COLUMBUS — Shelby has some serious speedsters.
That was the message delivered by several Whippet athletes Saturday at the state track meet inside Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Shelby’s boys and girls 4×100-meter relay teams claimed gold in historic fashion.
Shelby’s boys 4×100-meter relay team of Brady Bowman, Brayden DeVito, Renner Gano and Gavin Baker finished in a blazing time of 41.30 — which set a new record time for the Division III state meet and a new best for Division III times overall.
It also marked the fastest finish in school history.
Clear Fork and Ontario also reached the 4×100-meter relay podium. The Colts’ squad of Nash Evans, Davis Hoeflich, Marcus Hoeflich and Devyn Oswalt placed third (42.03, new school best). Ontario’s Trevor Breitinger, Jermel Powell, Elton Toska and Tre Fowler finished in fifth (42.09, new school best).
Not to be outdone, two Richland County girls 4×100-meter relay teams reached the podium Saturday. But it was Shelby that stood on top with the team of Princess Timko, Ashley Montgomery, Karlie Walp and Madison Henkel — earning gold while setting a new school best (47.76).
Lexington’s squad of Tatum Stover, Sylvia Secrist, Olivia Thomas and Allison Laury placed sixth (49.45).
Another state champion Saturday was Clear Fork’s Taylor Bly, who sped her way to gold in the 400-meter dash (55.13).
Two Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference foes battled it out in the girls 4×400-meter relay finals.
But Ontario climbed to the top of the podium with a school best of 3:53.43. Claiming gold for the Warriors was Kamryn Pelphrey, Sasha Bulakovski, Tessa Crum and Audrey Mahon.
Clear Fork posted the second-best time (3:55.05), finishing just behind Ontario to take silver. The Colts’ team included Katie Beck, Quinn Stover, Asia Bechtel and Bly. Lexington placed seventh via a 3:58.92-performance from Thomas, Secrist, Mia Twedt and Laury.
More podium performances from Saturday
Shelby’s Baker placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles (14.22, new personal best).
Ontario’s Audrey Mahon placed fifth in the 100-meter dash (12.426). Fellow Warriors Fowler and Powell finished back-to-back in the 100-meter dash to place seventh (Fowler, 11.23) and eighth (Powell, 11.25) respectively.
Ontario’s 4×200-meter relay team of Mia Moton, Crum, Bulakovski and Mahon took third (1:42.05). Not far behind in fifth was Clear Fork’s squad of Beck, Bechtel, Taylor Richmond and Bly (1:42.80).
Clear Fork’s Katrina Neal placed seventh in the 1600-meter run (4:59.94, new personal best). Lexington’s Twedt placed third in the 800-meter run (2:12.87, new personal best).
