Ottawa-Glandorf’s Madeline Liebrecht competes in the 100 meter hurdles during Friday’s Division II district track and field meet at Defiance High School.
DEFIANCE — All season long, the Ottawa-Glandorf girls track and field team has showcased its depth in nearly every event.
At this week’s Division II district meet at Defiance, it was in full display as the Ottawa-Glandorf girls squad ran away with the district team title, outscoring runner-up Otsego 156-74. Wauseon (69) finished third, while Van Wert (68) and Bryan (68) tied for fourth place in the 12-team field in the second and final day of the district meet.
On the boys’ side, the battle for first place was a lot tighter.
Ottawa-Glandorf slipped out with the team title, outdueling Western Buckeye League-foe Bath, 79.5-70. Napoleon (61) and Otsego (60) finished third and fourth, respectively.
The top four placers in each event at Defiance advance to next week’s regional meet at Piqua on Thursday and Saturday. Then, the top four placers in each event at Piqua will qualify for the state track meet that will be held June 2 and 3 at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
O-G girls head coach Matt Burwell was pleased at how his team competed this week.
“We talked on Wednesday – the goal was to get top eight (in each preliminary),” Burwell said. “We had two people double place in the 100, 200, 400, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles (on Wednesday). So, we double-placed in everything.
“We got a lot of champions. Emma Hoffman – a double champion in shot put and discus. Alexa Fortman was a quad winner in the four-by-four (1,600-meter relay), four-by-eight (3,200 relay), 400 and 800. Savannah Recker won the long jump. … Lily Haselman was third (long jump). We went second and fifth in pole vault with Lily Haselman (second) and Caylee Verhoff (fifth). There were a lot of good things. I’m just very proud of the girls, and all their hard work. It’s been a while since we won the district. We have to keep the momentum going.”
Wednesday, the Ottawa-Glandorf girls 3,200-meter relay won in a new district-record time of 9:26.10. The relay was comprised of Rose Turnwald, Olivia Fenbert, Corinne Closson and Alexa Fortman.
Fortman notched four first-place finishes this week.
After anchoring the winning 3,200 relay Wednesday, Fortman came back Friday and garnered three more gold medals.
In the 400, Fortman clocked a winning time of 56.80. Then, Fortman came back and won the 800 in 2:15.10.
In the last event Friday, the 1,600 relay, Fortman anchored the team to a winning time of 4:04.40. Averie Fox, Corinne Closson, Olivia Fenbert and Fortman made up the 1,600 relay for the Titans.
“Today, was really just all about getting into that top four (places) and moving on, especially with the weather conditions that weren’t too favorable,” Fortman said. “With it being slippery and wet, I wanted to make sure I didn’t slip on the blocks. I wanted to play it safe and make sure to move on to next week.”
At last year’s Division II state meet, Fortman won the 400 and 800. She set a new Division II state meet and overall Division II state record in the 800 at the state meet.
In Friday’s 800, teammate Corinne Closson finished second (2:20).
Wednesday, O-G’s Emma Hoffman won the discus with a new school record mark of 140 feet, 2 inches.
Hoffman came back Friday and won the shot put with a mark of 37 feet, 2 inches.
“My second throw (in the shot put) was my best throw, today,” Hoffman said after winning Friday’s shot put. “I felt like I was in a good spot. I was just trying to keep advancing on my mark. Unfortunately, I was unable to do that today. But that gives me some stuff to work on at practice this coming week for regionals. My goal is really to just survive and advance. That’s what I’ve been focusing on.”
For the O-G boys, it all started Wednesday when they won the 3,200 relay in 8:18.90. Isaac Macke, Ethan Metzger, Masen Vogt and Ty Rosengarten made up the O-G 3,200 relay.
Then on Friday, the O-G boys got it done on the track.
Sophomore distance standout Ty Rosengarten won the 3,200 Friday night. However, it took a strong kick in the final lap to hold off Van Wert sophomore Owen Scott for the victory.
Rosengarten finished the 3,200 in 9:43.90, while Scott crossed the finish line in 9:46.80.
“Owen Scott from Van Wert has made a lot of progress this season,” Rosengarten said. “He started out, I want to say (clocking) 10:20s, or somewhere around there. I started that kick (Friday) at the 300 (meters left in the race), and I was like, ‘Maybe I started too early’.”
Also on Friday, O-G’s Dane Duling placed second in the 300 hurdles (42.20). Teammate Jager Burgei finished second in the 200 (23.30).
O-G boys head coach Brian Heebsh has been especially pleased at how his underclassmen have performed this season.
