Big Walnut’s track & field teams got a slew of standout showings on the way to nabbing runner-up honors at the Division I District 1 championship meet, which wrapped up Saturday at Hilliard Darby.
The girls finished second with 80 points while the boys had 113.
Standouts on the girls’ side included Natalie Vrancken, who won the discus (119-00) and closed third in the shot put (32-06); Autumn Newman, who won the shot put (38-03) and was fourth in the discus (105-08); Karly Gneiting, who finished third in the 100 hurdles (16.21 seconds); Leighton Coey, who was third in the 800 (2:19.26); Karsyn Klaus, who was fourth in the 200 (25.83 seconds); and Zara Barton, who was fourth in the 1,600 (2:22.07).
The Golden Eagles also finished third in the 4×800 relay (9:56.75).
The boys were boosted by the 4×800 relay team (Cale Borland, Eli Lengl, Austyn Fox and Emil Stanford), which won a district title in 7:54.42 — a mark more than seven seconds better than the second-place foursome from Pickerington North.
Other standouts included Stanford, who finished second in the 1,600 (4:21.08); Justin Gneiting, who closed third in the 110 hurdles (14.89 seconds) and 300 hurdles (41.04 seconds); Borland, who finished third in the 800 (1:57.60); Lengl, who was fourth in the 1,600 (4:29.28); Hunter Bergsten, who was third in the 200 (21.85 seconds) and fourth in the 100 (11.01 seconds); Cameron Long, who finished fourth in the 300 hurdles (41.31 seconds); and Fox, who was fourth in the 800 (1:58.42).
Big Walnut also advanced to the regional showcase in the 4×100 and 4×200, finishing second and third in respective times of 43.45 seconds and 1:30.32.
In the field, Braeden McCruter won the high jump (6-04) and Matthew Von Almen finished fourth in the discus (135-03).
District 2
Olentangy Orange and Olentangy took the top two spots on the boys’ side while the girls’ teams took third and fourth, respectively, at the Division I District 2 championship meet in Hilliard.
The Pioneers won the district crown with 114.50 points while the Braves closed a close second with 101.
Orange got a district title from its 4×100 relay team (Kaiden Kraus, Kobe Sharpe, Tom Leskovich and Nick Robinson), which won in 42.10 seconds.
Other regional qualifiers included Matthew Schroff (first in the 1,600 in 4:12.09 and third in the 800 in 1:54.96), Robinson (second in the 100 and 200 in 10.90 and 21.59 seconds, respectively), Nick Herubin (third in the 400 in 49.98 seconds) and the 4×800 relay team (third in 7:58.59).
Saketh Rudraraju and Bradyn Allender both advanced in the 3,200, too, finishing second and fourth in respective times of 9:24.26 and 9:36.60.
In the field, Javier Barnes won the long jump (23-01) and Levi Davis finished third in the high jump (6-00).
Olentangy was led by its 4×800 (Jason Rettinger, Roman Corbett, Ty Munroe and Hugh Jacobsmeyer) and 4×400 (Parker Reed, Munroe, Jacobsmeyer and Zach Griffith) relay teams, which won with respective efforts of 7:46.33 and 3:20.57.
In other action, Jacobsmeyer won the 800 (1:54.54), CJ Sanna won the discus (196-06) and shot put (57-07), Griffith won a district title in the 400 (49.11 seconds), Joaquin Love was second in the long jump (22-02.75), Rettinger finished third in the 1,600 (4:13.24) and Alex Boyd was third in the pole vault (13-04).
In girls’ action, the Pioneers were powered by the 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams. Savanna Shaw, Brooke Chapman, Maddie Sharp and Mairin O’Brien teamed up to win the shorter race in 3:55.69 while O’Brien, Sharp, Clea Case and Bella Conforti won a district title in the longer one thanks to their time of 9:42.18.
Chapman and O’Brien took the top two spots in the 1,600, crossing the finish line in 5:05.70 and 5:06.02, respectively. They finished first and second in the 800, too — O’Brien won in 2:18.44 to edge Chapman and her time of 2:16.63.
Lydia Wendorf finished third in the 300 hurdles (46.88 seconds), Surraiya Mahmud was second in the pole vault (10-08) and third in the shot put (36-07), Conforti was fourth in the 3,200 (11:45.22), Natalie Rauzi finished fourth in the pole vault (9-06) and the 4×100 relay team finished fourth (50.46).
The Braves, finally, got top-four showings from Chayla Rankin, who won the 100 hurdles in 15.14 seconds, finished second in the 300 hurdles in 46.44 seconds and won the high jump with a mark of 5-07; Elena Wanek, who won the 3,200 in 11:20.11; the 4×800 relay team, which finished third in 9:48.66; and Annabelle Couvreur, who was fourth in the 400 in 59.38 seconds.
