CHESAPEAKE - Don't be surprised if someday Michael Hunt and T. R. Hannan join the U.S. Airborne.

The Chesapeake Panthers senior track stars spend most of their time in flight. Hunt is either leaping hurdles or competing in the long jump. Hannan makes his living flying through the air in the high jump event.

Both will be experiencing lift off this weekend at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III state track meet at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.

Hannan qualified for the state meet in the high jump. Hunt advanced in three events: 110 meter high hurdles, 300 meter intermediate hurdles, and the long jump.

Hunt does not foresee any conflict or drain of energy since the preliminary running events are in the morning and the long jump is in the afternoon.

"I've been doing basically the same thing all year. The long jump won't be until Friday afternoon. It won't effect my running events," Hunt said.

At the regional meet, Hunt won the 110 meter hurdles with a 15.06 time in the finals. He was third in the 300 hurdles with a 40.67 clocking and capped his day by placing third in the long jump with a leap of 20-feet, 9 and one-half inches.

Holding true to form, Hunt qualified in the long jump on his final jump. He had won the last five meets on his final jump.

"I don't know what it is," Hunt said of his pressure jumps.

Last year at the state meet, Hunt placed 8th in the 110 hurdles with a 16.0 time. He was fifth in the 300 hurdles with a 40.67 clocking after posting the best preliminary time at 39.93 seconds.

Hunt said the previous experience at the state meet should help.

"As far as atmosphere, it helps a lot," Hunt said. "Other than that, it's not any different. You still have to show up and run. If you don't show up and run, you won't do any good. You just go and compete and don't pay any attention to anything else."

Hannan doesn't have the benefit of state meet experience, but he does not plan to dwell on it.

"You just do your best and see what happens," Hannan said. "I'm only worried about doing my best. If I do my best and lose, I'll be happy. I can't worry about what everyone else does."

Hannan won the regional meet by clearing 6-feet, 5-inches. The win enabled Hannan to remain unbeaten in every meet this season.

"It was great to win the regional. I'm happy about it," Hannan said. "I haven't been pushed up until the regionals. It's going to be different (at the state meet). But it's better because you're pushed to go higher."

The top jumper coming in to the meet has cleared 6-11, but the same jumper went only 6-4 in the district meet.

Chesapeake coach Phil Davis said consistency is the key.

"Some guys get one great jump and never do it again. T. R. has gone 6-6 in practice and he's been around 6-4 and 6-5 all year. He's been jumping well," Davis said.

The state meet will be Friday and Saturday.