Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
Mark Huber Photo
April Garrett Photo
April Garrett Photo
PIQUA — A pair of Clinton-Massie track and field athletes punched their ticket to the state meet next week during competition Saturday at the Division II Region 8 Track and Field Championships at Alexander Stadium.
Cale Wilson was third in the 400-meter dash and Judy Leahy finished fourth in the high jump to earn automatic berths to Columbus.
Leahy, a district champion last week, was one of five jumpers to clear 6-0 at the regional meet. Two exited at 6-1 but Leahy earned the fourth place finihs based on misses at 6-0.
“I was really nervous, anxious,” Leahy said. “I get nervous, especially at big meets like district and league, but those are nothing like this.”
Wilson blistered the Miami County track in 49.96 seconds while the winning time was just a tick faster at 49.34.
“It (the race) felt real fast,” said Wilson, whose father Chad was a standout athlete at Clinton-Massie. “I thought I ran a good first 100. I try to get to the 200 mark at about 23 (seconds). I did that good.”
Wilmington and Blanchester athletes competed on Saturday at the regional meet as well.
The top four finishers in each regional event automatically qualify for the state. In addition, the next two best times or distance statewide also qualify as at-large berths.
Taylor Noszka had the best finish, placing fifth in the 3,200-meter run in 11:48.8. She qualified for but did not run the 1,600 meter event on Saturday.
Madilyn Brausch was 12th in the 3,200.
Taliah Billingsley was seventh in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.35. Bryn Tippett was 15th in the pole vault, clearing 7-6.
Blanchester had a trio of athletes in the field events.
Ainsley Whitaker was ninth in the girls discus with a throw of 101-3 while Chasen Allison finished ninth in the boys shot put with a throw of 42-11.5.
Gabe Staehling, who qualified for the state meet Thursday in the discus, was 10th in the shot put (42-11).
Wilson ran the single lap in 49.96 seconds, inching his way closer to the school record of 49.34 set by Dillon Davis in 2012.
Marty Kreider finished eighth in the 200-meter dash. He pulled up early in the race with an apparent leg injury.
But rather than walk off the track, Kreider finished the race.
Wilson, Kreider, Willem Kimple and Weston Carpenter ran the 4×200-meter relay in 1:31.49 which was good enough for sixth place.
It also broke the school record set in 2006 by the quartet of Drew Frey, Caleb Medley, Skylar Dooley and Matt Isaacs, who ran 1:32.56. Three of those relay members — Frey, Dooley, Medley — joined with CJ Kline in 2007 to win the OHSAA Division II 4×100-meter relay state championship.
Kaylee Ramsey was seventh in the girls pole vault, clearing 10-6. That mark allowed her to match Janelle McSurley’s record of 10-6.
