Here are 10 things to watch for at the state track and field meet being held Friday and Saturday at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
1. Ottawa-Glandorf’s Alexa Fortman and teammates have their eyes set on a girls Division II team state title.
Ottawa-Glandorf standout Alexa Fortman has won countless numbers of races and broken numerous records throughout her illustrious high school career.
At last season’s Division II state meet, Fortman won state titles in the 400-meter dash (55.74 seconds) and 800-meter run (2:08.60). Her winning time in the 800 was a new Division II state record.
However, the one thing that has eluded Fortman, is a team state title.
At last year’s Division II state meet, the O-G girls team finished fifth in the final team standings.
This season, Fortman is hoping to bring home a team state championship trophy, along with other individual hardware.
The Belmont University-bound Fortman will have plenty of company when she travels to this weekend’s Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships.
At this past week’s Division II regional track and field meet at Piqua, Fortman won the 400 (56.04) and 800 (2:13.48).
Fortman anchored the winning 3,200-meter relay (Rose Turnwald, Olivia Fenbert, Corinne Closson, Fortman) at the regional meet (9:30.84).
Fortman also anchored the winning 1,600 relay (Fenbert, Closson, Averie Fox, Fortman) at Piqua (3:58.22).
Joining Fortman this weekend in the 800 is teammate Corinne Closson, who placed fourth at Piqua in a personal best time of 2:16.39.
O-G’s 400 relay (Delaney Duling, Savannah Recker, Laney Hedrick, Averie Fox; fourth, 50.07) and 800 relay (Duling, Recker, Fox, Fenbert; third, 1:45.02) also qualified for the state meet.
Lily Haselman will compete in the pole vault this weekend for the Titans. Haselman placed third at the Piqua regional with a vault of 11 feet, 4 inches.
On the boys’ side for O-G, Ty Rosengarten punched his ticket for the state meet in two events.
Rosengarten finished second in the 3,200 (9:45.22) at the Piqua regional.
Also, Rosengarten was part of the 3,200 relay (Isaac Macke, Ethan Metzger, Masen Vogt, Rosengarten) that placed second at Piqua (8:17.24).
As a team, the O-G girls placed second at the Division II regional meet at Piqua. Bellefontaine edged out O-G 85-68, for the team title. The O-G boys squad tied Otsego for 10th place.
“We’re sending a lot of people down to Columbus,” O-G girls head coach Matt Burwell said. “We did what we needed to do with our relays, especially our four-by-one (400 relay) and four-by-two (800 relay). We adjusted hand-offs a little bit and had PRs in both. The girls competed hard.”
Fortman added, “It’s a great way to end regionals, your senior year. We get to go down to Jesse Owens and show them what we can do.”
2. The Columbus Grove throwers will try to pave the way for a Division III team state title for the Bulldogs.
All season long, the throwers for the Columbus Grove boys squad have helped set the team up for success.
At this past weekend’s Division III regional meet at Fostoria, Columbus Grove’s throwers accounted for 33 of the team’s 85 total points, en route to the program’s third consecutive regional team championship.
In the discus at Fostoria, the Bulldogs went 1-2 as Lawson Maag won with a personal-best toss of 182-6. Teammate Tadd Koch’s best mark was 174-2. Koch’s best mark of his career is 189-6, which is a school record.
In the shot put, Columbus Grove’s AJ Schafer recorded a new school-record mark of 58-8.75, while Koch finished fourth (49-7.25).
Maag will be competing in throws next school year at Ohio State. Koch will be competing in throws at the University of Findlay next year. Schafer will be playing football at Indiana Wesleyan University next school year.
“Our throwers are the key to getting us started,” longtime Columbus Grove boys head coach Chris Grothaus said. “They are seniors. So, obviously it will be hard to replace those guys. Those guys have been doing it for so long. It feels like they’ve been here forever.
“They’re just a different breed, too. I don’t think people realize how hard they work, and the amount of time they put in. There is a lot of individual time, and individual coaching from my throws coaches.”
The Columbus Grove throwers will have five other teammates joining them this weekend in Columbus.
