Track and field: Columbus Grove boys win district team title

ADA — This is the time of the season when track and field athletes and coaches are counting to four.

The top four placers in each event at the district meets advance to the regionals. Then, the top four in each event at regionals qualify for the state track and field meet that is held on June 2 and 3 at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

At Saturday’s second and final day of the Division III district track and field meet at Ada’s War Memorial Stadium, everyone in attendance was counting to four.

The Columbus Grove boys team was probably the busiest as it won the district team title, scoring 152 points. Bluffton ended the two-day meet with 101 points. McComb (64) and Hardin Northern (60) rounded out the top four squads in the 14-team field.

On the girls’ side, Riverdale notched the team crown, outscoring Coldwater 117.50-95. Carey (94) and Columbus Grove (90) finished third and fourth, respectively.

The top four placers at Ada advance to the Division III regional meet Wednesday and Friday at Fostoria High School.

Longtime Columbus Grove boys head coach Chris Grothaus was pleased at how his team stepped up this week.

“We got our four relays out, which is big. Our guys that should have gotten out (qualified for regionals), got out,” Grothaus said. “And there were some good performances in there, too. I think Lawson (Maag, first place) had his best discus throw this year. Our freshman pole vaulter (Trevon Baxter, third) went 14 feet. We had some really good performances. I was really pleased at how we performed. We did what we were supposed to do. That’s what we have to look at – just continue to think top four, and it will play itself out.”

Thursday, the first day of the district meet, Columbus Grove’s 3,200 relay (Trent Koch, Evan Pitts, Luke Ellerbrock, Trenton Barraza) placed third in a time of 8:27.27.

Saturday, Columbus Grove’s 400 relay (Keegan Bame, Lucas Mertz, Trevon Baxter, Trenton Barraza) was second (45.42). Columbus Grove’s 800 relay (Boat Thompson, Barraza, Anden Blankemeyer, Lucas Mertz), finished third (1:34.47). Then, its 1,600 relay (Barraza, Layton Blankemeyer, Zane Stechschulte, Anden Blankemeyer) came in third (3:31.18) Saturday.

Columbus Grove’s Lawson Maag won the discus Saturday with a mark of 176 feet, 9 inches. Teammate Tadd Koch was second with a toss of 167-4.

In Thursday’s shot put, Columbus Grove went 1-2 as AJ Schafer won with a mark of 55-3, while Koch was third (49-6.5).

Saturday, Columbus Grove’s Zach Reynolds won the 110-meter hurdles (15.70 seconds) and placed third in the 300 hurdles (42.25). Teammate Layton Blankemeyer came in second (41.94) in the 300 hurdles.

Reynolds is coming back from an early season injury.

“I think his (Reynolds’) conditioning is not there yet,” Grothaus said. “But his 110 (hurdles Saturday), I was pleased with his time with the wind. He looked good. That’s the one we’ve been worried about. We’ll keep working on him this week.”

Reynolds, a 2022 Division III state qualifier in the 300 hurdles, said things are going a little better, in regard to his comeback.

“It’s been pretty frustrating. I’ve been coming back from an injury. But today and the past couple days, it has felt pretty good. I’m glad I was able to finish that race (110 hurdles),” Reynolds said.

In Saturday’s 3,200, Columbus Grove’s Luke Ellerbrock pulled away from Bluffton’s Erik Nygaard in the second half of the race, en route to a winning time of 9:36.43. Nygaard finished second (9:40.06). Ellerbrock’s teammate, Trent Koch, was third (9:51.30).

Ellerbrock was pleased with his performance Saturday. However, the junior standout was hoping to run a little quicker.

“On that front stretch, the wind was really blowing hard,” Ellerbrock said. “I wanted to run a little bit faster. A couple weeks ago, I got the PCL (Putnam County League) record. … I ran a 9:24 there. I ran a 9:36 here, but the wind was pretty tough. The wind definitely made a difference for both of us.”

Waynesfield-Goshen’s Spencer wins two events

Waynesfield-Goshen senior Taylor Spencer wasn’t going to settle for one win Saturday.

In the girls 1,600, Spencer led from start to finish, en route to a winning time of 5:27.85.

Less than a half hour later, she came back in the 800 and ran away from the pack for a winning time of 2:26.71.

“In the mile (1,600), I was just going for top four to qualify for regionals,” Spencer said with a smile. “Then I was like, ‘You know what, it’s my senior year, so I might as well go out and see what I can do.. I got a season PR, today (1,600). I haven’t run that fast since my sophomore year. So, I’m really happy about that. My junior year was kind of a rough patch. So, I’m glad it’s finally showing, as a senior, that I’m overcoming that. I really just wanted to see what I could do today.”