“We’re very excited. We’re very young. We have a really solid sophomore class and a good freshman group. We have some good juniors and seniors,” Heebsh said.
Heebsh felt that his boys team had a chance to win the district title this week, if they all performed at their best.
“We said if we came in and did what we knew we could do, we thought we had a pretty good shot (at the district title),” Heebsh said.
Bath’s relays advance to regional meet
The Bath boys 800 relay finished first, while its 400 relay came in third on Friday.
Bath’s 800 relay (Brady Hale, Ethan Cole, Dalton Woodruff, Kyran Johnson) won in 1:31.40. Bath’s 400 relay, which were the same four runners in the 800 relay, clocked a time of 44.50.
Also for Bath, Brennon Ryan won the high jump (6-1).
On Wednesday, Bath’s 3,200 relay (Jacob Wireman, Landen Jones, Connor Raines, Jaden Ryan) placed third (8:23.40) and advanced to the regional meet.
Brady Hale placed second in the long jump (20-1.25) for Bath.
Elida’s Jones notches two wins
Wednesday, Elida’s DeJuan Jones took first place in shot put with a personal best mark of 48-7.5. Then on Friday, Jones recorded a personal best in the discus (153-8), en route to another gold medal.
Jones does prefer the discus over the shot put. However, he is working hard to improve in both events.
“I’ve always had a love for discus. The shot put, was always iffy. But I love discus more,” Jones said. “I’m trying to make it to state. I’m closer to the school record (in the discus) than I thought I was. If I can just focus, I can definitely do it.”
Van Wert’s Welch showing grit
Less than a year-and-a-half ago, Van Wert’s Kyra Welch went through knee surgery.
Friday night, Welch nearly won the 1,600.
In Friday’s 1,600, Welch (5:18.90) was just nipped by Bryan’s Kate Thormeier (5:18.70).
“My goal was to stay with the Bryan girl. I really wanted to get a 5:17,” Welch said. “That’s the school record. I’ll see next week if I will be able to have that opportunity. My goal is to be in the top four (at regionals) and make it to state.”
Van Wert’s Kendra Deerhing won the 100 Friday in 12.50.
Division III district
SPENCERVILLE — The Minster girls and Marion Local boys won team titles.
The Minster girls finished with 155 points with Fort Recovery (61), St. Henry (59), New Bremen (47.5) and Delphos St. John’s (46) also finishing in the top five.
Temple Christian’s Cece Worsham (100 hurdles and 200), Alex Kessen (100) from Delphos St. John’s, New Knoxville’s Sannah Chede (New Knoxville), Delphos Jefferson’s Lyv Lindeman (300 hurdles), Minster’s Taylor Roth (800), Margaret Hemmelgarn (1,600), Maria Niekamp (3,200) and Josi Boate (pole vault), Marion Local’s Amber Wendel (shot put) and Ava Ranley (high jump), New Knoxville’s Allison Topp (discus) and Fort Recovery’s Mara Pearson (long jump) were among the individual event winners.
The Minster 3,200 relay team of Margaret Hemmelgarn, Annie Hemmelgarn, Maria Niekamp and Taylor Roth and 800 relay team of Kylie Williams, Anna Larger, Cameo Cedarleaf and Keri Heckman and the 1,600 relay team of Keri Heckman, Cameo Cedarleaf, Ava Stammen and Taylor Roth and the Delphos St. John’s 400 relay team of Aubrey Metzger, Kierstin Jackson, Alex Kessen and Ava Hershey also finished first.
The Marion Local boys finished with 157 points with Minster (95), Allen East (68), Lincolnview (60) and St. Henry (53) also finishing in the top five.
Perry’s Isaiah Sanders (110 hurdles), Allen East’s Jacob Hershberger (100 and 200), Fort Recovery’s Trevor Heitkamp (1,600 and 3,200), Parkway’s Trevor Stearns (400), Marion Local’s Owen Rindler (300 hurdles), Kyle Otte (long jump) and Nate Buschur (pole vault), Minster’s Jack Grieshop (800), St. Henry’s Dustin Quinter (shot put), Marion Local’s Jack Knapke (discus) and Drew Boggs (high jump) from Delphos St. John’s were among the event winners.
The Minster 3,200 relay team of Ryan Halpin, Will Knapke, Nick Prenger and Jack Grieshop, the Allen East 400 and 800 relay teams of Jacob Hershberger, Jackson Friesner, Isen Schafer and Trey Hensley and the Marion Local 1,600 relay team of Tate Hess, Andrew Pohlman, Wesley Schoen and Owen Rindler also finished first.
Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