Luke Ellerbrock will compete in the 3,200. At the Fostoria regional, Ellerbrock finished second (9:31.42). Teammate Trent Koch notched a provisional qualifying spot in the 3,200 by clocking a time of 9:41.50.
At Fostoria, Zach Reynolds qualified for the state meet in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. In the 110 hurdles, Reynolds placed second (15.71), and was fifth in the 300 hurdles (40.63). He was awarded a spot for the state meet in the 300 hurdles based on his time.
Anden Blankemeyer punched his ticket in the 400 with a third-place finish (50.97) at Fostoria. Trevon Baxter will be competing at the state meet in the pole vault. Baxter cleared 13-4 at the regional meet and placed fifth. However, he earned a provisional qualifying spot.
“I have the best group of seniors that you can have, and the best assistant coaches that you can have,” Grothaus said.
On the girls’ side for Columbus Grove, the 400 relay (Lauryn Auchmuty, Brynn Fortman, Ruth Myers, Kandal Palte) will compete at the state meet. Fortman also will be competing in the 300 hurdles at the state meet.
3. The Bluffton boys will attempt to get it done on the track in Division III.
Last season, Bluffton’s 3,200 relay placed third at the Division III state meet.
This coming weekend, the same four runners from last year’s 3,200 relay for Bluffton will give it one more shot.
Seniors Eden Antrim, Erik Nygaard, Sam Derstine and Landon Armstrong will take to the track at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium this coming weekend to chase the elusive state title.
At this past weekend’s Division III regional meet at Fostoria, the Bluffton 3,200 relay won in a regional record time of 7:57.92.
Armstrong and Derstine will also compete at the state meet in the 800. At last year’s state meet, Armstrong finished fourth in the 800 (1:55.22).
Antrim will compete in the 1,600 at the state meet. Last season, he finished fifth in the 1,600 at the state meet (4:21.32).
Nygaard will compete in the 3,200 at the state meet. Last season, he finished 10th in the 3,200 (9:48.23).
Bluffton’s 1,600 relay (Antrim, Armstrong, Derstine, Landon Shutler) will compete at the state meet as well. At Fostoria, Bluffton’s 1,600 relay finished third (3:27.30).
On the girls’ side for Bluffton, Brianna Taber will be competing in the pole vault this weekend. Taber won the pole vault at Fostoria with a height of 10-8.
4. Allen East’s Hershberger is going to state in four events.
Allen East senior Jacob Hershberger has competed in five sports throughout his high school career.
This spring, Hershberger split time between baseball and track.
Lately, Hershberger has devoted more time to track. The extra work has paid huge dividends.
This weekend, Hershberger will compete in four events at the Division III state meet.
At Troy, Hershberger placed third in the 100 (11.12), third in the 200 (22.71), and was part of the winning 800 relay (Jackson Friesner, Trey Hensley, Isen Schafer, Hershberger; 1:30.85) and the victorious 400 relay (Friesner, Hensley, Schafer, Hershberger; 43.36).
Next school year, Hershberger will play football at Ohio Northern University.
On the girls’ side for Allen East, sophomore Rilynn Jones finished second in the 300 hurdles at Troy (46.18) and qualified for the state meet.
5. The Van Wert girls will try to run away from the Division II competition.
At this past week’s Division II regional meet at Piqua, Van Wert’s 400 relay (Danesha Branson, Sofi Houg, Macy Johnson, Kendra Deerhing; first, 49.18) and 800 relay (Branson, Houg, Johnson, Deerhing; second, 1:44.14) stamped their tickets to the Division II state meet.
Deerhing also qualified for state with a first-place finish in the 100 (12.46) and fourth-place spot in the 200 (25.64) at Piqua.
On the boys’ side for Van Wert, its 3,200 relay (Andrew Laudick, Rylan Miller, Owen Scott, Gage Springer; fourth, 8:26.34) qualified for the state meet.
Scott also qualified for the state meet in the 3,200 (third, 9:46.12).
6. Worsham is hoping to make a big impact on her last trip to the Division III state meet.
Temple Christian senior Cece Worsham will be competing in three events at the Division III state meet this coming weekend.
At last week’s Division III regional meet at Troy, Worsham won the 100 hurdles (14.65), was second in the 200 (25.83) and placed fifth in the 100 dash (12.56). She was a provisional qualifier in the 100.