Spencer also was the anchor of W-G’s 3,200 relay (Kennedy Bigelow, Anna Brodman, Kyra Sutherland, Spencer) that placed third Thursday (10:42.10). She was on the 1,600 relay that placed seventh Saturday.

Spencer will be competing in track and field at Marshall University next school year.

Bluffton’s Armstrong shines in 800

Bluffton senior Landon Armstrong is coming back strong from a preseason injury.

In Saturday’s 800, Armstrong led from start to finish to record a winning time of 1:57.62. Hardin Northern’s Zeb Wilson was a close second (1:59.07), while Bluffton’s Sam Derstine finished third (2:01.49).

“It was a little windy,” Armstrong said. “So, I wasn’t expecting it (time) to be incredible. I felt pretty good around the 500 (-meter mark). I was ready to pick it up around there. It was a good race.”

At last year’s Division III state meet, Armstrong placed fourth in the 800 (1:55.22).

Derstine added, “I tried to hold that pace. The wind on the backstretch was horrible, but I held it; and I qualified (for regional meet). That was all I was going for today.”

Wilson, a 2022 Division III state qualifier in the 800, is looking forward to next week’s regional meet, when the three of them will race again.

“I talked to the Bluffton guys before the race, and we’ve been getting to know each other a little bit. It was fun. It was probably one of the best races that I’ve been in. I’m really excited for regionals,” Wilson said.

Thursday, Bluffton’s 3,200 relay (Erik Nygaard, Derstine, Eden Antrim, Armstrong) won in a time of 8:17.43. Bluffton’s best time this season is 8:01.83. At last year’s Division III state meet, Bluffton’s 3,200 relay (the same runners) placed third (8:01.25).

Saturday, Antrim won the 1,600 (4:26.65).

At last year’s Division III state meet, Antrim placed fifth in the 1,600. At Fostoria, he is hoping to win the regional title in the 1,600.

“I’ll probably go out and try to win it,” Antrim said. “But there’s a lot of competition this year at regionals. You probably will have to get a 4:20 to be able to win it. So, we’ll see what we can do.”

Coldwater’s Zahn garners four gold medals

Coldwater’s Izzy Zahn won the 100 (12.76) and 200 (25.33) Saturday. She also took first in the long jump (17-5.5).

Zahn also was on the winning 800 relay (Zahn, Becca Wenning, Kiersten Keller, Allison Hamberg; 1:46.51).

Division I district

FINDLAY — The Celina girls won the team championship at Saturday’s Division I district track and field meet.

The Bulldogs finished with 103.5 points with Findlay (89) second. Elida (38) was eighth, Wapakoneta (34) was 10th, Shawnee (32) was 11th and Lima Senior (11) tied for 13th.

Wapakoneta’s Paige Olberding (300 hurdles), Shawnee’s Molly Stump (3,200), Celina’s Amelia Lutz (discus) and Wapakoneta’s Jackson Courter (high jump) were among the individual winners.

The Celina 800 relay team also finished first.

Findlay (112 points) won the boys crown with Shawnee (63) fourth, Celina (58) sixth, Lima Senior (23) 11th and Wapakoneta (22) 12th.

Celina’s Kaden Murlin (discus and shot put), Lima Senior’s Zion Jackson (11o hurdles) and Shawnee’s Noah Williams (1,600) were among the individual winners.

The Shawnee 1,600 relay team also finished first. The top four finishers in each event advanced to the Amherst regional.

Division II district

ONTARIO — The Kenton girls finished sixth (44 points) behind team champ Lexington (118). Kenton’s Tatum Miller won the shot put.

In the boys competition, Kenton (36) and Spencerville (30) finished eighth and 11th respectively behind team champ Liberty-Benton (107).

Division III districts

Ayersville

Kalida (116.5) won the girls title with Wayne Trace (112) second, Ottoville (61) was fourth, Continental (22) was 11th and Fort Jennings (7) finished 14th.

Ottoville’s Jessa Burgei (300 hurdles), Continental’s Rhaegan Marshall (long jump) and Kalida’s Camille Hovest (discus and shot put) were among the individual event winners.

Tinora (134) won the boys crown with Ottoville (61) fourth, Kalida (50), sixth, Continental (13) 14th and Fort Jennings (11) 16th.

The Ottoville boys 400 relay team and the Kalida girls 800 relay team also finished first.

Napoleon

The Leipsic boys (97) finished third and Miller City (2) was 14th behind team champ Van Buren (125.5). Leipsic’s Hayden Hiegel (100 and 200) and Seth Apple (discus) were among the individual winners.

In the girls’ competition, Leipsic (23) and Miller City (15) were 11th and 12th respectively behind team champ Liberty Center (186).

Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.