Lancaster shot putters qualify for state track meet

• Christian Herold rebounded from a tough day in the discus.
• Hope Purcell qualified for the state meet in the 100 hurdles after earlier winning the high jump.

PICKERINGTON – Christian Herold earned a bit of redemption Friday, and it certainly was sweet.

The Lancaster junior and classmate Nik Curtiss each qualified for next week’s Division I state meet at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Herold placed third in the shot put (55-feet-2.5) and Curtiss fourth (54-7) during the regional meet at Pickerington North.

Herold had a rough day in the discus Wednesday as he fouled on his first two preliminary throws before falling short of the finals with his third. On Friday, Curtiss and Herold entered finals in qualifying position before Herold bettered his preliminary distance to move into third.

The pair competes at 3 p.m. June 6.

Senior Harrison Taylor finished eighth in the 100 (11.41), junior Mason Kieffer 11th in the 800 (1:58.82), senior Nick Bosser 14th in the 1,600 (4:42.37) and junior Ryan Edwards t-10th in the high jump (5-10).

In the girls meet, freshman Hope Purcell continued her banner season, adding a second state bid. She placed third in the 100 hurdles (15.25).

Purcell, who won the high jump Wednesday, competes in the hurdles at 5:15 p.m. June 5.

“I actually was a little bit more nervous for hurdles because there was a lot of competition, but I am very excited,” Purcell said. “This week, you really had to go hard in practice and focus a lot.”

Purcell was unable to better her personal-best 14.99 because of a strong head wind each of her past two competitions. Favorable conditions might do the trick next week.

“I still did pretty well,” Purcell said.

Junior Erica Campbell had a pair of heartbreaking finishes, placing fifth in the 100 hurdles (15.40), just six-hundredths of a second shy of a state bid and sixth in the 300 hurdles (45.02). Senior Katherine Brenstuhl was 10th in the pole vault (10-4).