Track and Field: O-G sweeps D-II district team titles

May 18—DEFIANCE — It's that time of the track-and-field season when coaches preach to their athletes about counting to four.

At Friday's finals of the Division II district meet at Defiance High School, the top four placers in each event qualified for next week's Division II regional meet at Piqua, which takes place on Thursday and Saturday. Then, the top four placers in each event at the regional meet automatically qualify for the state track meet that takes place on May 30, 31 and June 1 at the University of Dayton.

On Friday, the second and final day of the Division II district meet at Defiance, Ottawa-Glandorf was counting to four in many events, en route to winning both the boys and girls team titles in decisive fashion.

The O-G girls and boys teams have now won back-to-back district titles.

For the girls, O-G ended the two days with 144 points, compared to second-place Otsego's 99 points. Bath finished a very close third (98), while Wauseon was fourth (65) in a field of 11 teams.

On the boys side, O-G recorded 117 points, while Bath scored 74 points and notched second. Coldwater (70) and Defiance (66) rounded out the top four teams in a field of 14.

O-G was coming off last week's sweep at the Western Buckeye League Championships.

"What we talked about was, 'Count to four. You need to be in that first four (places in each event to advance)'," O-G girls head coach Matt Burwell said. "Unfortunately, we had a couple of fifths (fifth places) in there, where girls didn't move on, but we had a lot of first through fourth places."

Burwell was pleased with how his team carried its momentum from last week's win at the Western Buckeye League Championships.

"It's kind of like what we said at WBLs. ... On paper, they had to do their jobs, and they did. There were a lot of PRs (personal records). There were a lot of great things happening. Our relays — all four of them advanced — three firsts and a second to Bath. Their (Bath's) four-by-four (1,600-meter relay) knocked off three seconds (off its school record from WBLs). It's been a dogfight all year," said Burwell.

Bath's 1,600 relay (Hailey Hale, Isabella Bartlett, Gwyneth Foust, Tatum Walsh) broke its own school record on Friday in 3:59.63. O-G's 1,600 relay (Brea Recker, Emma Heringhaus, Averie Fox, Corinne Closson) finished a close second in 4:00.35.

On Friday, O-G junior Anna Buddelmeyer ran away for convincing wins in both the 1,600 (5:12.13) and 3,200 (11:28.50).

On Wednesday, Buddelmeyer anchored O-G's 3,200 relay (Corinne Closson, Liana Fortman, Madelyn Hovest, Buddelmeyer) that won in 9:37.56.

Bryan finished a distant second (9:58.61).

"I was not so much focused on times but making it (out of districts). But I have that competitive side of me that wants to get first, and wants to get a PR," Buddelmeyer said about winning the 1,600 and 3,200 on Friday.

In Friday's 800, O-G took first and second. O-G's Liana Fortman won in 2:22.77, while teammate Corinne Closson was a close second (2:23.82).

O-G's 800 relay (Laney Hedrick, Savannah Recker, Alivia Grothause, Averie Fox) took first place on Friday (1:44.12).

O-G's 400 relay (Savannah Recker, Alivia Grothause, Delaney Duling, Averie Fox) won in 49.13.

In Friday's long jump, O-G's Savannah Recker won with a mark of 16-11.75.

"It was a pretty good day. I'll take it for right now," Recker said about her performance in the long jump. "It's pretty close to my PR, so I'm looking forward to next week and what will happen."

The O-G boys team made a statement on the track.

"It was a good day," O-G boys head coach Brian Heebsh said. "The kids kind of carried the momentum over from the WBL (Championships) last week. These kids are great competitors, and they have goals. They wanted to move on, and they know they have the talent to move on to the next level. We've raised the bar. The kids have high expectations, and they expect to meet them.

"I also want to give a shoutout to our coaching staff. We're blessed with a great group of guys. We all work together really well. I want to give a special shoutout to assistant coach Ty Closson. He's kind of like having a third head coach. We all communicate back and forth and value everyone's contributions."

O-G started the district meet on Wednesday with a victory in the 3,200 relay in 8:06.07. Masen Vogt, Ethan Metzger, Isaac Macke and Ty Rosengarten made up that winning relay for the Titans.

On Friday, O-G freshman Deegan Miller came away with victories in the 100 (11.36) and 200 (22.87).

Miller also anchored the winning 800 relay (Gavin Morman, Alec Schroeder, Dane Duling, Miller; 1:30.47).

Miller said that he is confident in his abilities.

"I was kind of expecting (to win the 100 and 200). I always have confidence in myself. I came here prepared, and I was ready," Miller said.

Ty Rosengarten scored big points for O-G on Friday.

Rosengarten finished a close second in the 1,600 (4:24.61) to Van Wert's Owen Scott (4:24.47). Later, Rosengarten came back and finished second in the 3,200 (9:42.29). Bryan's Xander Fackler won the 3,200 (9:36.26), while Scott came in third (9:44.23).

Bath's Walsh breaks school record, and advances in four events

Bath's Tatum Walsh was not only on the 1,600 relay that broke the school record on Friday, but she also broke the school record in the 400 on Friday with a winning time of 57.40 seconds. St. Marys' Syerra Greber was a close second in the 400 (57.76).

In Friday's final in the 200, Walsh (25.58) was edged out by Van Wert's Macy Johnson (25.51).

Walsh finished third in the 100 (12.66), while Van Wert's Kendra Deehring (12.54) and St. Marys' Syerra Greber (12.62) finished first and second, respectively.

Bath's Cole shines on the track

Bath's Ethan Cole advanced to the regional meet in four events.

In the 300-meter hurdles, Cole won in 39.71 seconds. O-G's Dane Duling was a close second (39.79).

In the 110-meter hurdles, Cole finished third (15.31). St. Marys' Ely McNeal won (14.91), while O-G's Dane Duling was a close second (14.92).

Cole anchored the 1,600 relay (Levi Luke, Foster Deters, Jacob Wireman, Cole; 3:29.61) that placed fourth and advanced.

Cole also finished second in the 200 (23.00).

"It was a pretty good race," Cole said after winning the 300 hurdles. "The first hurdle, I just got a little bit high, but I tried to stay in stride from there. Everything up until the last hurdle in the corner was pretty good. I was really happy with it though. I just want to keep capitalizing on these wins, going into regionals."

Elida's Reddick shines in the 400

Elida sophomore Elisha Reddick won the 400 on Friday (50.26). Reddick also finished fourth in the 200 (23.47)

"The goal was to get a good time to go to regionals and I was pretty satisfied with what I got," Reddick said. "I was trying to aim for 49 (seconds in the 400) today. I was almost there, but we'll get it next week."

**Full results for the Division II district meet at Defiance are on milesplit.oh.