SPORTS

Two of a kind: Galion jumpers earn state berths

Jon Spencer
Reporter

LEXINGTON – Galion's Houston Blair and Marisa Gwinner couldn't duplicate their district championships Thursday, but their confidence heading into next week's state track and field meet is just as high.

Maybe higher.

Blair grabbed the fourth and final state-qualifying berth in the long jump with a best of 21 feet-9 inches in the Division II regional at Lexington High School. It was three inches better than the leap that gave him a district title by an inch over runner-up Marques Johnson of Milan Edison.Johnson answered Thursday by topping 23 feet twice, including a best of 23-2.25 for the regional title.

Blair's response to Johnson's nearly two-foot improvement in one week: Why not me next week in Columbus?

"I could go out next week and jump 23 like he did," said Blair, who is also competing on Galion's 4x200 and 4x100 relay teams. "I didn't run track last year (when he focused on AAU basketball) and my sophomore year I jumped 20-5, so my goal this year was 21 feet. I hit that on all of my jumps today, so I know I can do way better than that."

So does Galion coach Colby Bright.

"Huey was about four inches behind the board on his jumps, so if he puts it together next week he could be right there with (Johnson)," Bright said. "I told him right now is just about advancing. I'd rather he be fourth here and pop a big one next week."

Gwinner was runner-up in the high jump by clearing 5-6. That matched the winning height by Clyde's Paula Wollenslegel, who had fewer misses.

Last year as a freshman, Gwinner beat Wollenslegel at districts and regionals and then lost to her at state. This post-season started the same way, with Gwinner winning a district title at 5-4, on fewer misses than Wollenslegel. So maybe flipping the script Thursday, and losing to Wollenslegel now, will be a good omen when it really matters next week.

"Marisa is starting to hit her stride," Bright said of Gwinner. "She's always had this rivalry with Paula, but now she's a seasoned vet. Last year you could tell her eyes were big and she was overwhelmed at state, but I don't think that will be the case this year."

Gwinner had one of the best jumps in the country last year for a ninth-grader when she cleared 5-8 early in the season. She's been trying to hit that standard again ever since.

"That was definitely a huge jump, especially for a freshman," Gwinner said. "But I'm definitely more conditioned this season and I've learned some things about the high jump, so the potential is there to pop a big jump.

"Mentally, last year, I was super nervous, but this year this was just like another meet, especially since I've competed against Paula the last two weeks and will be competing against her again next week."

Gwinner will be looking for a return trip to state in the long jump as well, when she competes Saturday.

"The high jump is my priority," she said. "The long jump doesn't come as easily for me and I have to spend more time at it. The high jump is just repetition, repetition."

Gwinner is grateful for all the support she gets from Blair and fellow high jumper Colton Moore, as well as Bright, who was a conference long jump champion at Bluffton University. It's Bright's brother, Darin, who holds the school record in the long jump at 22-8. If Blair should break that mark in Columbus, the record will at least stay in the family since the Brights are cousins.

"Darin said if the record goes down, he hopes it's Huey. He's good with that," Bright said, smiling. "He's going to come up from Louisville for the state meet, so hopefully that will give Huey a boost."

Galion's Houston Blair earned a state berth in the long jump with his performance in Thursday's Division II regional track meet at Lexington.

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Galion's Marisa Gwinner cleared 5-6 in the high jump for runner-up honors in Thursday's Division II regional track meet at Lexington High School.