Last spring, Worsham was a state qualifier in the 100 hurdles and long jump.
7. Lindeman is hoping to hurdle past the competition in Division III.
Delphos Jefferson junior Lyv Lindeman won the 300 hurdles (45.53) and finished third in the 100 hurdles (14.71) at the Division III regional meet at Troy.
At last year’s Division III state meet, Lindeman finished ninth in the 100 hurdles. The top eight placers at the state meet earn all-Ohio status.
On the boys’ side for Delphos Jefferson, its 400 relay (Lucas Grothaus, Cole Hoersten, Boston Reynolds, Trent Teman) will compete at the state meet. Teman will also compete in the 400.
8. Schlagbaum is looking for a state title in his last trip to the Division III state meet.
Ottoville senior Kellen Schlagbaum is going to the state meet in four events.
At the Division III regional at Fostoria, Schlagbaum won the 300 hurdles (38.78), and placed third in the 110 hurdles (15.74)
Schlagbaum also was part of the state-qualifying 800 relay (Alex Leis, Quinton Schnipke, Garrett Trentman, Schlagbaum; third, 1:32.26) and 400 relay (Leis, Trentman, Michael Turnwald, Schlagbaum; fourth, 44.55).
Garrett Trentman also will be competing in the 300 hurdles at state.
On the girls’ side for Ottoville, Jessa Burgei will compete in the 300 hurdles.
9. Minster’s Roth is set to defend her 800 state title. The Minster girls team is poised for a state title run.
Last season, Minster’s Taylor Roth won the Division III state title in the 800 meters in a time of 2:12.65.
This coming weekend, Roth is poised to defend her state title, and the Minster girls program is looking to garner a team state championship.
At last week’s Division III regional meet at Troy, Roth won by nearly five seconds in the 800. Her winning time at Troy was 2:15.83.
Minster won the Division III regional team title at Troy. The Wildcats recorded 88 points, compared to second-place Fort Loramie’s 47.5 points. Minster won all four relays at Troy (3,200 relay, 800 relay, 400 relay, 1,600 relay).
On the boys’ side, Minster’s 3,200 relay (Jack Grieshop, Ryan Halpin, Will Knapke, Nick Prenger) will compete at state. Grieshop also qualified in the 800. Teammate Will Frimel will throw the shot put at Columbus.
10. Leipsic’s Apple, Hiegel aiming for podium finishes.
At the Division III regional at Fostoria, Leipsic senior Hayden Hiegel won the 100 (11.12) and 200 (22.60). Teammate, senior Seth Apple placed third in the discus at Fostoria (173-2), to stamp his ticket to the state meet.
At last year’s Division III state meet, Apple placed ninth in the discus.
Hiegel said he has struggled with some health issues in the past, during the postseason.
“I’m really excited,” Hiegel said after notching his state berths at Fostoria. “The last few years I have not always been healthy, coming in here (to the regional meet). I felt healthy today, and I took advantage of it. I saw that it was up for grabs, and I wanted it too bad. I was not going to let anyone get in front of me.”
