Margaretta beats Huron for Bay boys team title

HURON — It's been more than a half century since Margaretta's boys track and field team won a league championship. The Polar Bears can add that trophy to what has been a very successful athletic year for the school. Margaretta dominated the field events, topping Huron to win the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division title late Friday at Huron High School. "What stood out most to us was the confidence and composure this group competed with," Margaretta coach Kasey Haerr said. "We've been impressed with the boys all year and there was never a doubt in our minds they were going to show up and perform when it mattered most. "So much went right throughout the meet that it even allowed room for things to go wrong, and that's OK, because we had some really gutsy performances from people that had to step up." The league championship for the Polar Bears is the first since 1972. Margaretta finished with 187 points while the Tigers tallied 163.5. Vermilion (95) was third, Port Clinton (78) was fourth and Edison (71) was fifth. "It's been a mission for us all year and we didn't really see any other way other than completing it," Polar Bears coach Lucas Poggiali said. Jace Berg won the discus with a top throw of 163 feet, 3 inches while taking home the shot put with a throw of 48-9.50. For his efforts, he was named the Bay boys field Most Valuable Performer. Jake Bouy won the high jump (6-3), Kale Bailey was victorious in the long jump (22-6.75) and Colt Watson won the pole vault (14-7). Bailey and Watson's top marks were school records. "We dominated in the field events, advanced two athletes in every race, broke five school records and nearly every athlete who stepped on the track walked away with a PR," Haerr said. Margaretta's Zack Bouy, Carter Luzader, Mason Reinbolt and Jake Bouy won the 4x100 relay, finishing in a time of 43.72 seconds. Cole Zang took the 1600 in 4:22.85, a school record. Zang also set school records in the 800 (1:59.01), where he was runner-up to Port Clinton's Charlie Simpson (1:58.39), and 3200 (9:34.50), where he was runner-up to Huron's Sage Edgerly-Bork (9:33.70). "Tre McGraw, Kyle Walton, Cole Zang, AJ Walters, Kale Bailey and Judah Keller are a couple of the guys who we really needed to step up in their individual events or come out of their comfort zone and run events they never have before," Haerr said. "We put a plan together weeks ago and put kids in some situations and events they've never competed in before but they rose to the occasion and stuck to the blueprint." Margaretta overcame a huge night from Huron's Joe Schaeffer, who was named the Bay boys running MVP. Schaeffer won the 100 (10.93), 200 (21.88) and 400 (49.86). Schaeffer's time in the 100 edged Zack Bouy (11.02) and Vermilion's Brady Parker (11.15) for the win. "The biggest thing is getting out of the blocks as fast as I can," Schaeffer said. "I know others are going to have better starts than me. The Margaretta kid put up a great race. I have to trust my top-end speed and get out faster." Schaeffer also anchored the 4x200 along with Caleb Staley, Ayden Miller and Peter Cencer that won in 1:29.90. "It was a big momentum win for us," said Schaeffer of the 4x200 win. "We've had some injuries here and there, but we've been working to get to get under 1:30, which we did today. To build that confidence as we move toward the postseason is beneficial to us." Cencer took down the 110 hurdles in a time of 15.32. He finished ahead of teammate Hayden Wilson (15.74) and Margaretta's McGraw (15.91). Cencer also won the 300 hurdles in 39.81. "My biggest push in that