BLOOMINGTON -- This old baller still loves high school athletics. I did when I had bangs and still do to this day. Watching young athletes give all that they have without the boring trappings of pro, and even college sports, was something to see. And still is.

Regardless of athletic ability or extreme W2 statements, high school sports is as pure as it gets. And I got to take in a whirlwind weekend of great moments at Indiana University's Robert C. Haugh Complex for the IHSAA boys and girls state track meet last weekend. So here's a quick look at some unbelievable efforts from a week ago.

Small-school success: While the state track meets were made for teams from mega schools, it doesn't mean individual kids from with a ton of heart from small schools can't do some remarkable things. Like River Forest's Shanice Lewis, who finished 19th in the 200 meters with a time of 26.19 seconds. The junior speedster has another year to keep working on her skills.

And while her time was a smidgen short of making the medal boxes, take a bow nonetheless. Your effort is well worth noting.

Small-school success II: Calumet's Thomas Jackson finished 13th in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 8 inches. A leg pain shortened his day, but it was a great finish as well. Small school. Small numbers. Little push from teammates.

Yet, still, this young man did a great job. Also a junior, the future is so bright he'll have to purchase some shades.

Deadline doldrums: With the clock ticking down Saturday night, I was unable to give proper due to Merrillville's 1,600 relay team of Thomas Jones, Nick Owens, Jorale Wheeler and Darryl Robinson, who finished third with a remarkable time of 3:19.72.

I had a chance to meet these fine young men during the season, and I knew they had a chance to do something special, which they did.

The race they ran was smooth. Excellent. Being No. 3 is nothing to hang your head about at all. Well done.

More Pirates love: While all the scribes and experts were looking at young men from other places, Merrillville's Brett Norton finished ninth in the shot put at 51-10 1/2 and teammate Anthony Sams finished 16th at 50-6 1/2.

Saturday's success by those on purple surely put a big smile on the face of coach Patrick Coffey, as it should. There was no decaf on the cups of these Bucs this weekend.

But I might need some caffeine: A big shout out to Chesterton senior Lucas Rhed for finishing sixth in the 800 with a time of 1:55.89. I joked with Lowell athletic director Patti McCormack about how impressed I was with the way the IHSAA ran both track meets.

There are thousands of people on the grounds, hundreds of kids with dreams walking from one event to another and old scratch-heads like myself trying to follow everything without missing a beat.

But somehow I didn't put Rhed's great run in my Sunday stories. But it deserved some recognition. Great job young man. Well done.

If you want to watch the pros until your eyes fall out, it's America. You can do whatever you want. But I'll stick with the local kids in our area. Their stories are much better.