COLUMBUS — It was a memorable afternoon for a pair of John Glenn Muskies during Saturday’s Division II state track meet.
John Glenn senior Kara Fields capped her career with a third-place finish in the 100 hurdles with a time of :14.66, while sophomore teammate Brayden Snider cleared 12-feet-2 to place third in the pole vault.
The top eight placers in each event earned All-Ohio status.
Fields, who had the fourth fastest time in the 100 hurdles in :14.87, credited a strong start to her race. She also finished as a two-time All-Ohioan after picking up the hurdles last season and came in 16th in the 300 hurdles (47.77) in Friday’s preliminaries.
“I started hurdles last year and to be here twice is amazing. Glory to God,” Fields said. “I thought I’d be near the bottom of the podium, but a good start and I ran on my toes. It’s fun to race with Odessa again. We will get to be teammates at Ashland next year. I look forward to being teammates and competing together.”
Snider felt last year’s experience benefitted her this time, as she set a personal best in the process.
“I wasn’t happy with how I did last year so being on the podium was my goal,” she said. “I went through my poles and had to use someone else’s, but it’s pretty awesome to have this experience. My coaches have played a big part, and I won’t be as nervous if I get back next year.”
John Glenn’s Jessica Church bounced back from an 18th-place run in the 100 (12.85) to earn a spot in the 400 with the sixth fastest time of :58.20 on Friday. She finished eighth (1:00.67) in the finals on Saturday, but began cramping up about halfway through the race. Yet, it’s an improvement over her 15th-place finish as a freshman.
“I’m All-Ohio, and I wanted to run a better time, but I started cramping up on the back stretch,” she said. “I need to have better warmups and focus on being better mentally. It’s still great to be All-Ohio, and I’ll aim for better next year.”
John Glenn’s Cash Smith finished 17th in the boys 110 hurdles (15.33) on Friday, while John Glenn junior Chelsea Sotherden placed 10th in the shot (36-11), and Meadowbrook’s Ethan Furbee tied for 15th in the high jump (6-0) during Saturday’s action.
It wasn’t the jump Meadowbrook senior Cami Black was hoping for on Friday, but her clearance of 5-2 allowed her to tie for sixth in the high jump, earning her All-Ohio honors for the second straight year. John Glenn junior Ava Hoffman tied for 15th at 5-0.
“It was a bad jumping day, but I’m still very happy with how I did. It’s a nice honor to be All-Ohio again,” Black said.
Also in Division II, the Cambridge 4×200 boys relay of Xander Caldwell, Reed Johnson, Eli Edwards and Owen Feldner took 16th (1:34.91) in Friday’s preliminaries.
In Division III on Friday, Buckeye Trail junior Janson Alloway placed 10th in the pole vault at 13-6, while junior teammate Koen Eagon failed to make the finals in the 300 hurdles, placing 12th with a time of 41.58, and senior Kieran Krahel finished 17th in the discus (133-8).