has been my teammate, Hayden Wilson," said Cencer of the 110 hurdles. "He has been doing it longer than I have. Watching and learning from him has been amazing. Being able to take the win was huge for the team." Huron's 4x800 quartet of Jason Nims, Carter Brennan, Cencer and Edgerly-Bork won in 8:16.90. "I am extremely happy with how they fought," Tigers coach Mike Lemponen said. "The same thing happened last year where Margaretta is so strong in the field events and our boys scratched and clawed their way back into it. We knew coming in they were strong in field events, but they were stronger this year than last year on the track. With six teams, it's hard to have parity in the events." Huron grabbed the girls championship with 177 points. Port Clinton was runner-up with 115 points while Margaretta (96) was fourth, Vermilion (83) was fifth and Edison (63) was sixth. "The girls have been very impressive all year," Lemponen said. "I think the most impressive thing is they're very young. We only have two senior sprinters. I think the depth of the distance program is showing its strength big time. "We definitely expected to win that meet just because of how they've been building the whole season." The Tigers were led by Bay girls running MVP Rylie Towns. She set a school and SBC record in the 3200 (10:54.10) and anchored the SBC record-setting 4x800 (9:38.60) with Laney Schlessman, Claire Putnam and Andrea Lesnak last Tuesday. She won the 1600 (5:01.43) in SBC record-setting time Friday. It also broke a stadium record, held by Edison's Cindy Woods since 1985. Schlessman added a win in the 800 (2:22.97) while Schlessman, Leah Kohlmann, Allison Kohlmann and Sasha Fry won the 4x400 in 4:13.37. The Tigers' quartet of Manner, Olivia Kohlmann, Fry and Kate Ryan took first in the 4x200 in 1:47.27. "The distance kids don't run every meet," Lemponen said. "You get spoiled at a meet like this where you get to turn them loose and let them run their races." Vermilion's Brooke Whisenant won the 100 (12.60), 200 (25.98) and 400 (58.40). "Every race you try to come out hard," said Whisenant of the 400. "I've been working hard on my first 200 because I know that's where the race is won and lost. This season overall I've been in a plateau. I know it's going to break, so I'm excited for what's to come." The Bay girls field MVP was Michaela Stork from Port Clinton, who was victorious in the shot put (38-5) and discus (136-5). Margaretta's Lillian Belak won the 100 hurdles (16.01) and 300 hurdles (47.92). The Bellevue girls team won the Lake Division championship. The Lady Red ran away from the field with 193 points, almost double Columbian's total of 109 points. Norwalk (93) was third, Sandusky (87) was fourth, Perkins (83.5) was fifth and Clyde (83) was sixth. Bellevue was paced by senior Amerie Wagner, the Lake girls running MVP. She won the 100 (12.60) and 200 (25.65). "My biggest thing is getting out of the blocks, 100 percent," said Wagner of the 100. "I have to get out and stay tall and keep my stride short." She also was victorious in the 400 in a time of 58.35. "I'm just trying to break the school record," Wagner said. "It's 57.8, so I've been trying to get toward that. I have to come out strong, hold my form and give whatever I have left in the tank at the end." Also for the Lady Red, the quartet of Bella Slater, Lilly Sosa, Natalie Littlejohn and Hallie McCarthy won the 4x200 in 1:48.03. Sosa was the Lake girls field MVP after winning the pole vault earlier in the week. Sandusky swept the short hurdles events as Taliyah Farris took down 100 (15.98) while Keylan Howell won the 110 (15.54). "I feel like recently I've