COLUMBUS — One could only imagine what Katie Seyfang would do for an encore.
Less than 24 hours after winning the Division II State championship in the discus throw Friday morning, Seyfang was back in the field directly across from the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium to try to do it all again.
And she nearly succeeded before finally placing third in the shot put with a throw of 42’ 4 1/4”.
Autumn Mohan, the Unioto senior who placed fourth in the discus throw Friday, won the State shot put title with her first throw of the day covering a distance of 44’ 8 1/2”.
She could not improve upon that throw in five more attempts and neither could the rest of the field in a combined total of 45 more attempts by 15 competitors.
Seyfang began the day with a throw of 38’ 11 1/2”. She followed that with back-to-back fouls.
The 38’ 11 1/2” was good enough to advance her on to the finals.
In her second to last throw the shot traveled 41’ 1”.
Her next to last throw was a foul and her final high school throw kept her where she stood in third place at 42’ 4 1/2”.
Seyfang ends the outdoor portion of her high school career at Miami Trace as a five-time State qualifier, a four-time State placer and as the first young woman to win a track or field title with the discus throw on June 1.
“Gosh, what a phenomenal weekend up here for Katie Seyfang,” Miami Trace head coach Brent Noes said. “And her family and the Miami Trace track and field program, as well.
“For her to come out here (Friday) and be a State champion in discus and then to come back the next day and finish in third place in the shot put, you can’t ask for anything better than that,” Noes said. “It’s such a hard thing to believe right now that this has happened.
“She’s going to be up on the wall of fame in two events,” Noes said. “The first athlete in Miami Trace history to be up on the wall for two events at the State track meet.
“Katie was just about six inches away from Tia Burns’ school record in the shot put today,” Noes said. “I just can’t think of a better way for Katie to end her career at Miami Trace than to be standing on the podium up here two days in a row, facing this kind of competition. It says a lot about our District that the State champion today in the shot put was out of our District, also.
“The Southeast District has had a great representation up here at the State track meet over the last two days,” Noes said. “It’s just been awesome for her and her family. What a great young lady.”
“It’s a pretty good weekend,” Seyfang said, a huge smile on her face.
“It’s a little warm today, but, I try to work in practice on not letting the elements get to me,” Seyfang said. “Today just wasn’t the best day. I fouled a 47(-foot throw) that would have won it, you know?
“I take it for what it is,” Seyfang said. “I had a really good time. I tried to stay in it until the end and I did.
“Definitely God,” Seyfang said, when asked who she would like to thank. “It’s just an honor to be here. To share my life with other people and be a mentor for younger people, or older people.
“It’s a blessing to be here and to have coaches and friends and family that are really supportive,” Seyfang said. “I’d like to thank my parents (Mike and Ricky) and family and church family and friends. They’ve all played such a big part in everything that I’ve done, everything I’ve been able to accomplish. It’s not just me. There are so many people behind me, supporting me. They’ve put in so many hours, almost more than I have.
“I’d like to thank all of my coaches and school administrators and teachers,” Seyfang said. “They’ve really just been outstanding, doing everything possible. It really means a lot and it’s going to be hard leaving these guys.”
Seyfang departed Saturday evening for a week-long church camp in Missouri.
Then she is going to compete for Ohio in the Midwest Meet of Champions at Michigan State on June 9.
“After that, I think I have about a week, or two, then I go up to Bowling Green and get my physical done and then I can start practicing with them,” Seyfang said.
There is no question Seyfang has set a very high standard for all future throwers and track athletes in general at Miami Trace High School.
Thanks to the 16 points Seyfang scored at the meet, Miami Trace stood in third place early in the afternoon Saturday.
With teams scoring as the afternoon went along, Miami Trace finished in a tie for 12th place with Versailles, Hawken, Van Werrt and Tuscarawas Valley.
Washington was 21st with 12 points scored by Rayana Burns.
McClain’s Chayden Pitzer made the finals in the 100-meter hurdles and placed eight.
Beachwood won the Division II girls State championship with 38 points.
Buchtel was second with 31 and Chagrin Falls was third with 30 points.
Chillicothe Unioto finished tied with Beaumont for 17th place, each with 15 points, scored by thrower and State shot put champion Autumn Mohan.