Lima area state qualifiers
Division I
Boys
Celina
Kaden Murlin, Jr., shot put
Lima Senior
Zion Jackson, Sr., 110 hurdles
Shawnee
Akyus Richardson, So., shot put
Girls
Celina
Amelia Lutz, Sr., discus
Elida
Jordan Gladen, So., high jump
Wapakoneta
Paige Olberding, Fr., 300 hurdles
Division II
Boys
Defiance
Heaven Dalton, So., high jump
Elida
DeJuan Jones, Sr., discus, shot put
Kenton
Parker Rarey, Sr., discus
Ottawa-Glandorf
Isaac Macke, Jr., 3,200 relay
Ethan Metzger, So., 3,200 relay
Ty Rosengarten, So., 3,200 relay, 3,200
Masen Vogt, So., 3,200 relay
Spencerville
Lanny Oakman, Sr., 3,200
Van Wert
Andrew Laudick, So., 3,200 relay Rylan Miller, Jr., 3,200 relay
Owen Scott, So, 3,200 relay, 3,200
Gage Springer, Sr., 3,200 relay
Girls
Bath
Tatum Walsh, Jr., 400
Indian Lake
Elayna Richardson, Sr., 400
Kenton
Tatum Miller, Sr., discus, shot put
Ottawa-Glandorf
Corinne Closson, Jr., 3,200 relay, 800, 1,600 relay
Delaney Duling, Fr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Olivia Fenbert, Sr.,3,200 relay, 800 relay, 1,600 relay
Alexa Fortman, Sr., 3,200 relay, 400, 800, 1,600 relay
Averie Fox, So., 800 relay, 400 relay, 1,600 relay
Lily Haselman, Sr., pole vault
Laney Hedrick, So., 400 relay
Savannah Recker, Fr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Rose Turnwald, So., 3,200 relay
St. Marys
Syerra Greber, Jr., 200
Maria Jutte, Sr., 800
Van Wert
Danesha Branson, Sr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Kendra Deerhing, So., 100, 800 relay, 400 relay, 200
Sofi Houg, Sr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Macy Johnson, Jr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Division III
Boys
Allen East
Jackson Friesner, So., 800 relay, 400 relay
Trey Hensley, Jr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Jacob Hershberger, Sr., 100, 800 relay, 400 relay, 200
Isen Schafer, Jr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Bluffton
Eden Antrim, Sr., 3,200 relay,1,600, 1,600 relay
Landon Armstrong, Sr., 3,200 relay, 800, 1,600 relay
Sam Derstine, Sr., 3,200 relay, 800, 1,600 relay
Erik Nygaard, Sr., 3,200 relay,3,200
Landon Shutler, Sr., 1,600 relay
Columbus Grove
Trevon Baxter, Fr., pole vault
Anden Blankemeyer, Sr., 400
Luke Ellerbrock, Jr., 3,200
Tadd Koch, Sr., discus, shot put
Trent Koch, Sr., 3,200
Lawson Maag, Sr., discus
Zach Reynolds, Jr., 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
A.J Schafer, Sr., shot put
Delphos Jefferson
Lucas Grothaus, Sr., 400 relay
Cole Hoersten, Sr., 400 relay
Boston Reynolds, Jr., 400 relay
Trent Teman, Sr., 400 relay, 400
Fort Recovery
Trevor Heitkamp, Jr., 1,600
Hardin Northern
Carter Curtis, Jr., 800 relay, 400, 1,600 relay
Riley Newton, Fr., 800 relay, 1,600 relay
Wesley Newton, Sr., 800 relay, 1,600 relay
Zeb Wilson, Sr., 800 relay, 800, 1,600 relay
Jackson Center
Kellen Reichert, Sr., 1,600, 3,200
Leipsic
Seth Apple, Sr., discus
Hayden Hiegel, Sr., 100, 200
Lincolnview
Conner Baldauf, Jr., 3,200 relay, 800
Evan Johns, So., 3,200 relay Maddox Norton, Jr., 3,200 relay
Kreston Tow, So., 3,200 relay
Marion Local
Nate Buschur, Sr., 400 relay, pole vault
Tate Hess, Sr., 400 relay, 1,600 relay
Jack Knapke, Jr., discus, shot put
Kyle Otte, Jr., 400 relay, long jump
Brayden Pavelka, Jr., 400 relay
Andrew Pohlman, So., 1,600 relay Owen Rindler, Sr., 300 hurdles, 1,600 relay
Wesley Schoen, Jr., 400, 1,600 relay
Minster
Will Frimel, So., shot put
Jack Grieshop, Jr., 3,200 relay, 800
