OAK HARBOR — The bull’s-eye on Madison Henkel’s back doesn’t seem to weigh her down.
Shelby’s junior long jumper broke the Division II Oak Harbor district meet record in the prelims, then broke it again in Saturday’s finals.
Her winning leap of 18-feet, 11-inches in the final bettered her earlier mark of 18-9.5. That effort topped the previous meet record of 18-8.25 by Rossford’s Clare Logan in 2022.
Unofficially, Henkel owns the best jump in Division II this spring. She reached the elusive 19-foot mark at a tri-meet at Ontario during the regular season (19-0.5).
“I’m just so hungry for those 19s. I’m consistently in the 18s, but I want to be consistently in the 19s,” Henkel said. “I’ve got a target on my back but it pushes me. I’m competitive as all get out and it makes me want to compete even more.”
Henkel helped the Whippets capture the team title Saturday. Shelby finished with 78 point, three ahead of runner-up Oak Harbor.
Ava Bowman won both the 100 and 200. The senior, who missed almost her entire junior season with an injury, won the 100 in 12.18 and took the 200 in 24.93.
“I have high goals and expectations for myself, but I just want to have fun,” Bowman said. “Last season I was hurt and unable to run, so it’s just a blessing to be able to run.”
North central Ohio athletes swept hurdles. Shelby’s Karlie Walp won the 100s in 15.74 and Lexington’s Emily Thomas took the 300s in 45.56.
“It wasn’t where I wanted to be time-wise. I want to be in the 44s,” Thomas said. “I thought I would be a little lower. I’m only .07 off my season best, but I really wanted that 44.
“There’s still next week.”
Ontario swept Saturday’s three relay events (the finals of the 4×800 were run Thursday). The 4×100 team of Sasha Bulakovski, Emma Kaple, Tessa Crum and Audrey Mahon won in 49.43. The crew of Crum, Bulakovski, Mahon and Arialyn Bischak set new meet records in the 4×200 (1:41.84) and 4×400 (3:56.26
On the boys side, Ontario’s Xavier Trent won a district title in the 1,600 (4:23.29) while teammate Jace Young won the 800 (1:55.83). Both were members of Thursday’s winning 4×800 team along with Dean Morrison and Xander Chitwood.
“I’m trying to break 4:20 next week, so this was a good way to start the postseason,” Trent said. “I wanted to chill the first two laps and then move into the lead on the third lap and bring it home.”
Young shot to the front of the pack early in the 800.
“I ran a 2:05 in the prelims, so I was going to be happy with anything under 1:58,” Young said. “I wanted to get out fast and I was able to do that.”
Shelby’s Ferron Pena won the discus competition with a throw of 157-0. Clear Fork’s Julian Mills brought home a district title in the shot put on Thursday with a throw of 54-10.5.
Oak Harbor won the boys title with 99.5 points. Eastwood (78) was runner-up and Ontario (76) was third.
The top four finishers in each girls event and top six placers in boys events earned bids to next week’s Lexington regional meet.