.

Three of the four, Kokomo junior Jesse Rayl and senior Justin Pugh and Western senior Brandon Youngdale, are solid prospects to place, thus earning all-state honors.

And the fourth, Kats senior K.T. Moses, may not be a podium favorite, but just being in Bloomington among the state’s best athletes puts him and the others in a special category.

“There are roughly 400 high schools in the state of Indiana, and every [school] could enter two people [in each event],” explained Kokomo coach Tom Byrnes, “so out of 800 kids, to be in the top 25 is a very, very elite group.

“Just being there is a great honor and we want to enjoy that, but this group of kids has some things they could accomplish.”

The county contingent is joined by a squad from Peru High School. They include Steve Swinford in the 200-meter dash and a 4x800 relay team.

Field events begin at 3 p.m. with the 4x800 relay finals set for 4:15 and running trials at 5. The rest of the finals begin at 6:15 p.m.

Just a year ago the Wildkats sent three athletes to state, including Pugh in high jump, but only Brad Imbierowicz (ninth, pole vault) was able to place.

Youngdale is the only county athlete returning as an all-stater. He tied for ninth in high jump in 2005.

The last time county athletes placed in three events was 2003, when Kokomo’s Dalon Liggon was sixth in the 110 high hurdles and eighth in the 300 intermediate hurdles and Western’s Kyle Walsh was eighth in the 1,600 meters.

No time in recent history have three separate athletes earned all-state honors.

Pugh has an outside chance to repeat Liggon’s feat. He’s seeded No. 8 in the 300 hurdles in 38.80 seconds, a school record he broke last week at the Kokomo Regional. That time puts him in the third and fastest heat of the event, running out of Lane 1.

“Sure, you’d like to be in the middle [of the track], but we’re just excited that Justin is in the fast heat,” Byrnes said. “That’s a good thing. That’s going to push him along, and we feel like he can be there for a medal.”

And there’s no lack of competition in the 300. Returning is the defending champ and last year’s state record-breaker, Bryce Brown of Evansville Harrison.

But Brown is seeded only fourth with a time of 38.34 seconds. Warren Central’s Joey Hodges is No. 1 with a time of 37.30 seconds.

There are 10 runners in the 300 hurdles that come to Bloomington having matched the state’s three-participant standard, which is nothing more than the average time, height or distance of the ninth-place finisher for all 16 events in each of the past three state meets.

In fact, in the 110-meter high hurdles, where Pugh is seeded 12th (14.79 seconds), 13 runners met the state standard in last week’s regional finals — including four at Kokomo.

In shot put, Moses is the 20th seed (52 feet, 10 inches), but his sectional-winning heave of 53-4 is less than two feet shy of the state standard.

In long jump, Rayl is the No. 5 seed with a career-best 22 feet, 9 inches in last week’s regional. He must fight off no fewer than 18 jumpers who have eclipsed the state standard of 21-10 1/4.

Byrnes believes his team’s experience on the similar Indiana Wesleyan University track at the North Central Conference meet will help his runner and jumper.

“It’s a very similar type of track that we’re going to see at IU — a skinny board on the long jump, a Mondo surface and nine-lane track, so I think our kids will be well-prepared,” said Byrnes.

“The thing we’ve talked about this week is, let’s go and set a PR, put our cards on the table and whatever happens, happens. If we go out there and do the best that we’ve done all year, no matter what happens, we have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Although the highest seed of the four, Youngdale may face the toughest challenge.

A total of 23 jumpers have cleared the state standard 6-5 1/4. Five of the 10 jumpers who placed at the 2005 state meet, including Youngdale, return. That group includes defending champ Jonathan Tate of Ben Davis.

Youngdale, a senior, has been among the state’s leaders all year. Earlier this season, he cleared an area-best 6 feet, 9 1/4 inches. He’s seeded fourth after soaring 6-7 at regional.

“It’ll come down to whoever is the most confident and does not have some early misses,” said Panthers’ coach Dana Neer. “You can jump 6-7 and get second, and you can jump 6-7 and get seventh. It’s those early jumps and wherever you decide to jump in at that can be very decisive.

“He’s been very consistent, and in a meet like this, that spells success. Nothing’s going to change for him. He’s going to go down there and jump very well, and I think he’ll be pleased.”

Youngdale said a top-five finish would be gratifying, but a state championship is certainly not out of reach.

“It’s pretty close [competition] up there [at the top of the seedings], but there’s guys who didn’t perform at regionals like they could,” Youngdale said. “It’ll be tough. I’m definitely going to have to come out and perform — maybe even get a little bit of luck.”

For the Bengal Tigers, Swinford, a junior, is seeded 25th in the 200 with a time of 22.80. He has been red-hot late in the season, sweeping the 100, 200 and 400 meters at the Mid-Indiana Conference meet, and the 100 and 200 at the Kokomo Sectional.

Mick Heron, Aaron Garretson, Cody Siblisk and Tony Zimmerman finished second at regional to qualify in the 4x800. Their time of 8:11.95 has them seeded 22nd. All but Heron are underclassmen.