Horn looking for bigger things out of Waynesfield's track team

NEW BREMEN - After notching four meet records Saturday, Waynesfield track and field standout Gray Horn was talking about the team and not himself.

Horn won three of four events Saturday to help lead his team to a fourth-place finish at the eighth annual Cardinal Invitational.

St. Henry won the boys title, scoring 97.25 points. The Redskins edged out second-place Spencerville (93). New Bremen finished third (89.25), while Waynesfield was fourth (81). Lima Central Catholic finished fifth (59). There were 13 teams at the invitational.

On the girls side, Fort Loramie ran away with the title, scoring 121 points. Delphos St. John's finished second (84), while Marion Local was third (77).

Horn broke meet records in the pole vault (15 feet, 6 inches), long jump (21-11 ¾) and in the 110-meter hurdles (14.45 seconds), though he was second in the race. He tied the meet record in the high jump (6-4). In the pole vault, Horn nearly cleared 6-2, which would have been a new state record.

In the 110 hurdles, however, Horn finished second to New Bremen's Bryce Bergman (14.37). With the win, Bergman's time will stand as the record time.

Horn said he is hoping the Waynesfield team will keep progressing, with the goal of recapturing a state title in June. Waynesfield won the Division III state title in 2006.

"This year, it's about the team," Horn said. "We have as much depth this year as we've ever had. After eight consecutive league titles, we hope to get back and try to win the state title."

Horn said he realizes he will have to choose which events to focus on as the postseason grows near.

"Right now, I know I'm doing the pole vault, high jump and the 110 (hurdles)," Horn said. "(Saturday), I beat (Patrick) Reichert (St. Henry) in the long jump - who supposedly had the best jump in the state, so far this year. Then, last week, I ran a 39.8 in the 300 (hurdles) for the first time this year."

The only negative about Horn's performance Saturday was the second-place finish to Bergman in the 110 hurdles.

Bergman said the rivalry with Horn goes back to their middle-school years.

"Since junior high, we've been going at it," Bergman said. "I try to put on my blinders, but it's tough when he's right next to you (on the track)."

Horn reflected on the eminent showdown in the pole vault at the state meet with good friend Columbus Grove's Heath Nickles. Last year at the state meet, Nickles won and Horn settled for second.

"I really think it's going to take 16-6 to win (the state title) this year," Horn said.

Spencerville's boys had first-place performances in the 800 relay and 1,600 relay.

Spencerville's Pete McCollow finished second to Horn in the pole vault (13-0) and was second in the 400 (51.93).

Delphos St. John's Cameron Hermiller displayed his speed in the 100 by winning in a meet-record time of 10.87. He also won the 200 (23.28).

LCC's Jim Heider battled the gusty winds on the back stretches en route to first-place finishes in both the 1,600 (4:51) and 3,200 (10:36.91).

For the girls, St. John's won both the 400 relay and 800 relay. Lindsey Looser helped lead the Blue Jays with wins in both the 100 (12.61) and 200 (27.16).

Erin Calvelage helped the St. John's cause with second-place finishes in both the 1,600 (5:41) and 3,200 (12:32). In the 3,200, Spencerville's Lyndie Brown pulled away from Calvelage for the win (12:16.57).

St. John's Katie Grothouse broke the meet record in the pole vault, clearing 10-1.

Parkway's Marian Bevington dominated in the long jump (16-11 ½) and 100 hurdles (15.38).