A trio of Olentangy Orange standouts earned all-state honors, Olentangy’s Sydney Burrs and Quin Forgrave combined to do it in five separate events and Hayes’ Orion Ward pulled it off in two of his own to headline the second day of the Division I state track and field championship meet Saturday at Hilliard Darby.
The Pioneers’ Ava Musgrove became the first Orange athlete to reach the podium in the 200-meter dash at the state showcase in program history. The junior finished seventh with an effort of 25.85 seconds.
Orange’s Sara Borton and Joel Addo earned spots on the podium as well. Borton finished fifth in the girls pole vault with a mark of 12-04 while Addo finished sixth in the boys high jump by clearing a personal-best 6-04.
The Braves’ Burrs made noise in both hurdle races while Forgrave shined in all three of the seated wheelchair finals.
Burrs finished fifth in the girls 100-meter hurdle final and nabbed state runner-up honors in the 300-meter event with respective times of 15.10 and 44.17 seconds.
Only Gahanna Lincoln’s Camden Bentley was faster in the 300, closing in 43.18 seconds to capture the state title.
Forgrave, meanwhile, was sixth in the boys 100-, 400- and 800-meter seated wheelchair finals in 21.50 seconds, 1:12.51 and 2:29.70, respectively.
Ward used strong runs to finish fifth in the state in the 100-meter dash (10.93 seconds) and sixth in the 200-meter dash (22.21 seconds).
Big Walnut’s Alec Carr also earned a spot on the podium, closing seventh in the boys 110-meter hurdles (14.84 seconds).
In other action, Big Walnut’s Mark Ruffing finished 10th in the boys discus with a toss of 148-07 — a mark more than five feet better than his regional throw — Olentangy’s Jaedyn Tucker closed 12th in the girls long jump with an effort of 16-11.50, the Braves’ Samantha Happel finished 15th in the girls 1,600 (5:25.46) and Orange’s Taylor Hill closed tied for 16th in the girls pole vault.
Over at the Division II state meet Saturday at Pickerington North, Buckeye Valley’s Chloe Gibson earned all-state honors by finishing fifth in the girls long jump with a leap of 17-05.
