Big numbers, big smiles and one big trophy came home to Galion last week. On Saturday, May 25, the Galion Middle School track team (seventh and eighth grade) ended their season with 11 new school records and a girls first place finish and boys third place finish in the middle school state track competition.
The team was coming off a big regular season. Both Galion’s girls and boys took home North Central Conference (NCC) championships. The girls squad had the added bonus and pressure of a perfect record. Out of 44 records that stand on the Tiger’s record board 11 were broken this year by 17 different athletes, some of them more than once through the season. Running coach Michael Moore said that had confidence running high.
“The girls have been automatic all year long. They’ve been on the money: the first meet [to] the last meet… It’s been a lot of fun,” said the coach. “Guys, we’ve been basically up at the top. But every big invitational, we seem to be like one or two points away from getting first place.”
For his undefeated girls squad, Moore had high expectations. “I knew we were going to win long jump, high jump, pole vault, shot and disc,” said the Crestline alum, “There was no doubt in my mind; we were going to win those events.”
The young Tigers delivered.
Eight grader Marisa Gwinner was the state champion in long jump, clearing 16 feet 1 inch. Fellow eight grader Briana Streib was also a top finisher in shot put with a throw of 40 feet and 2.25 inches.
Gwinner also took silver in high jump with a jump of 5 feet 3 inches, a leap good for a share of the state record. Her high mark technically tied with the state champion but was edged out for having more misses.
Gwinner and Streib added both added another second place finish. Gwinner grabbed second in the pole vault with a jump of 8 feet 6 inches. Streib also earned second place in discus with a throw of 98 feet 2 inches.
The 4×800 meter relay team of Kailey Amos, Kelsey Hoffman, Zoe McNabb, Julia Williams brought home second place with a time of 11:56.13.
As the biggest meet of the year arrived, the boys team found themselves battling through not one, but two cases of adversity. One member of the team became ill; another broke his collarbone. The squad responded by snapping three school records and earning a third place finish with 105 points – two points shy of state runner-up Dayton Dunbar.
Eight grader Harrision Ivy came up big for the Tigers becoming the 2014 state champion in the 400M dash. Because the middle school events do not run heats, Ivy had no competitors to measure his own efforts.
“He basically self-motivated and pushed himself hard,” Moore summarized.
The 4×100 meter team of Tanner Crisman, Mollencopf, Holden Windbigler, Takota Crisman took home second place with a time of 48.81.
The 4×400 meter team of Tanner Crisman, Zhamir Anderson, Max Mollencopf and Ivy put up a school record of 3:48.29 to also become the 2014 state runner up.
The win also came in the first year of coaches Moore and throwing coach Kyle Strauch. Their squad will be returning a few athletes who came up big for the Tigers.
Takoda Crisman and Zhamir Anderson factored into the dominant relay teams. Anderson served as the team’s anchor in three school records. Individually, both took home a sixth place finish. Crisman shined in the 200 m hurdles with a time of 28.66 and Anderson cleared 17 feet and 3 inches in the long jump.
On the girls side, Brianna Vandervort stepped in and helped relays halfway through the season. She would help boost the squad in breaking school records in both the sprint medley and the 4×400 meter relay.
“This group of kids is very special and work extremely hard,” said Moore. “I love how competitive these kids are, they will do anything to win.”
1st Place: Marisa Gwinner. Long Jump 16ft 1in.
1at Place: Brianna Streib. Shot Put. School Record. 40ft and 2.25in.
2nd Place: 4x800m relay. Kailey Amos, Kelsey Hoffman, Zoe McNabb, Julia Williams. 11:56.13
2nd Place: Marisa Gwinner. High Jump. 5 ft 3 in. Share of State Record.
2nd Place: Marisa Gwinner. Pole Vault. 8 ft 6 inches. School Record.
2nd Place: Briana Streib. Discus. 98 ft 2 in.
5th Place: 4×100 Mia Knipp, Brianna Vandervort, Ashley Sallee, Lydia Juarez. 55.56.
6th Place: Sari Conner. 3200m. 14:15.56
6th Place: 4×400 relay Julia Williams, Brianna Vandervort, Lydia Juarez, Julia Williams. School Record. 4:34.29.
FINAL RESULTS FOR GIRLS:
State Champion: Galion Middle School: 129 Points.
Runner Up: Dayton Dunbar: 89 points.
Third Place: Beachwood: 68 points.
BOYS:
1st Place: 400m. Harrison Ivy. School Record. 52.84.
2nd Place: 4x100m. Tanner Crisman, Mollencopf, Windbigler, Takoda Crisman. 48.81
2nd Place: 4x400m. Tanner Crisman, Zhamir Anderson, Max Mollencopf, Harrison Ivy. School Record. 3:48.29
4th Place: 4x800m. Kevan Hughett, Sam Rigdon, Kelby Knight, Jack McElligot. 10:27.46
4th Place: 4x200m. Tanner Crisman, Holden Windbigler, Zhamir Anderson, Harrison Ivy. School Record. 1:41.08.
5th Place: 400m Dash. Max Mollencopf. 55.82.
6th Place: 200 m hurdles. Takoda Crisman. 28.66.
6th Place: Long Jump. Zhamir Anderson. 17 ft 3 in.
FINAL RESULTS FOR BOYS:
State Champion: Valley View. 133.5 points
Runner-Up: Dayton Dunbar. 107 Points
3rd Place: Galion Middle School. 105 points
