Coldwater’s Izzy Zahn competes in the Long Jump during Thursday’s Division III OHSAA Track & Field State Championships at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
DAYTON – Coldwater junior Izzy Zahn is accustomed to staying busy.
Zahn was very busy on Thursday, the first day of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships at the University of Dayton.
Zahn qualified in four events for this year’s Division III state track meet at last week’s regional at Fostoria.
All of Thursday’s action at the state track meet was in Division III. Today, D-II and D-I athletes will kick off their competition, along with the D-III finals on the track, later in the day.
On Thursday, Zahn competed in the semifinals of the 200-meter dash and clocked a new D-III state-record time of 24.06 seconds. Zahn will defend her D-III state title today when she competes in the finals.
“I was planning on saving more of my energy for tomorrow (200 finals), but that happened,” Zahn said about the 200 semifinals. “So, I’m glad I ran that, and I broke the record. Hopefully, tomorrow I can run sub 24 (seconds in the 200 finals). So, we will see.”
In Thursday’s long jump finals, Zahn won on a tiebreaker as she jumped 18 feet, 7.75 inches to garner the state title in dramatic fashion.
“I couldn’t have done it without God, my coaches and their support. So, I’m grateful,” she said.
In the 100 semifinals, Zahn clocked a time of 12.09 seconds to advance to today’s finals. She also anchored the 1,600-meter relay (Becca Wenning, Kiersten Keller, Audrey Alig, Zahn; 4:00.61) that qualified for today’s finals as well.
Kessen shines for Delphos St. John’s
Alex Kessen of St. John’s placed fifth in Friday’s long jump (17-1). Kessen also advanced to today’s finals of the 200 (25.42), 100 (12.03) and was the anchor of the 400-meter relay (Ava Hershey, Kiersten Jackson, Lila Jackson, Kessen; 49.84) that advanced to today’s finals.
Minster’s Kremer places second in high jump
Minster’s Adriana Kremer cleared 5 feet, 5 inches to finish second in Thursday’s Division III high jump.
“I’m really happy,” Kremer said. “I didn’t expect it at first. My personal best before this was 5-2.”
Kremer, a junior, has already set a goal for next year.
“(I want) to make it back to state again,” she said with a grin.
Minster girls 3,200-meter relay places third
Minster’s 3,200 relay (Margaret Hemmelgarn, Maria Niekamp, Annie Hemmelgarn, Chaney Cedarleaf) finished third in Thursday’s finals in a time of 9:20.93.
Margaret Hemmelgarn was pleased with how the relay performed on Thursday.
“It wasn’t exactly how we wanted the race to go, but I’m not disappointed at all. I’m so proud of all of them. It’s been such an honor,” Hemmelgarn said.
Other girls that advanced to the finals (and not mentioned before)
Allen East’s Rilynn Jones (300 hurdles; 45.09), Columbus Grove’s 800 relay (Allison Thompson, Kendal Palte, Lauryn Auchmuty, Jade Roeder; 1:43.76) and 400 relay (Thompson, Palte, Auchmuty, Roeder; 50.12), Delphos Jefferson’s Lyv Lindeman (100 hurdles;15.26), Fort Recovery’s Anna Roessner (100;12.15, 200; 24.60) and Fort Recovery’s 400 relay (Anna Roessner, Page Guggenbiller, Kiana Matsuda, Mara Pearson; 49.52), Kalida’s Lauren Laudick (400; 59.49), Marion Local’s Grace Moeller (100 hurdles; 14.93), Minster’s 1,600 relay (Keri Heckman, Claire Bohman, Margaret Hemmelgarn, Chaney Cedarleaf; 4:03.62), St. Henry’s 400 relay (Chloe Speck, Ellie Fullenkamp, Morgan Baumer, Sam Lauber; 50.26).
**Complete results for D-III at the state track meet can be found on milesplit.oh.
