Gahanna girls cruise to title
The indoor track and field season proved the Gahanna girls team hasn’t lost a step since winning the Division I outdoor state title last spring.
Led by senior Kentucky commit Camden Bentley and a deep group of sprinters, the Lions captured the Division I indoor state title Saturday at SPIRE Institute in Geneva.
Bentley, the defending outdoor champion in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, won the 60 hurdles (8.46) and ran on the first-place 800 (meet-record 1:38.81) and 1,600 (3:55.65) relays. Amryne Chilton finished first in the 400 (56.51) and Daisha Decree won the long jump (18 feet, 7 inches) and triple jump (37-7 1/2).
“It really is a good stepping stone, honestly,” Gahanna coach Roger Whittaker said. “It kind of gets us in the mindset of, ‘OK, here’s where we’re at after last year.’ … So the question is going to be, ‘Can they do it again? They’ve got a lot of returning people,’ and I think we kind of answered the question: Yeah.
“Matter of fact, we ran a meet-record (1:38.81) in the (800 relay) and we actually ran (1:38.32) as an outdoor champion last year, so that’s how far ahead we are.”
Gahanna was far ahead in the team standings, as its 62 points were 15 more than runner-up Mason. Westerville Central (39.5), Huber Heights Wayne (35), Olentangy Orange (28) and Granville (22) rounded out the top six.
“It’s a good measuring stick of the potential of this team and it’s probably, and I’ve been coaching a long time, it’s probably the most talented sprint team I’ve ever had,” said Whittaker, who is entering his 34th spring season with the Lions. “(Saturday) they kind of went out and showed that, ‘You’re right coach, we are.’ … They’re setting themselves up well. I’m pretty pleased with them right now.”
Central, which was runner-up to Gahanna last spring, got an indoor win from Olivia Pace in the 60 (7.38). Pace also was second in the long jump (18-4 1/4), and Taryn Stills was second in the high jump (5-4).
Other winners were Watkins Memorial’s Victoria Harvey in the pole vault (12-9) and Lancaster’s Peyton Wilson in the weight throw (50-1/2).
Westerville South’s Marissa Saunders was second in the 60 hurdles (8.62), and Granville’s Lillian Eckels was runner-up in the 800 (2:15.45).
Lancaster won the boys team title with 45 points, 16 ahead of runner-up Cleveland Heights. Hilliard Davidson finished fourth (25), Central was seventh (20) and Beechcroft placed eighth (18).
Davidson’s Connor Ackley, who won the Division I state cross country title in the fall, finished first in the 1,600 (meetrecord 4:07.51) and 3,200 (9:04.0). Beechcroft’s Jayden Douglas won the 60 hurdles (7.76) and placed second in the 400 (48.51).
Lancaster’s Daniel Edwards won the pole vault (16-0) ahead of teammate Lukas
Lang (15-9), and Lancaster’s Colton Thress (1:53.18) edged Olentangy Berlin’s Cooper Citro (1:53.31) for the title in the 800.
Worthington Kilbourne’s Ryan Smith was second in the 3,200 (9:07.53), and Central’s Elijah Harris was runner-up in the triple jump (45-11 1/2).
Marengo Highland girls win Division II-III title
Juliette Laracuente-huebner won the high jump (5-8 1/4), long jump (20-3 1/2), 60 hurdles (8.56) and triple jump (41-8 3/4) on Friday, scoring all of champion Highland’s 40 points in the meet.
Colette Patti won the 60 (7.74) for fourth-place Northridge (21), and Logan Elm’s Tayla Tootle won the pole vault (12-6).
Finishing third were North Union’s Hannah Carney in the 400 (59.03), Northridge’s Isabel Evans in the 60 hurdles (9.09) and London’s Andria Pollazek in the high jump (5-2).
In the boys meet, Bexley’s Mason Louis won the 400 (47.8). Finishing second were Cooper Miller of Caledonia River Valley in the pole vault (14-6), Marcus Runkle of Fairfield Union in the 3,200 (9:15.78) and David Stukey of London in the 800 (1:55.76).
Cleveland Glenville (68) won the team title.