been thinking about my breathing," said Farris of the 100 hurdles. "I don't breathe when I run, so when I let it out, I'm gassed. My coaches have been telling me to focus on breathing in through my nose and out of my mouth." Farris was victorious in the 300 hurdles, as well, finishing in a time of 47.98. She said she was a little more motivated as the second-best time after prelims earlier in the week. "In prelims, I was seeded second, so I was focusing on a PR because the girl that beat me ran a good time," Farris said. "I felt like going into it, I would stay with her. I feel like that race went pretty well. I hope I keep improving over the last few weeks we have." Xavia Immel came up big for Norwalk. She took down the 800 (2:18.00) and 1600 (5:19.92) while helping the 4x400 (Immel, Saige Konik, Alyssa Gruhlke, Grace Norris) win in 4:09.55 and 4x800 (Immel, Olive Leavitt, Allison Konik, Saige Konik) take home the victory in 9:54.39. Perkins won the boys team title in the Lake Division. The Pirates tallied 167 points while Bellevue was second with 112. Sandusky (96) was third while Clyde and Norwalk finished tied for fifth with 84 points. "This is No. 41 for our school's history in track and field," Perkins coach Shane Burrows said. "Coach (Jim) Hauser before me coached 26 years and this is my 26th year. In 52 years, to have 41 championships? We had seven runner-ups and one or two third-place finishes. That's pretty special. That's not including COVID, where we didn't have it. I'm really proud of our kids." Perkins' Joel Smelcer won the 1600 in 4:27.93 while the quartet of Kannon Harris, Cayden Adcock-Greenman, Paul Keys and Levi Groot won the 4x200 relay in 1:30.85. "We have a young bunch of kids," Burrows said. "Our distance came up big today. That picked us up. When get to the 300 hurdles and 800, we want to be far enough ahead that we can start making sure we're healthy next week and not kill anyone at the conference meet." Danny Buga and Paul Keys were named co-MVP in the Lake boys field events. Buga set a SBC, school and stadium record with a toss of 189-4 in the discus while Keys had a SBC and school record jump of 22-11.75 in the long jump. "Our goals have never faltered," Burrows said. "Our goal is to win the conference meet and win the district meet and be top-4 at the regional and top-10 at the state. We're never going to change that as long as I'm around." Clyde's Dekin Crockett was named Lake boys running MVP. He started the night with a win the 100 in 10.97, clipping Sandusky's Daviyon Jackson, who finished in 11.01. "Daviyon is always in front of me, but we're always battling," Crockett said. "My start was a little poor, but I'm a top-end guy. After I got out there in the zone, I knew it was going to be mine. I went and got it." Crockett added wins in the 200 (22.29) and 300 hurdles (39.03). "I felt good," said Crockett of the 300 hurdles. "For me, I'm a big overthinker. If I'm in the right headspace and mentality, that's bigger than me running it. If I have the right headspace, anything is possible." Bellevue had a pair of relay wins. In the 4x100, Caden Cramer, Mack Strause, Jeremiah Tuttamore and Justin Bucher crossed the line in 44.42 while Evan Bova, Bucher, Tuttamore and Owen Hancock won the 4x400 in 3:27.96. Danbury won the girls team championship in the River Division with 136.5 points. "Six weeks ago, this wasn't even in our cards because of injuries and uncertainty," Lakers coach Tim Hefferman said. "But as coaches, we are very impressed with our senior leadership of Emma Redett, Zoe Uhinck and Ellie Colon. Midseason, they really began to show how important it is to have hard