HIGH SCHOOL

Weis among Rockets set up well for regional track meet

Matthew Horn
Reporter

District track meets aren’t simply about qualifying to regionals. You also want to set yourself up to get paid.

Oak Harbor sophomore Alexa Weis won the 300 hurdles at districts the past two seasons. She started thinking about a repeat performance moments after her last race last year, and the event was her primary focus Friday.

“You have to set yourself up, and she grabbed a real good lane in the middle,” Rockets coach John McKitrick said.

Weis will know what to expect at Division II regionals Thursday at Lexington.

“I’m the fourth-fastest time going in. ... That’s the ultimate goal: to make it to state,” she said. “Our team has accomplished so much this season. We put in a lot of work all season long in the weight room, and the next few weeks are like payday on the road to Jesse O.”

Weis, Rebekah Rayburn, Karis DeWalt and Athena Eli won the 4x100, while Andrea Cecil, Rayburn, DeWalt and Eli took the 4x200. McKenzie Pluto won the pole vault as Oak Harbor’s girls earned a second straight district crown.

“It’s exciting to be part of a relay this year that finished first at districts,” Weis said. “It makes the experience so much more fun when you have four girls to share it with. I can’t wait for the 4x100, because it has a chance of advance to state again.

“I’m ready to be part of the experience and compete with the big-time runners.”

Oak Harbor qualified 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays to state and placed last year.

Weis also qualified to regionals in the 100 hurdles. She missed by two spots last season.

The Rockets’ Rayburn (long jump), Cecil (long jump/high jump), Jordyn Dunn (shot put/discus), Faith Konieczny (shot put), Ally Bloomer (high jump), Addie Barton (pole vault), Abby Dornbusch (400) and Annie Quisno (800) also will compete at regionals.

Eli, Quisno, DeWalt and Dornbusch moved on in the 4X400 relay while Dornbusch, Makayla Wagner, Taylor Dunn and Quisno advanced in the 4X800 relay.

Port Clinton’s Morrissa Mallory (shot put/discus) and freshman Hannah Mallory (300 hurdles) will compete at regionals. Morrisa Mallory bounced back from the Sandusky Bay Conference meet to take the shot put at districts.

Miranda Herevia, Morgan Dominguez, Abbey Weldon and Ashtyn Baney moved on in the 4x100 relay while Herevia, Mallory, Weldon and Dominguez advanced in the 4x200.

Baney, a junior, was district runner-up in the 100 and 200. She also advanced in the long jump.

Baney was 3/4 inch from qualifying to regionals in four events last season.

“How many people from my team did extremely well and are moving on,” Baney said of district highlights. “My relay team is going back for the second year in a row. I’m excited for regionals in four events.”

Genoa’s Jordyn Kreager, Cearrah Norwalk, Lauen Vizi and Carly Gose (4x100 relay) will compete at regionals.

Tyler Sievert won the 1,600 as Oak Harbor’s boys were district runners-up. Cole Weirich (100), Jake Wisinghausen (3,200) and Cody Pfeiffer (110 hurdles) will also compete at regionals.

Weirich, Isaiah Jefferson, DeShawn Johnson and Thomas Loope (4x100), Jefferson, Johnson, Weirich and Nick Damron (4x200), and Wistinghausen, Weirich, Sievert and Collin Hayslett (4x400) also moved on.

The Redskins’ Brandon Moore will compete in the 100 and 200 at regionals. He was seeded 17th in the 100 at districts and established a personal-best at 11.25 seconds to finish second.

Moore also established a personal-best at 22.91 in the 200.

“I’m looking forward to regionals,” Moore said. “We have to redeem ourselves from last year and hopefully advance to Columbus.”

Moore, Emerson Lowe, Darius Daniels and Cole Araguz advanced to regionals in the 4x100. They dropped the baton at regionals last year.

Woodmore’s Burner to compete in three events

Courtney Burner finished second in the 800 and 1,600 to qualify to Wednesday’s regionals as Woodmore’s girls were second at the Division III district meet at Gibsonburg.

Burner, Jessie Wegert, Sam Sedlmeier and Amber Zarella moved on in the 4x800.

“All I’ve been thinking is top four,” Burner said. “Nothing can be left on the track because what’s there to lose? At districts, I just kept positive and ran to place. (Coach) Lacy Nagy has really helped me peak. She helps me stay positive. She is a role model and truly has helped me grow as a runner.”

The Wildcats’ Wegert (800), Carly Rothert (high jump), Liz Koenig (high jump/long jump), Annalicia Torres (shot put/discus), Sarah Blausey (pole vault) and Jessie Sotak (pole vault) also will compete at regionals at Tiffin. Blausey, Wegert, Camryn Bench and Zarella moved on in the 4X100 relay.

Danbury’s Kian Lucas won the shot put at the district meet. Lucas told Lakers coach Drew Wicks that he knew he’d qualified to regionals and unleashed a season-best throw of 52-4 to cap off the meet.

“Kian seemed to get better the more he threw,” Lakers coach Drew Wicks said. “He just decided to let it go. I told him he needs to go to regionals with that same attitude. He definitely has a chance to move on to state. The hope is he can get properly warmed up for another personal-best.

“He has put in a lot of hard work in the offseason that has paid dividends. I’m really proud of what he has accomplished, and I believe there is more yet to come over the next two years.”

Bri Adams (high jump), Shelby Edwards (shot put) and Erin Uhinck (300 hurdles) will compete at regionals for the Lakers’ girls.

Jeremy Schiavone will compete in the long jump for Woodmore’s boys.

mhorn@gannett.com

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Twitter: @MatthewHornNH