NEW CONCORD — The first day of the Division II Regional track meet will be one that Miami Trace senior Wyatt Cory will never forget.
Cory placed second in the pole vault, at a height of 13’ 10”, to qualify to the State meet in Columbus.
The Division II boys state pole vault competition starts at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning.
Zach Love of Indian Valley won the Regional title with a vault of 14’ 2” after vaulting 15’ 8 1/2” at the West Holmes District meet.
“I was in the 4 x 2, so I told them I was scratching,” Cory said. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to get (Love).”
The competition started at 10’ 6”.
Cory passed at 10’ 6” and also at 11’ 0” and 11’ 6”, choosing to come in at 12’ 0”, which he cleared on his first attempt.
He then passed at 12’ 6” and vaulted again at 12’ 10”.
Cory missed his first two attempts at 12’ 10” and was staring at elimination when he made his final attempt at that height.
He then cleared the bar at 13’ 2”, 13’ 6” and 13’ 10”, each time on his first attempt.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Cory said. “I’m excited. Last year I was sixth here (13’ 0”). This feels really good.”
What about the State meet next week?
“I think clearing 14’ 6” would be really awesome,” Cory said. “That would give me a top four or top three finish, depending on how everyone else vaults.”
Cory’s personal best vault is 14’ 3”.
In the 4 x 800-meter relay, Miami Trace placed 12th out of 15 teams with a time of 8:42.75. That team is comprised of Henry DeBruin, Simon DeBruin, Caleb Brannigan and Jotham Lewis.
Warren won the 4 x 800-meter relay in 7:59.30. Other State qualifiers are McDermott Northwest, Minerva and Sheridan.
In the 110-meter hurdles, Cory was sixth-fastest out of 15 competitors in 15.63.
Washington’s Trent Langley was seventh-fastest in 15.71. Both will be in the finals Saturday.
Macy Creamer, who did not take part in the 100-meter hurdles in order to anchor Miami Trace’s 4 x 100-meter relay, qualified to the finals in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.03, fourth-fastest overall out of 15 runners.
She will be in Saturday’s finals.
Washington’s 4 x 200-meter relay placed 16th with a time of 1:57.66. Those runners were Halli Wall, Kayla Welling, Bianca Nickell and Tabby Woods.
Miami Trace’s 4 x 200-meter relay placed 10th overall in a time of 1:33.50. That really consisted of Jake Atwood, Wyatt Cory, Josh Liff and Jaden Haldeman.
Miami Trace’s 4 x 100-meter relay made it to the finals with the fourth-fastest time out of 16 teams, 51.36. Those runners are Lilly Litteral, Isabella Vanover, Alyssa Butler and Creamer. They need a fourth place or better finish Saturday to advance to the State meet.
The Washington Blue Lion 4 x 100-meter relay team ran a time of 45.90, placing 12th out of 16 teams. That relay was made up of Jerome Mack, Langley, Jamie McCane and Eli Lynch.
Washington’s Rayana Burns made it through to the finals in the 400-meter dash with the third-fastest time out of 13 runners, 59.54. She was one of four runners to circle the track in under one minute.
Creamer was third-fastest out of 16 to advance to Saturday’s finals of the 300-meter hurdles in 46.99.
Washington’s Chloe Lovett was 11th in the 300-meter hurdles in 49.85.
Haldeman was ninth in the 300-meter hurdles out of 16 with a time of 41.01.
Langley ran a 42.82 in the 300, placing 14th overall.
Isabella Vanover was 13th out of 14 runners in the 200-meter dash in 28.03.
Washington’s 4 x 400-meter relay team advanced to Saturday’s finals, placing seventh out of 16 teams with a time of 4:12.15, which was 6.11 seconds faster than the time they turned in at the District meet. Those runners are Rayana Burns, Halli Wall, Chloe Lovett and Tabby Woods.
Miami Trace had unfortunate luck in the 4 x 400-meter relay, dropping the baton at one point and finishing 15th out of 16 teams in 3:42.01. Those runners are Jake Atwood, Henry DeBruin, Simon DeBruin and Jotham Lewis.
In the high jump, Jeleeya Tyree-Smith went out at the opening height of 4’ 8”.
In the shot put, Washington’s Shawna Conger tied for 13th with a best throw of 31’ 8”.
Teammate Hannah Haithcock placed 15th at 31’ 1/4”.
Also competing Saturday for Washington will be Sterling Smith in the shot put and Megan Downing in the pole vault.
Washington’s Cloe Copas will compete Saturday in the 1600 and 3200-meter runs.
Miami Trace’s Mallory Conklin will run in the 1600-meter event Saturday and Jotham Lewis will go in the 800-meter run.
Field events start at 11:30 a.m. and track finals start at 1 p.m. Saturday.