Ryan Halpin, Jr., 3,200 relay
Will Knapke, So., 3,200 relay
Nick Prenger, So., 3,200 relay
New Bremen
Patrick Bernhold, Sr., 3,200 relay
Sam Bernhold, So., 3,200 relay
Pierce Whitlatch, Fr., 3,200 relay
Zach Wiedeman, Jr., 3,200 relay
New Knoxville
Jay Schroeder, So., 300 hurdles
Ottoville
Alex Leis, So., 800 relay, 400 relay
Kellen Schlagbaum, Sr., 110 hurdles, 800 relay, 400 relay, 300 hurdles
Quinton Schnipke, Jr., 800 relay
Garrett Trentman, So., 800 relay, 400 relay, 300 hurdles
Michael Turnwald, Jr., 400 relay
Pandora-Gilboa
Andrew Suter, Jr., pole vault
Parkway
Hutch Ridenour, Sr., pole vault
Trevor Stearns, So., 400
Perry
Kimari Glenn, So., long jump
St. Henry
Hayden Harrod, Jr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Chase Litmer, Sr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Dustin Quinter, Sr., shot put
Ryan Wehrley, Jr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Harrison Wendel, Sr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Upper Scioto Valley
Kevin Smith, Sr., shot put
Girls
Allen East
Rilynn Jones, So., 300 hurdles
Bluffton
Brianna Taber, Sr., pole vault
Coldwater
Alayna Dawson, Fr., 800 relay
Allison Hamberg, Sr., 100, 800 relay
Kiersten Keller, So., 800 relay
Jenna Leugers, Sr., pole vault
Becca Wenning, Jr., 800 relay
Izzy Zahn, So., 100, 200, long jump
Columbus Grove
Lauryn Auchmuty, So., 400 relay
Brynn Fortman, Sr., 400 relay, 300 hurdles
Ruth Myers, Fr., 400 relay
Kendal Palte, Fr., 400 relay
Continental
Rhaegan Marshall, Jr., long jump
Delphos Jefferson
Lyv Lindeman,Jr.,100 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Delphos St. John’s
Alex Kessen, Jr., 100, 200, long jump
Fort Recovery
Natalie Brunswick, Jr., 3,200 relay
Megan Diller, Sr., 3,200 relay
Paige Guggenbiller, Jr., 400 relay
Kiana Matsuda, Jr., 400 relay
Kennedy Muhlenkamp, So., 3,200 relay
Mara Pearson, Jr., 400 relay, long jump
Anna Roessner, So., 400 relay
Ellie Will, Jr., 3,200 relay
Kalida
Andrea Burgei, Jr., 3,200 relay
Camille Hovest, Sr., discus, shot put
Allie Kuhlman, So., 3,200 relay
Lauren Laudick, Fr., 3,200 relay
Ady Miller, So., 3,200 relay
Lima Central Catholic
Olivia Stolly, Sr., long jump
Lincolnview
Brynleigh Moody, Fr., 1,600
Marion Local
Grace Moeller, Fr., 100 hurdles
Ava Ranly, So., high jump
Miller City
Andrea Pfau, So., 1,600
Minster
Cameo Cedarleaf, Sr., 800 relay, 400, 1,600 relay
Chaney Cedarleaf, Jr., 3,200 relay, 3,200
Keri Heckman, So., 800 relay, 400 relay, 1,600 relay
Annie Hemmelgarn, Fr., 800
Margaret Hemmelgarn, Jr., 3,200 relay, 1,600
Anna Kohne, Fr., 400 relay
Kayla Lamm, Jr., high jump
Anna Larger, Jr., 800 relay, 400 relay
Maria Niekamp, Fr., 3,200 relay, 3,200
Taylor Roth, Sr., 3,200 relay, 800, 1,600 relay
Ava Stammen, So., 1,600 relay
Kylie Williams, Sr., 100, 800 relay, 400 relay
New Bremen
April Baker, Fr., 1,600 relay
Mia Hirschfeld, So., 1,600 relay
Riana Paul, Sr., 1,600 relay
Caroline Whitlatch, Sr., 1,600 relay
New Knoxville
Addi Albers, Fr., 1,600 relay, high jump
Sannah Chede, Fr., 1,600 relay
Brynn Egbert, So., 1,600 relay
Ariyah Pfenning, Fr., 1,600 relay
Ottoville
Jessa Burgei, Jr., 300 hurdles
Spencerville
Lexie Greer, Jr., pole vault
St. Henry
Karlee Buschur, Fr., 300 hurdles Ellie Fullenkamp, So., high jump
Ava Stammen, Sr., long jump
Temple Christian
Cece Worsham, Sr., 100 hurdles, 100, 200
Girls Seated Division
Delphos Jefferson
Megan Hoersten, So., shot put
Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.