DAYTON, OHIO: May 31 – Although their ranks were trimmed down from those that advanced out of the D-II Districts, the Wauseon Indians more than proved their mettle at the May 29 and 31 D-II Regionals at Perc Welcome Stadium in Dayton. Six athletes will be advancing in eight events to the June 6 and 7 D-II State Tournament at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.
The opening event saw the Lady Indians edged out of qualifications for Columbus in the 4 x 800 relay. The team of Kylie Archibeque, Megan Beck, Aneesa Volkman and Taylor Vernot finished in fifth place, slightly over a second out of the fourth and final qualifying spot.
If there was any letdown as a result of the 4 x 800 event, it certainly did not show in the performance of Vernot in the next event for which Wauseon qualified at Regionals. The reigning D-II Girls’ Cross Country Champion showed that her skills are undiminished, as she was one of only two girls in all four Ohio D-II regions to finish the 1600 in less than 5:00. Her time of 4:59.03 won the D-II Region 8 event, and was a convincing endorsement of her credentials to return to Columbus. She also placed third in the 3200, earning a second invitation to the State event.
The Lady Indians will have additional representation in the capitol city. Seneca Wyse, who just missed out on qualifying in the long jump, punched her ticket out in the 400 with a fourth place finish. The power tandem of Sally Frank and Brandi Thompson were edged out of consideration in the discus, but Thompson rebounded to place third in the shot, earning her a call from Columbus.
The following Lady Indians’ finishes were posted by event…
3 – Wauseon – 43
Event 1 Girls 4×800 Meter Relay
5 – Wauseon – 9:47.66
Event 9 Girls 1600 Meter Run
1 – Taylor Vernot – 4:59.03
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
Event 13 Girls 400 Meter Dash
4 – Seneca Wyse – 57.54
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
8 – Haley Archibeque – 60.49
Event 21 Girls 3200 Meter Run
3 – Taylor Vernot – 11:07.86
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
Event 25 Girls Discus Throw
5 – Sally Frank – 119-10
6 – Brandi Thompson – 114-07
Event 29 Girls Long Jump
5 – Seneca Wyse – 16-08.75
Event 31 Girls Shot Put
3 – Brandi Thompson – 38-10.25
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
For all the successes posted by the Lady Indians, the boys were equally as successful, and then some. Quintin Reiser was unable to get out in the 800, but his second place finish in the 1600 punched his ticket to Columbus.
Kris Boysel took part in the high jump and the long jump, and found success in both. His leap of 21′ 6.75″ in the long jump placed second, and a 6′ 3″ flight took fourth in the high jump, giving him admittance to the State Finals in both events.
Possibly the most convincing performance of the Tribe came from the arm of Noah Castle. Although he was eliminated in the shot put competition, he owned the discus event. His launch of 179′ 4″ was not just the best of all measurements in the four Ohio Division II regions, it shattered the D-II Region 8 discus record of 171′ 1″ previously set by T.J. Lyons of St. Paris Graham Local in 2005. He will arrive in Columbus as the man to beat for the Ohio D-II Discus Championship, and will prove to be tough to beat.
The following Tribe finishes were posted by event…
3 – Wauseon – 35
Event 10 Boys 1600 Meter Run
2 – Quintin Reiser – 4:23.13
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
Event 18 Boys 800 Meter Run
11 – Quintin Reiser – 2:03.06
Event 26 Boys Discus Throw
1 – Noah Castle – 179-04
* New OHSAA D-II Region 8 Record *
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
Event 28 Boys High Jump
4 – Kristopher Boysel – J6-03.00
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
Event 30 Boys Long Jump
2 – Kristopher Boysel – 21-06.75
* D-II State Finals Qualifier *
Event 32 Boys Shot Put
8 – Noah Castle – 45-11.50