(May 27th-29th, 2015) – TIFFIN: The Lady Locomotives and Blackbirds will be sending representation to the State Track Meet, after having several of their number compete at the Regional level.
Earning second place in the 4X800 meter relay was the Pettisville unit of Elizabeth Sauder, Nichole Foor, Mikala Avina, and Alexa Leppelmeier. The girls combined for a time of 9:54.8, which put them less than ten seconds behind the first place Liberty Center squad, who ran a 9:46.7 collectively. They also finished more than ten seconds ahead of nearby Archbold, whose team totaled 10:07.8 in the race.
Leppelmeier also qualified for State in the 1600 meter run. The sophomore standout crossed the finish line at 5:30.83, earning her fourth place in the mile run. She also placed in the 800 meter run, though her seventh place finish, thanks to her time of 2:28.52, was not enough to propel her to State in the event.
Still in her freshman year, Foor will be going to Columbus to compete in the two mile run. The Blackbird girl finished the 3200 meter race in fourth place at 12:07.55. Hilltop junior Madeleine Routhier also competed in the event, falling just short of a State invitation. She completed the race in 12:27.84, giving her sixth place.
For Montpelier, senior Baylee Hageman will be going to State. The thrower earned third place in the shot put, throwing the orb 38’07.5” to earn the right to compete at the highest level available to high school student athletes.
The Stryker 4X200 meter and 4X400 meter relay teams, were also unable to earn a trip to State. The team of Paige Speelman, Gabrielle Paxton, Brittany Breier, and Audra Rupp successfully qualified from the preliminary round in both events, but could not place in the top four in either finals. They took home seventh place in the 4X200 meter relay with a time of 1:48.75, and eighth place in the 4X400 meter relay at 4:16.94.
Speelman also qualifed for the final heat in the 200 meter dash, running a 26.43 to claim seventh place in the prelims. In the finals, however, she managed eighth place, thanks to her time of 26.92, which was not high enough to advance to State.
Paxton also made it to the Regional finals in an individual event, the 300 meter hurdles. Placing sixth in the preliminary race by running a 48.89, she was able to improve upon her time in the finals. Yet, she still dropped a place in the deciding race, taking home seventh with a time of 48.59.