working, humble leaders and our team blossomed under their leadership." The Lakers got three wins in field events from Taytum Benyak (shot put, 36-9), discus (Cali Wunder, 102-11) and Jordan Ritz (5-2). "We are so blessed with talent," Hefferman said. "We have a group of selfless hard working gritty versatile juniors in twins Ally and Ainsley Clark, Reese Redfern, Miranda Ertsenian and Eva Halblaub who can all sprint, run mid-distance and pole vault without whom we can't win." St. Mary Central Catholic's Nicolette Hile was victorious in the 800 (2:24.19) and 1600 (5:23.89). Lakota won the boys River Division championship with 136 points, beating out Hopewell-Loudon (113.5). TEAM SCORES GIRLS SBC LAKE 1. Bellevue, 193 points; 2. Columbian, 109; 3. Norwalk, 93; 4. Sandusky, 87; 5. Perkins, 83.5; 6. Clyde 83 SBC BAY 1. Huron, 177 points; 2. Port Clinton, 115; 3. Willard, 114; 4. Margaretta, 96; 5. Vermilion, 83; 6. Edison, 63 SBC RIVER 1. Danbury, 136.5 points; 2. Old Fort, 90; 3. Woodmore, 89.5; 4. Hopewell-Loudon, 82; 5. Calvert, 60; 6. Fremont SJCC, 59; 7. New Riegel, 41; 8. Northwood, 31; 9. Lakota, 28; 10. Sandusky SMCC, 26; 11. Gibsonburg, 20.5 BOYS SBC LAKE 1. Perkins, 167 points; 2. Bellevue, 112; 3. Sandusky, 96; 4. Columbian, 95; 5. Clyde, 84; 5. Norwalk, 84 SBC BAY 1. Margaretta, 187 points; 2. Huron, 163.5; 3. Vermilion, 95; 4. Port Clinton, 78; 5. Edison, 71; 6. Willard, 53.5 SBC RIVER 1. Lakota, 136 points; 2. Hopewell-Loudon, 113.5; 3. Old Fort, 100; 4. Woodmore, 73; 5. Calvert, 59; 6. Gibsonburg, 53.5; 7. Sandusky SMCC, 44.5; 8. New Riegel, 36; 9. Fremont SJCC, 19; 10. Northwood, 11; 11. Danbury, 8.5 EVENT WINNERS GIRLS SBC LAKE 4x800 relay — Norwalk (Xavia Immel, Olive Leavitt, Allison Konik, Saige Konik), 9:54.39 100 hurdles — Taliyah Farris, Sandusky, 15.98 100 meters — Amerie Wagner, Bellevue, 12.60 4x200 relay — Bellevue (Bella Slater, Lilly Sosa, Natalie Littlejohn, Hallie McCarthy), 1:48.03 1600 meters — Xavia Immel, Norwalk, 5:19.92 4x100 relay — Columbian (Josie Kancler, Abby Lewis, Morgan Roach, Ava Newman), 52.05 400 meters — Amerie Wagner, Bellevue, 58.35 300 hurdles — Taliyah Farris, Sandusky, 46.74 800 meters — Xavia Immel, Norwalk, 2:18.00 200 meters — Amerie Wagner, Bellevue, 25.65 3200 meters — Reese Meacham, Bellevue, 11:56.98 4x400 relay — Norwalk (Xavia Immel, Saige Konik, Alyssa Gruhlke, Grace Norris), 4:09.55 Shot put — Gabriella Schirg, Perkins, 39-07.50 Discus — Austin Bilger, Perkins, 127-00 High jump — Kaitlyn Turinsky, Bellevue, 5-03 Long jump — Natalie Littlejohn, Bellevue, 17-03.50 Pole vault — Lilly Sosa, Bellevue, 11-00 SBC BAY 4x800 relay — Huron (Laney Schlessman, Claire Putnam, Andrea Lesnak, Rylie Towns), 9:38.60 100 hurdles — Lillian Belak, Margaretta, 16.01 100 meters — Brooke Whisenant, Vermilion, 12.60 4x200 relay — Huron (Ava Manner, Olivia Kohlmann, Sasha Fry, Kate Ryan), 1:47.27 1600 meters — Rylie Towns, Huron, 5:01.43 4x100 relay — Willard (Cora Clark, Mya Stephens, Jocelyn Maynard, LaMya Hicks), 50.72 400 meters — Brooke Whisenant, Vermilion, 58.50 300 hurdles — Lillian Belak, Margaretta, 47.92 800 meters — Laney Schlessman, Huron, 2:22.97 200 meters — Brooke Whisenant, Vermilion, 25.98 3200 meters — Rylie Towns, Huron, 10:54.10 4x400 relay — Huron (Laney Schlessman, Leah Kohlmann, Allison Kohlmann, Sasha Fry), 4:13.37 Shot put — Michaela Stork, Port Clinton, 38-05 Discus — Michaela Stork, Port Clinton, 136-03 High jump — Cora Clark, Willard, 5-00 Long jump — LaMya Hicks, Willard, 17-11.25 Pole vault — Hadley Barkema, Huron, 10-06.50 SBC RIVER 4x800 relay — Woodmore (Willow Lewis, Peyton Damschroder, Addison Lowry, Wren Lewis), 10:13.80 100 hurdles — Alexandra