State champion!

BLOOMINGTON -- Perhaps Andy Weatherford has a flare for the dramatic.

One year after winning the 1,600-meter race in the Indiana High School Athletic Association Boys' State Track and Field Championships with a leap, Weatherford did it again on Saturday, barely slipping by Warren Central's De'Sean Turner with another leap.

Turner headed into the final lap with a comfortable lead. But with 200 meters remaining, Weatherford made his move.

With only 100 meters left in the race, the Greencastle junior had the lead, but Turner wouldn't bow out without a fight.

The Warren Central junior caught up with Weatherford with less than 30 meters left in the race. Weatherford crossed the finish line ahead of Turner, once again leaping to the finish line.

Saturday's finish was eerily reminiscent of the 2005 finals, when Weatherford leapt to the finish line ahead of Lawrence Central's Tyler McCreary, beating him by .08 seconds.

Weatherford won Saturday's 1,600 with a time of 4:08.71, .07 seconds ahead of Turner.

"I was concerned," GHS Coach Mike Schimpf said following the win. "It had me scared for a minute."

Following the race and the presentation of awards, both Weatherford and Turner were helped to the Methodist Sports Medicine Tent to be treated. Both were in the tent for nearly 20 minutes.

In addition, officials announced Weatherford's time in Saturday's race was the eighth-best in state history.

Schimpf said Weatherford, who entered Saturday's meet with a seed time of 4:24.37, wanted to run 4:07 in the final race.

"I think Andy has carried a lot of weight on his shoulders," Schimpf said. "A lot of weight.

"De'Sean is a great competitor. But not too many are willing to give it their all the way Andy is. He will give what it takes to win."

Weatherford finished the first lap of Saturday's race in sixth place and nearly tripped in a heavy pack of runners. He was fourth at the midway point and was third heading into the final lap.

After being treated in the sports medicine tent, Weatherford was congratulated by a slew of GHS supporters. He said picking up his second consecutive title was "the greatest feeling in the world."

"Right now, I'm feeling pretty good," Weatherford said. "But I wasn't at the end (of the race). I came out a little too fast. My legs started to go on me (with 25 meters left). I think the only thing that kept me on my feet was that fear (of Turner winning).

"(Turner) really picked it up at the end. He knew I was coming. If it was up to me, it wouldn't have been that close."

Weatherford's win and Quinn Fenlon's eighth-place finish in the high jump allowed Greencastle to finish the meet with 12 points, finishing 16th in the state.

Schimpf said Weatherford will compete in the Nike Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina in two weeks.

IHSAA Boys State Track and Field Championships

Team Scores -- 16. Greencastle 12

1,600 -- Weatherford (Greencastle) 4:08.71; Turner (Warren Central) 4;08.78; Hein (Crown Point) 4:16.56; Lee (Gary Roosevelt) 4:17.94; Wilson (Franklin) 4:18.23; Green (Franklin Central) 4:18.96; Reifenberg (Fort Wayne Dwenger) 4:19.44; Hoffmann (Bloomington North) 4:20.00; Foerster (Forest Park) 4:20.16.