HIGH SCHOOL

BU’s Maust, FC’s Wood win regional titles

Tom Wilson
Reporter

LANCASTER – There are several ways to qualify for the state track meet.

It took a lunge at the finish line for Berne Union’s Zach Maust, while Fisher Catholic’s Aaron Wood ran away from the pack down the stretch. Either way, both won their events in Friday’s Division III regional meet at Fairfield Union.

Maust held on by just two-tenths of a second to win the 400 (49.67) and Wood won the 3,200 by almost eight seconds (9:46.73), as both punched their tickets to next week’s Division III state track meet at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

“It was tough holding him off.” said Maust, who qualified for the state meet in the 200 in 2014. “I felt him on my hip and then I saw him. It was just all heart the last 20 yards or so. I just had to give it my all, especially because I wanted to finish on top.

Each year I have improved one spot and now I’m on top and hopefully, it just gets better from here. I feels great.”

Wood said he was not only surprised by his wide margin of victory, but how slow the pace was. Regardless, he was pleased that he is headed back to the state meet.

“It was my goal coming in to win the regional,” Wood said. “I wasn’t really focused time, I was focused on place. I knew what I had to do and I just needed to go out and execute . The race was slower than I thought it would be, but I knew if stayed close until the last lap, I would have it and I felt good.

“I was shocked that I was so far ahead and I thought it would be a lot closer. Hopefully, I still have more to give at the state meet.”

The Irish’s David Wood also qualified for the state meet with a second-place finish in the 800 (2:01.50), and Jacob Burley was third in the shot put (49-09).

“It’s a little disappointing because I didn’t make it in the discus, but it’s nice to be going back to the state meet,” Burley said.

Liberty Union freshman Sydnee Mangette finished second in the 800 (2:17.67) to qualify.

“I’m very pleased because this wasn’t in the plans this year,” Mangette said. “I never thought I would make it out of districts, but here I am, going to the state meet. It’s just all about working hard and staying positive.

“You have to have a really good mindset when you go into races, and for me, I can’t think about being a freshman. I just have to be confident and know that I have prepared myself for this.”

Fisher Catholic’s Mason Collier failed to qualify for the state meet with an eighth-place finish in the high jump (5-10).

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