May 9—With the track-and-field postseason tournaments right around the corner, many area athletes have started to hit their stride in their respective events.
Here are some of the top female performances from the past week or so (excluding meets on 5/9).
O-G girls shine at Wayne Invite
Ottawa-Glandorf sent its track athletes to the very competitive Wayne Invitational at Wayne High School, May 1-2.
O-G’s Alivia Grothause placed fifth in the 200 (25.41 seconds). Grothause was also on the 800-meter relay (Gracie Lammers, Emma Heringhaus, Grothause, Averie Fox) that finished third (1:43.76) and the 400-meter relay (Gracie Lammers, Grothause, Emma Heringhaus, Averie Fox) that placed fifth (49.32).
O-G’s 3,200 relay (Liana Fortman, Rose Turnwald, Brea Recker, Anna Buddelmeyer) placed third (9:39.75).
O-G’s 1,600 relay (Emma Heringhaus, Liana Fortman, Brea Recker, Averie Fox) came in seventh (4:04.60).
Senior Anna Buddelmeyer placed second in the 1,600 with a time of 5 minutes, 2.58 seconds for the Titans.
At last year’s Division II state track meet, Buddelmeyer placed seventh in the 1,600 with a personal best time of 5:02.04. She also finished 14th in the 3,200 (11:41.43) at the state meet.
Buddelmeyer broke the school record in the 3,200 this season with a time of 10:55.02.
Buddelmeyer will compete in track and cross country at Bowling Green State University next year.
At the Wayne Invitational, the O-G girls’ squad finished eighth out of 46 teams.
Zahn sets a new state record
Coldwater senior Izzy Zahn, who owns the Division III state record in the 200, set another state record at the Wayne Invitational (5/2).
Zahn set a state record in the 400 with a winning time of 54.34. She broke the state record of Gates Mills Hawken’s Brook Turner, who clocked a time of 55.23 in 2004.
Zahn will compete at the University of Iowa next school year.
McMichael excels at Shawnee Invite
Spencerville junior Audra McMichael ran away from the competition at the Shawnee Invitational (5/2).
McMichael won the 100 (12.76), 200 (26.68) and 400 (1:02.41). She was also on the 1,600 relay (McMichael, Lenna Smith, Lillian Strayer, Grace Fledderjohann) that placed second (4:14.59).
“I’m hoping to make it to state in my opens (100, 200, 400),” McMichael said. “Last year, I made it to the regional finals in the four-by-two (800 relay), and I made it to regionals in the 100.”
Auchmuty helps lead Grove to team title at L-B
Columbus Grove came away with the team title at last Saturday’s Liberty-Benton Pat Wagner Invitational.
Lauryn Auchmuty led the charge with wins in the long jump (16-9.75) and the 200 (27.99) in very windy and wet weather conditions.
Auchmuty came into the invite with the top seed in the pole vault with a height of 11-9. However, the inclement weather forced the pole vault event to be canceled.
Columbus Grove’s Allison Thompson won the 100 (13.60) and finished second in the 200 (28.43). Teammate Aubrey Schroeder finished a close second in the 100 (13.74).
Columbus Grove’s 800 relay (Allison Thompson, Aubrey Schroeder, Auchmuty, Jade Roeder) won in 1:47.57. Columbus Grove’s 1,600 relay (Bree Closson, Aubrey Schroeder, Jade Roeder, Devanie Pingle) won in 4:16.01.
The Bulldogs’ 3,200 relay (Devanie Pingle, Lily Montgomery, Sarah Kamphaus, Lia Witteborg) finished second (10:19.58). Columbus Grove’s 400 relay (Allison Thompson, Bree Closson, Kendal Palte, Jade Roeder) finished second (52.59).
Columbus Grove’s Nicole Nesby won the shot put (37 feet, 0 inches).
Bluffton excels at L-B Invite
Bluffton sophomore Nora Matthews, who competed at last year’s Division III state meet in the 800, won the 800 at the Liberty-Benton Pat Wagner Invitational (2:24.01).
