BLOOMINGTON – Clayton Cook and JJ Gilmer saved their best for last Friday night.

The faces of the faces of the Wawasee track program were both jubilant at the last too and for very good reason.

Cook claimed a state championship and Gilmer earned a state runner-up finish in the IHSAA State Finals contested on the Indiana University campus.

The pair of Wawasee seniors turned up the heat on the competition on a night marked by hot, humid conditions and weather delays at the Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex.

Cook stormed to a state title in the 110 hurdles and Gilmer soared to new heights in placing second in the high jump.

Cook, who was the top seed coming into the finals in the 110 hurdles, thrust both arms high into the air after nipping Mason Bechdolt of Delta in the finals of his specialty. Cook hit the finish line in a time of 13.99, while Bechdolt crossed in 14.02. Cook, who clocked in at 14.04 in the prelims, immediately looked up to the huge scoreboard to see his time.

“I knew I had it when I hit the finish and I celebrated a little and looked up at the board to see if I was under 14 seconds to beat my prelim time,” explained Cook. “My goal coming in was to not be able to see anyone next to me and I barely could see the Delta guy. I knew then I had it.

“This means everything to me. It means the most to me of anything in high school.  I’m glad that I could do something better than Argentino (former Wawasee hurdler Anthony Argentino). That had motivated me to work hard and accomplish this.

“I had a very high confidence level coming into the finals, but I also felt a ton of pressure. You never know. My time in the prelims would have gotten me second place. I started a little behind, but I got the first hurdle first.”

Cook finished in fifth place in the hurdles at the State Finals a year ago.

Gilmer just kept clearing the bar and clearing the bar and clearing the bar in his school record performance. In the end, he cleared 6-10, three inches better than his previous personal best, and two inches ahead of the previous school standard.

The high jump competition, due to the delays caused by thunderstorms that forced the stadium to be cleared and athletes to go to their buses, lasted five hours. The competition was already in progress  when the storm hit at 4:55. It resumed about 75 minutes later, but was halted for another 30-minute delay after a couple of jumpers slipped while attempting their jumps on the wet surface.

“I’m very happy with second place and not disappointed at all,” said Gilmer, who in a classy gesture immediately went and congratulated state champion Francis Ehigbai of Hamilton Southeastern when he cleared 6-11 to win the title.

“This is a feeling of accomplishment and more than I was planning for to make 6-10. I like winning, but I value the pr’s more than winning.”

Gilmer, who placed 12th at state last year at 6-4 and fourth in 2013 at 6-6, missed his first attempt at 6-2 Friday night.

“I was a little nervous, but once I made 6-2 I just said to keep it going and I felt good,” explained Gilmer. “I just tried to keep focused and think positive during the delays. I kind of amazed myself with how positive I stayed.

“I kept telling myself that this was my last meet and that was another motivation for me. This makes up for last year.”

Gilmer almost claimed a state title of his own. He made 6-10 on his first attempt before Ehigbai cleared it on his third and final try at that height.

The Wawasee 4 X 100 relay team of Cook, Gilmer, senior Tyler Courter and sophomore Cole VanLue placed 14th. Their time of 42.72 broke their own school record of 42.76. The team is the first 400 relay team in program history to make it to the State Finals.

Cook also placed eighth in the 200 in a time of 21.87.

“It’s only fitting that Clayton and JJ go out like this,” said Wawasee coach Scott Lancaster. “This is a testament to what they have meant to our program. They have made an impact since their freshmen year. I knew both of them were capable of this.

“I knew that if Clayton ran a clean race he would be at the top of the podium tonight. He’s just faster than most people. He ran a very clean race. It was very quick in between hurdles and that’s what we have been aiming for all season. I knew by the look on his face after the trials that he had it.

“JJ just rises to the occasion. The thing about him is that I’m going to miss his personality more than anything. He’s genuinely happy for others who he is competing against.

“Our 400 relay stepped up and performed again. They had another pr.”

Wawasee tallied 20 points to finish in 12th place in the overall team standings. Carmel claimed the team state title with 49 points, while Ben Davis was runner-up with 36.75.