District 3
Olentangy Liberty’s girls won the team title while the boys finished second at the Division I District 3 championship meet at Hilliard Darby.
The Patriots’ top point producers included Sophia Sampson, who won the 100-meter dash in 12.11 seconds and finished second in the 200 and 400 in 25.22 and 57.44 seconds, respectively; Bridget Snider, who won the 800 in 2:18.40; Elena Aldrink, who won the 3,200 in 10.59.69; and Lila Bendick, who won the long jump with a leap of 18-05.
Other standouts included Julia Bockenstette, who finished third in the 1,600 (5:11.40); Maria Stack, who was third in the 100 hurdles (46.51 seconds) and discus (110-10); Annabelle Miller, who finished third in the pole vault (11-00); Lillian Engler, who was fourth in the pole vault (11-00); Kennedy Elfers, who finished fourth in the 100 (12.53 seconds); and Liliana Zieg, who was fourth in the high jump (4-11).
Liberty’s 4×800 relay team also did well, finishing second (9:29.71), while the 4×200 and 4×100 relay teams closed third (1:43.97 and 49.42 seconds, respectively) and the 4×400 team finished fourth (4:02.16).
The boys were boosted by the 4×800 quartet of Zeid Rabi, Aldi Joshi, Sam Brockbank and Noah Miller, who teamed up to win in 7:55.79.
Rabi also stood out as an individual, winning a district title in the 1,600 thanks to an effort of 4:19.68. Nate Hollingsworth won a district title, too, clearing 6-06 to pick up first-place points in the high jump.
The 4×100 relay team kept its season alive with a fourth-place finish in 42.66 seconds, Gordon Kimberly finished third in the 3,200 in 9:52.73 and Jack Patris and Jacob Weaver advanced in the pole vault, finishing second and fourth with respective efforts of 13-04 and 13-00.
Olentangy Berlin was also in action. The girls finished eighth while the boys closed seventh.
Standouts on the boys’ side included Miles King, who won a district title in the 110 hurdles (38.09 seconds); Evan Cornell, who finished third in the 800 (1:55.57); Vansh Sethi, who was fourth in the 3,200 (9:54.33); and Spencer Conrad, who was fourth in the shot put (45-06).
Grace Heitkamp advanced on the girls’ side, finishing third in the 3,200 (11:15.96).
District 4
Delaware Hayes finished in the middle of the pack at the Division I District 4 championship meet, which wrapped up Saturday in Westerville, but had more than a few highlights.
The girls, who finished sixth with 60 points, were powered by Kara Glesenkamp, Malaya Sowell, Tania Miles and Cali Kent.
Glesenkamp won Hayes’ lone individual district title, taking top honors in the high jump with an effort of 5-04. Sowell, meanwhile, punched a ticket to the upcoming regional showcase by finishing third in the 100-meter dash (12.19 seconds) while Miles finished third in the 200 (25.56 seconds) and Kent closed fourth in the 1,600 (5:11.07).
Hayes also finished third in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays (48.47 seconds and 1:43.49, respectively) and fourth in the 4×800 relay (9:46.52).
The boys finished fifth with 57 points.
Chaz Sakala led the charge, winning the 100 in 10.76 seconds and finishing second in the 200 in 21.73 seconds.
William Polter punched a ticket to the regional rung of competition, too, finishing third in the 110 hurdles (15.17 seconds) while Hayes’ 4×100 relay team finished fourth (43.64 seconds) to keep its season alive.
Division II
Buckeye Valley made plenty of noise at the Division II district championship meet over the weekend.
The Baron girls finished tied for first with 81 points in District 1 while the boys closed second with 80 points in District 2.
BV standouts on the girls’ side included Kaitlyn Davidson, who was second in the 1,600 (5:18.99) and 3,200 (11:51.05); Gabbie Schneider, who was third in the pole vault (9-06); Avelina Wagner, who closed third in the long jump (16-11.5); and Grace Daily, who was third in the 100 (12.70 seconds);
The Barons also won the 4×200 (1:45.93) and 4×400 relays (4:05.41) and finished second in the 4×100 relay (50.97 seconds).
The boys, meanwhile, were boosted by Matt Hall, who won the 300 hurdles (41.40 seconds); Austin Browning, who finished second in the 110 hurdles (15.53 seconds); Riley Boyles, who closed third in the pole vault (12-06); Vander Webb, who was third in the 3,200 (10:14.03); and Sam Stokey, who was fourth in the shot put (47-07.5).
The 4×800 relay team finished second (8:18.95), as did the 4×200 relay team (1:29.47).