Former Pointer track stars seeing success at next level

SOUTH POINT — They all ran track for the South Point Pointers.

And as it turns out, they’re still running track. In fact, two former standouts will be running in national championship tournaments this weekend.

The group includes Joey Bloebaum of Marshall University, Derrick Taylor of the University of Tennessee, Kamren Wilkerson of Madonna University, Emma Layne of Marshall University, Carter Smith of Ashland University, and both Davin Heckard and Desean Garred at Shawnee State University.

“They were all great kids and hard workers. They loved the sport and did everything you asked of them. It’s no surprise that they are all having success at the next level,” said former South Point legendary track coach Randy Smith.

Not only did Smith coach all of these players, but his brother Rusty Smith coached shot and discus players not only at South Point but anyone who asked for his help.

Smith is a sophomore pole vaulter for Ashland and will compete in the NCAA Division II national championships Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Emporia, Kansas.

Smith’s top height is 5.25 meters or 17-feet, 3-inches. He cleared 5.12 (16-feet, 8-inches) to place third in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference meet.

Smith was the MAC 2025 Indoor Men’s Track and Field Freshman of the Meet and was named GAC All-Academic Conference in the 2024-25 season.

A sophomore speedster, Wilkerson is a member of the Madonna University 4x100 meter relay team that finished fourth in the preliminary round and qualifying for the finals at the NAIA national championship meet.

Bloebaum — also a sophomore — has been a key part of the Marshall track team for two seasons and this year he set a program record of 21.00 seconds time in the 200 meters, breaking the record set in 1981 by Joe Sassler.

Taylor is a former state champion for the Pointers and is making the transition from a 12-pound shot put in high school and a 16-pound shot put in college and he is adjusting well.

Taylor’s best throw in the shot put is 56-feet, 8-inches, or 17.27 meters. He recorded the personal-best at the Pepsi Florida Relays.

Layne was the state runner-up last spring in the 100-meter dash (11.96)  and the 200-meter dash (24.48). She was the first South Point track runner to qualify for the state meet all four years.

During that span, she was also fourth in the 100 meters at 12.47, third in the 200 at 25.13, third in the 4x200 relay at 1:42.24, and third in the 4x100 relay (48.46).

Her best college times to date are 7.89 seconds in the 60 meters, 12.39 in the 100, and 25.15 in the 200 meters.

Heckard and Garred are both sophomores for Shawnee State and they both compete in the short sprints for both indoor and outdoor track. The events include the 55-meter, 60-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.