By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
Montpelier High School’s boys and girls track programs have put together quite a storied legacy over the years, and in the Division V state track and field championships held Thursday and Friday, June 4-5, the Locomotives had a pair of seniors, Bria Friend and Logan Pontious, and junior Braylon Hopper continuing the longstanding tradition.
The Montpelier trio was among nine individual state participants and one relay team who achieved All-Ohio honors, finishing among the top eight places.
Friend, who will be continuing her track and field career at Spring Arbor University next season, concluded her outstanding high school career with three top-eight finishes.
She garnered runner-up honors in the girls’ long jump with a leap of 17-9¾, took sixth in the girls’ 100-meter dash with a time of 12.87 seconds and finished it off with a third-place effort in the girls’ 200-meter dash with a clocking of 25.77 seconds.
Hopper, who entered the state competition as the regional champion in the Division V boys’ 100- and 200-meter dash, registered a pair of top-three finishes in both events.
He finished runner-up in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.15 seconds, just four hundredths of a second off eventual state champion King Wilson of Oregon Cardinal Stritch, who was clocked in 22.11 seconds.
Pontious, who will be continuing his track career at the University of Findlay next year, concluded a decorated high school career with a sixth-place finish in the boys’ shot put with a toss of 56-10½.
Also reaching the awards podium in Division V were Ty Leppelmeier of Edgerton (167-7) and Briggs Gallehue of Edon (163-7) as they finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the boys’ discus. Leppelmeier also placed 10th in the shot put (53-1½).
Edon’s Eli Dickmann also earned All-Ohio honors following his seventh-place finish in the Division V 110 hurdles with a time of 15.15 seconds. He finished 11th in the 300 hurdles (40.35).
In Division IV girls, Emersyn Selgo of Archbold and Audrey Robinson of Swanton reached the podium as they finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the long jump. Selgo recorded a leap of 17-6 while Robinson, competing in her final high school meet, leaped 17-5.
Another senior, Kara Ehrsam of Wauseon, concluded her high school career achieving All-Ohio honors with a fourth-place finish in the Division III girls’ shot put.
Ehrsam, who was the Piqua regional runner-up last week, recorded a throw of 39-6.
Evergreen’s 400 relay of Will Ruetz, Breyden Hoffman, Ethan Nash and Luke Woodring ended up with a fourth-place finish in Division IV with a time of 43.10. They recorded the second-fastest time (42.71) in the semifinals.
Ruetz also competed in two other events, finishing 10th in the long jump (20-9½) and 13th in the 110 hurdles (15.80). Hoffman was 12th in the 100-meter dash (11.18).
Alex Galvin of Pettisville had qualified for the final of the Division V 300 hurdles with a time of 40.08 seconds but was disqualified in the final.
He also anchored the Blackbirds’ 3200 relay of Kyle Galvin, Gavin Knierim and Tyler Wilburn to a 10th-place finish in 8:13.32.
Archbold’s 3200 relay of Connor Plassman, Trevor Osterland, Bo King and Jude Hudson finished 11th in Division IV with a time of 8:14.08.
Talen Reinbolt of North Central competed in the Division V boys’ pole vault but was unsuccessful in reaching the starting height of 12-6.
A’Zarrion Hicks of Wauseon competed in the Division III boys’ long jump, and the junior placed 12th with a leap of 21-5¾.
Also competing at state was Archbold’s 1600 relay of Madison Burkle, Aubree Hurst, Lydia Frey and Karly Kruse, who placed 12th with a time of 4:07.79 in Division IV.
Hadley Hudson was 12th in the 1600 run (5:18.57) for the Bluestreaks. Kharleigh Kitchen of Montpelier finished ninth in the 100 hurdles (16.47) and 17th in the 300 hurdles (51.59) in Division V.
Emmerie Rodriguez of Wauseon was 15th in the Division III 300 hurdles (46.87), and Braylon Burkholder was 14th in the Division III boys’ shot put (50-4½).
The Northwest Ohio Athletic League crowned just one state champion in Liberty Center’s Hunter Spangler, who defended his state shot put title (64-9) and was runner-up in the discus (178-8).
Peyton Boyer of Patrick Henry was runner-up in the Division IV shot put (43-2) and discus (137-3), and PH’s Kynli Crossland was runner-up in the high jump (5-5).
Margaretta won the Division IV boys’ state title with 44 points, and Gilmour Academy was runner-up with 40 points. Liberty Center was 10th (21 points), and Evergreen was 38th (4 points).
In Division V boys, Columbus Grove won the state title with 42.5 points, and Ansonia was runner-up with 39 points. Montpelier was 11th (17 points), Patrick Henry was 29th (8 points), Edon was 40th (4 points), and Edgerton was 51st (3 points).
In Division IV girls, Beachwood won the state title with 53 points, followed by Huron (31) and Patrick Henry (29.5). Liberty Center was 26th (10 points), Archbold was 42nd (4 points) and Swanton was 48th (3 points).
In Division V girls, Columbus Grove took the team title with 59 points, and Minster was runner-up with 44.5 points. Montpelier finished in a two-way tie with Russia with 16 points each.