Osborne, New Riegel, 16.68 100 meters — Kayla Hessick, Fremont SJCC, 12.84 4x200 relay — Woodmore (Valerie Kerecz, Karli Heins, Willow Lewis, Ariana Florio), 1:49.43 1600 meters — Nicolette Hile, Sandusky SMCC, 5:23.89 4x100 relay — Woodmore (Valerie Kerecz, Karli Heins, Myra Huss, Ariana Florio), 52.28 400 meters — Emily Miller, Calvert, 57.11 300 hurdles — Viktoriya Skeans, Calvert, 49.74 800 meters — Nicolette Hile, Sandusky SMCC, 2:24.19 200 meters — Emily Miller, Calvert, 25.96 3200 meters — Grace Tackett, Old Fort, 12:05.10 4x400 relay — Woodmore (Willow Lewis, Wren Lewis, Addison Lowry, Karli Heins), 4:14.65 Shot put — Taytum Benyak, Danbury, 36-09 Discus — Cali Wunder, Danbury, 102-11 High jump — Jordan Ritz, Danbury, 5-02 Long jump — Lily Brickner, Hopewell-Loudon, 16-10 Pole vault — Reagan Holbrook, Fremont SJCC, 9-06 BOYS SBC LAKE 4x800 relay — Perkins (Blake Witter, Joel Smelcer, Nicholas Coiffard, Rey Dante), 8:20.04 110 hurdles — Keylan Howell, Sandusky, 15.54 100 meters — Dekin Crockett, Clyde, 10.97 4x200 relay — Perkins (Kannon Harris, Cayden Adcock-Greenman, Paul Keys, Levi Groot), 1:30.85 1600 meters — Joel Smelcer, Perkins, 4:27.93 4x100 relay — Bellevue (Caden Cramer, Mack Strause, Jeremiah Tuttamore, Justin Bucher), 44.42 400 meters — Dashawn Russell, Columbian, 51.48 300 hurdles — Dekin Crockett, Clyde, 39.03 800 meters — Xavier Melick, Columbian, 2:00.58 200 meters — Dekin Crockett, Clyde, 22.29 3200 meters — Joel Smelcer, Perkins, 9:24.13 4x400 relay — Bellevue (Evan Bova, Justin Bucher, Jeremiah Tuttamore, Owen Hancock), 3:27.96 Shot put — Caden Cramer, Bellevue, 46-07.50 Discus — Danny Buga, Perkins, 189-04 High jump — Louis Johnson, Sandusky, 6-02 Long jump — Paul Keys, Perkins, 22-11.75 Pole vault — Jeremiah Tuttamore, Bellevue, 14-00 SBC BAY 4x800 relay — Huron (Jason Nims, Carter Brennan, Peter Cencer, Sage Edgerly-Bork), 8:16.90 110 hurdles — Peter Cencer, Huron, 15.32 100 meters — Joe Schaeffer, Huron, 10.93 4x200 relay — Huron (Caleb Staley, Ayden Miller, Peter Cencer, Joe Schaeffer), 1:29.90 1600 meters — Cole Zang, Margaretta, 4:22.85 4x100 relay — Margaretta (Zack Bouy, Carter Luzader, Mason Reinbolt, Jake Bouy), 43.72 400 meters — Joe Schaeffer, Huron, 49.86 300 hurdles — Peter Cencer, Huron, 39.81 800 meters — Charlie Simpson, Port Clinton, 1:58.31 200 meters — Joe Schaeffer, Huron, 21.88 3200 meters — Sage Edgerly-Bork, Huron, 9:33.70 4x400 relay — Willard (Dream Mills, Ethan Keefe, Paxton Flores, Jose Lopez), 3:31.83 Shot put — Jace Berg, Margaretta, 48-09.50 Discus — Jace Berg, Margaretta, 163-03 High jump — Jake Bouy, Margaretta, 6-03 Long jump — Kale Bailey, Margaretta, 22-06.75 Pole vault — Colt Watson, Margaretta, 14-07 SBC RIVER 4x800 relay — Lakota (Donovan Statham, Brady Tyson, Wyatt Brubaker, Avery Shilling), 8:36.00 110 hurdles — Lucas McEwan, Lakota, 15.20 100 meters — King Beard, Lakota, 11.23 4x200 relay — Woodmore (Auden Hemminger, Lucas Caldwell, Coleton Shaner, Landon Rich), 1:33.62 1600 meters — Ian Bloom, Hopewell-Loudon, 4:27.57 4x100 relay — Old Fort (Brayden Davis, Isaac Gallagher, Aidan Chapman, Henry Beisner), 44.38 400 meters — Donovan Statham, Lakota, 49.97 300 hurdles — Lucas McEwan, Lakota, 40.18 800 meters — Ian Bloom, Hopewell-Loudon, 1:59.56 200 meters — King Beard, Lakota, 22.60 3200 meters — Cameron Hohman, New Riegel, 9:40.80 4x400 relay — Lakota (Donovan Statham, Brady Tyson, Avery Shilling, King Beard), 3:24.43 Shot put — Aiden Ewald, Hopewell-Loudon, 55-10 Discus — Aiden Ewald, Hopewell-Loudon, 177-03 High jump — Henry Beisner, Old Fort, 6-02 Long jump — Lukas Stultz, Calvert, 21-10 Pole vault — Ethan Grahl, Fremont SJCC, 14-00