OHIO STATE MEET RECAP

Kenna Stimmel Clears 14-6.25 (4.43m) For No. 8 All-Time Pole Vault; Nick Plant Runs 1:48.65 And Troy Lane Rips 10.25 For All-Time Bests

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

While the top 400 meter sprinter in the country, Justin Braun, was forced to miss the OHSAA Track and Field Championships due to an injury, there were still plenty of show-stopping performances at Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus.  

Braun, a Westerville Central senior who is committed to USC, did not line up to defend his 100, 200 and 400 state Division I titles due to a quad injury, according to reports from the Columbus Dispatch. He had run 45.65 at his regional meet, the second-fastest time in Ohio history.

Perhaps the highlight of the two-day meet came on Friday in the field events when Margaretta’s Kenna Stimmel won her third Division 3 title and reset her own state record in the pole vault, clearing 14-6.25 (4.43m) for a new personal best and US#2. Stimmel added a runner-up finish in the 100 (12.10). 

Stimmel moved to No. 8 on the all-time U.S. prep pole vault list. 

Nick Plant from Canfield ran 1:48.65 to win the D1 800 meters final, breaking a 21-year-old Ohio all-time best held by Marc Sylvester of St. Ignatius (1:48.76) since 2001. His time is US#3.

And Troy Lane of Pickerington Central, a junior, ran a wind-legal 10.25 to break the all-time state record in the 100 meters. That's US#5. 

Colonel Crawford’s Katie Ruffener led her team to a state title as she ran a meet record in the 100 hurdles going 13.71, tied for US#17 currently. She won the 300 hurdles (43.06) and finished third in the 100. 

Kiersten Franklin of Lehman Catholic won the 100 (12.05) and 200 (24.80) and was fifth in the 400. 

Norwayne dominated the ring as sophomore Dillon Morlock won the shot put with a US#15 throw of 65-4.50. Teammate and older brother Colby Morlock was right behind in second place with a throw of 64-11, currently US#18. In the discus, roles were reversed as Colby picked up the win, throwing 185-feet to win, while Dillon was runner-up in 177-1. Norwayne claimed the Division 3 team title with 40 points, narrowly beating McDonald (38 points).  

Brady Yingst of Lima Perry broke the Division 3 record in the 1,600, clocking 4:10.74. The senior broke Olympian Clayton Murphy’s meet record of 4:11.72 set in 2013. Yingst also claimed the 3,200 title in 9:14.46.

In the 800, junior Kaleb Nastari of United also broke a meet record in the 800 with US#6 1:49.56.

Sherron Jones of Hopewell-Loudon won the 100 (10.93), 200 (21.63) and 400 (47.97).  

Division 1

Without Braun on the track, the Pickerington Central boys scored 31 points to win the Division 1 title, beating Olentangy Orange (30). Lane, who won the 100 dash in a state-record time of 10.25 and claimed the 200 (21.09). He ran on the first-place 4x100 relay (41.22) to finish the meet with three wins.  

Olentangy Orange was paced by Joel Addo, who won the high jump (6-8) and finished third in the long jump (23-5.25). 

D.J. Fillmore of Licking Heights won the long jump with a US#8 jump of 24-11.

Aamil Wagner of Wayne won the shot put (64-1), US#21. 

Gahanna Lincoln’s Camden Bentley won the girls 100 hurdles (13.25w) and 300 hurdles (42.82) and ran anchor on the winning 4x200 relay (1:38.32). 

Senior Morgan Monesmith of Hathaway Brown won the 800 (2:09.09) and 1,600 (4:53.90). 

Junior Katie Clute of Olmsted Fall claimed the 3,200 title in 10:28.97.

Division 2

The Oakwood girls repeated as Division 2 champions with 47 points.

Morgan Hallett of Norton won the girls discus title in a throw of 156-4. She currently holds the US#15 throw of 157-1. She also won the shot put (46-7), US#24.

Juliette Laracuente of Highland won the long jump going 19-5.75. She also finished third in the high jump (5-6). 

St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Kya Epps broke the meet record in the 100 (11.57).

Indian Hill senior Elizabeth Whaley won the 1,600 in a meet record time of 4:43.31, currently US#12. Four runners finished in under 4:50. Whaley finished second in the 800 (2:08.82), while junior Alexa Foreman won in a record time of 2:08.60. Her time beat the previous Division 2 state record of 2:08.91 from 2010. Foreman also won the 400 (55.74)

Keystone junior Ryne Shackelford won the long jump (24-1.50), the 200 (21.31) and the 100 (10.62) to lead his team to a second-place finish in Division 2. Glenville won the team title with 45 points.

Josiah Cox of Manchester won the shot put with a throw of 60-1.50 and claimed the discus title (176-11). 

David Adams of Indian Valley vaulted 16-2 to pick up gold. 

Team Champions

Division 1 – Pickerington Central boys 41 points, Gahanna Lincoln girls 47 points - RESULTS

Division 2 – Glenville boys 45 points, Oakwood girls 47 points - RESULTS

Division 3 – Norwayne boys 40 points, Colonel Crawford 44 girls points - RESULTS