For the second time in his high school career, Tremayne Brown came out of nowhere to shock the competition.
Under the circumstances, the sequel was even sweeter than the original.
The Anderson senior returned from injury and qualified for the state finals in the high jump, where he soared to new heights, broke his own school record and finished as the state runner-up. For his efforts, Brown has been named the 2024 THB Sports Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year for the second time.
After missing his junior season with a leg injury, Brown appreciates his accomplishments even more.
“I’m more proud of myself than I could possibly explain,” he said. “I feel like with my first year, I was going through the motions … but this year, with the big injury, it just meant more.”
After not competing as a freshman, Brown was one of the following spring’s biggest surprises earning both sectional and regional high jump championships and making it to the state finals in both the high jump and the 110-meter hurdles — at the time, considered his best event.
An eighth-place state finish in the high jump led to high expectations for his junior season, but the injury in the first meet of the year washed out the year.
So, at the state finals earlier this month, as Brown cleared height after height and other competitors dropped away, his performance left some of the contenders wondering who he was and what was going on.
After placing third at sectional to advance and meeting the state standard at regional to qualify, Brown put on a show in Bloomington, and the competitors certainly knew his name by day’s end.
After clearing the early heights with ease, Brown just kept on going, flying over the bar at 6-foot 4, 6-5 and 6-6, all on his first attempt. At 6-7 he matched his own school record — again on the first try — before smashing the record with his next leap at 6-8.
By this time, Brown, overall top seed Jordan Randall of Warsaw and Elliot Ryba of Greenfield-Central were all that remained, and Randall — who has cleared 7-0 — passed on a 6-9 attempt. Brown did not, clearing it once again in one attempt.
Both Brown and Randall failed to make the 6-10 height, but because Randall passed at 6-9, Brown was awarded the runner-up spot after Ryba took the title.
It was quite a career of accomplishments — including this year’s Madison County and North Central Conference championships -- garnered in just two seasons.
“I’m not sure how I could be happier, aside from a first-place finish,” Brown said. “Other than that, there’s nothing better that could have happened during my senior season.”
During the postseason, an opportunity to compete collegiately finally materialized as Brown committed to Vincennes.
He will continue the high jump, expecting to eventually clear 7-0, but is also pondering adding the decathlon to his repertoire, meaning he will be adding skills like the pole vault.
“That’s the one. That will be one of the biggest challenges for me,” he said with a smile. “It sounds fun, but it sounds hard.”
While he is unsure on a course of study, Brown believes he will stay close to sports when his competition days are over.
“I have five nieces and nephews, so I’m sure they’re going to be playing sports,” he said. “They seem like they like sports, so I’ll probably be with them a lot.”