Teammates Maelee Miller (16.62) and Aubrey Burkholder (17.27) finished first and second, respectively, in the 100 hurdles.
In the high jump, Sadie Tarplee (5-0) and Maelee Miller (5-0) placed first and second, respectively.
As a team, Bluffton finished second to Columbus Grove.
Bath’s Francis wins 1,600, 3,200 at L-B
Bath freshman Penny Francis won the 1,600 (5:40.01) and 3,200 (12:15.85) at the Liberty-Benton Pat Wagner Invitational.
Francis holds the school record at Bath in the 3,200 (11:34.46).
This past fall, Francis became the first girl cross country state qualifier for Bath since 1996. At the Division II state cross country meet, Francis finished 31st overall (18:52.68).
Teammates Isabella Bartlett (48.30) and Gwyneth Foust (48.32) finished first and second, respectively, in the 300 hurdles at Liberty-Benton.
Apple runs away from the field
Leipsic senior Morgan Apple had a stellar performance at last Friday’s North Baltimore Tiger Invitational (5/2).
Apple won the 100 (13.09), 100-meter hurdles (15.77), and placed second in both the 200 (27.50) and the 300 hurdles (48.41). Apple was a Division III state qualifier last year in the 100 hurdles.
Apple will compete at Ashland University next year.
Kalida shines at New Bremen Cardinal Invite
The Kalida girls’ team placed second behind a very strong Coldwater team at the New Bremen Cardinal Invitational on May 2. There were 14 teams at the invite.
Junior Lauren Laudick helped lead the way for Kalida. Laudick won the 400 (58.56) and was part of the winning 1,600 relay (4:06.03). Last season, Laudick placed fifth in the 400 (57.98) at the Division III state meet.
In the shot put, Kalida’s Mia Burgei (39-8) and Malia Romes (37-3.50) finished first and second, respectively. Waynesfield-Goshen’s Maren Wittenbrink finished third (34-11.50).
In the discus, Burgei placed third (118-4), while Romes came in sixth (107-10).
Wapakoneta excels in hurdles, distance at New Bremen
At the Cardinal Invitational, Wapakoneta hurdlers Paige Olberding and Grace Burnfield scored big points for their team.
In the 100 hurdles, Burnfield placed second (15.44), while Olberding finished third (15.75). Olberding won the 300 hurdles (46.75).
Kenzie Schneider won the 1,600 (5:36.74) and finished second in the 3,200 (12:37.16). Delphos St. John’s Cady Donaldson won the 3,200 (11:56.06).
Wapakoneta finished sixth as a team.
Pfau wins 1,600, 3,200
Miller City senior Andrea Pfau won the 1,600 (5:20.74) and 3,200 (11:36.74) at the North Baltimore Tiger Invitational.
Last year, Pfau was a Division III state qualifier in the 1,600. At last year’s Division III state cross country meet, Pfau earned all-Ohio honors with a 24th-place finish on the 5,000-meter course at Fortress Obetz in a time of 18:57.54.
Pfau will compete in track and cross country at the University of St. Francis next year.
Shawnee’s Stump dominates 1,600 at Shawnee Invite
At the Shawnee Invitational, Shawnee junior Jenna Stump pulled away early in the 1,600 and went on to clock a winning time of 5:33.68. Indian Lake’s Reagan Rash finished a distant second (5:43.90).
Stump said she stayed focused on what she needed to do.
“The times on the heat sheet were pretty close, but I just kept telling myself to keep good strides and keep it going. I want to try to get back to my PR (5:18) from last year,” she said.
Spencerville’s Cook dominates the shot put at Shawnee Invite
Spencerville sophomore Briley Cook won the shot put by nearly seven feet at the Shawnee Invitational.
Cook’s winning toss was 37-3. Allen East’s Sierra Studer placed a distant second with a mark of 30-10. There were 17 competitors in the shot put.
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