LEXINGTON — Outfielder Hunter Biddle watched his Lexington baseball team lose a regional title Friday night in Bowling Green.
Sprinter Hunter Biddle was not about to see it happen again in the Division II track & field meet at Lexington on Saturday.
The senior anchored the final leg on Lexington’s 4×400 winning relay team in the final event of the day as the Minutemen earned 10 points and the team title on their home track. Lexington finished with 44 points to top Galion and Dayton Carroll, which tied for second with 41 points.
Orrville won the girls’ team crown with 55 points as Ontario and Pemberville Eastwood tied for second with 47.
BIDDLE’S BIG DAY: It was a sweet finish for Biddle, who also qualified for next weekend’s state meet with a fourth-place finish in the 200-meter dash.
“It was a big transition (from baseball),” said Biddle, who will play football for Denison University this fall. “Completely different sports. But I knew that baseball was over and I had a chance to continue in this one.
“I got a lot of sleep last night, woke up at 9:30 a.m. today and was ready to go.”
Lexington coach Ralph Baker praised his senior.
“Hunter is a true competitor. He will not back down from any challenge,” the 70-year-old veteran coach said.
Joining Biddle on the winning relay team in 3:20.75 were senior Tony Gerrell and juniors Mason Kearns and Forest Volz.
“As long as I have been running track and coaching track, I love it when it comes down to the 4×4 as the last event that’s going to mean whether you win or lose,” Baker said. “That’s just the real excitement of track and field … that last event. That’s why in my opinion the 4×4 is the best event in track.”
The Minutemen were not in first place midway through the final relay.
“Being in first in the 4×4 is not necessarily an advantage, as long as you’re in contention and you know you can do it. We knew our anchor (Biddle) was solid and he ran his best ever so that’s how it works out,” Baker said.
WINNING EFFORT: Lexington’s 4×800 relay team also finished first when the meet began on Thursday. That team consists of Kearns, Volz, junior Ryan Johnston and sophomore Kyle Johnston, finishing in 7:54.07.
“We have two (relay) teams that have an honest shot at winning state titles,” said Baker, whose team finished second at the state meet last year.
Is a state team title possible?
“You look at the points and the things we have to do next week … it’s possible. All you can ask is the kids do their best,” Baker said.
“We got some points today from kids we didn’t expect in events we didn’t expect. (Forest Volz) got eighth in the high jump and that’s a point. We got a point from (senior) Carson Dunn in the 400. (Senior Caleb Heller) got us a point in the 300 hurdles we didn’t expect.
“That’s three points right there … what was the final team score? We won by three points,” Baker said.
Other Lexington state qualifiers were Ryan Johnston, second in the 1600 and sophomore Kyle Johnston, fourth in the 3200.
ONTARIO GIRLS STRONG: Senior Rachel Miller led Ontario’s strong performance by qualifying for Columbus in two individual events and anchoring the winning 4×200 relay team.
Miller won the 300-hurdles in 44:57 and was third in the 100-hurdles. She joined senior Amanda Kuenzli, junior Madeline Collins and freshman Alex Jacobs to win the relay in 1:44.03.
Midway through the busy day, Miller was smiling.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said. “Lots of things can happen good or bad. You can be confident (going into a race), but you never think you have it in the bag.”
Ontario coach Mike Lyons was pleased with his team’s performance.
“We knew that if we ran well, we had a chance to be top three. Everyone performed well (in the last three days). We are going to miss three great seniors when this season is over. It’s been a good ride.”
Also winning a title for Ontario was the 4×800 relay team of seniors Brittany McCauley and Kuenzli, joined by sophomore Anna Gregg and freshman Grace Mauer.
McCauley also qualified for the state meet in the 3200, finishing third.
GALION ROARS: Galion qualified for state in three individual events and in two relays, led by senior Colin McCullough.
McCullough won the 300-meter hurdles in 38.05 and was second in the 100 hurdles. He anchored the winning 4×200 relay team with senior Caleb Ivy and juniors Takoda Crisman and Harrison Ivy, finishing in 1:28.91.
McCullough also ran a leg on Galion’s second-place 4×400 relay team, joining Crisman, Harrison Ivy and sophomore Colbey Fox. Harrison Ivey also qualified for state in the 400-meter dash, finishing fourth.
Ontario’s boys also had a busy day, led by junior Ethan Pensante. He was third in the 200-meter dash and anchored two relay teams that qualified for Columbus.
The Ontario 4×100 team of Pensante and seniors Jaquan Jackson, Treyvian Jordan and Will Taylor finished first in 43.27. The Ontario 4×200 team of Pensante, Jackson, Jordan and junior Lyle Scott was fourth.
Shelby boys qualified two runners for Columbus. Freshman Caleb Brown led much of the race before finishing third in the 3200. Senior Danny Friebel was fourth in the 800-meter race.
DISTANCE ACE: Lexington senior Mackenna Curtis-Collins won the 800-meter race in 5:02.54 while junior teammate Olivia Wolfe finished fourth, also qualifying for Columbus.’
The Lexington 4×800 relay team of Curtis-Collins, senior Whitney Wendling, Wolfe and freshman Tessa Gerhardt finished fourth, qualifying for the state meet.
Galion junior Marisa Gwinner won the high jump with a leap of 5-5. The Galion 4×100 relay team of senior Leah Tressel, junior Abby Schroeder, junior Katelyn Miller and freshman Jamie Schmeltz finished second.
Shelby’s 4×400 relay team of senior Kennadie Goth, sophomore Maddie Heimlich, sophomore Makenna Heimlich and freshman Kearsten Morrison was second. Senior Jamie Blunt earned a trip to Columbus for the Whippets by finishing fourth in the pole vault.
