HIGH SCHOOL

Woodmore's Torres, Rothert advance to state

Matthew Horn
Reporter
St. Joseph Central Catholic's Chloe Liebold takes the baton from Jessica Drown in the 4x400 relay during Wednesday's Divison III regional track meet at Tiffin Columbian.

TIFFIN - St. Joseph Central Catholic’s Miranda Wammes knew expectations for the 4x400 relay would be high with three legs back from a group that qualified to state.

Wammes replaced Madison Kleinschmidt and is basically interchangeable with Jessica Drown, Chloe Liebold and Brooke Foster. The group, which finished first in preliminaries at 4 minutes, 4.9 seconds Wednesday at the Division III regional meet at Columbian, is typically within two or three seconds of one another.

“We knew we had a shot to compete again,” Wammes said. “We’re looking forward to Friday. We’re hoping to make a trip to Columbus and make it on the podium. We’re all so close. There’s no drama. We’re all friends.

“We all want it. I trust in them. We work so well together. We’re competitive. We want to win. It’s not just one of us out there. We’re tight-knit and that’s a key. We all have so much fun. We love it.”

Wammes, who enjoyed success with track in middle school, wanted to play varsity softball with cousin Be Reardon as a freshman last year. She re-joined the track team this season.

The girls were 0.18 of a second away from establishing a record in the 4x4. They set the record at the Fremont Invitational.

“It was an amazing race and it was typical,” SJCC coach Paul Grahl said. “We expect those four will throw the stick out there and continue the wave. The stick moves at the same speed around the track all four laps.”

St. Joseph Central Catholic's Ava Stepanic competes in the 4x100-meter relay Wednesday at the Division III regional track meet at Tiffin Columbian.

Sabrina Wooten, Natalie Cook, Blair Wonderly and Ava Stepanic were eighth in the 4x1 preliminaries at 52.60. Wammes was third in the 400 (1:01.36) and Derek Rosengarten was eighth (52.11) for the boys to advance.

“We had a couple poor exchanges and still got out,” Grahl said of the 4x1. “We’re in Lane 1 and we’ll work to clean up those exchanges and drop time. Everybody came in in position to advance to Friday or place in Olivia’s case.

“Everybody did that. They stepped up and advanced.”

Reinhart was seventh in the shot put finals at 36-0.5.

Woodmore’s Torres, Rothert qualify to state

Wodmore’s Mike Moreno asks his event coaches for input in determining captains. Sprint/hurdles coach Zeb George is new to the staff this season and had no idea Carly Rothert was only a sophomore when he suggested Rothert.

George should feel good about his choice. Rothert, who led the team in points this season, cleared 5-feet, 2-inches and won a jump off to finish fourth Wednesday.

“He thought she was a senior the way she carried herself and with her work ethic,” Moreno said. “Her maturity and her calmness helped her overcome the hugeness of going to state.”

Woodmore's Carly Rothert competes in the 300-meter hurdles Wednesday at the Division III regional track meet at Tiffin Columbian.

Rothert’s father, Todd, works with her on her jumps. He had to miss Wednesday’s meet because of priorities on the farm.

“She had to be mentally tough,” Moreno said. “We were translating advice by dad from home (on the phone).”

Rothert was sixth in the high jump at regionals as a freshman. She qualified to regionals in both hurdle events and the 4x4 this year.

Woodmore's Jessie Wegert races for the finish line during the 4x400-meter R-relay Wednesday at the Division III regional track meet at Tiffin Columbian.

She was first in the 300 on Wednesday at 46.48 and fifth in the 100 hurdles at 15.77 to advance. Emily Wegert, Jessie Wegert, Jordan Grzegorczyk and Rothert were 14th in the 4x4.

“I worked hard in the weight room in the summer,” Rothert said. “I needed to get some strength and it’s helped. You just do your best. I can’t hold it against myself if I know I did the best I could.”

Woodmore's Analicia Torres was fourth in the shot put at regionals.

Analicia Torres was fourth in the shot put at 41-9.5 to qualify to state.

“She came in ranked sixth or seventh,” Moreno said. “She didn’t let (the environment) get to her. She made indoor state and was a little overwhelmed. She used that experience to help her overcome and advance.”

Moreno said throws coach Jennifer Behnken has gradually earned Torres’ trust.

Jessie Wegert, Sam Sedlmeier, Noelle Freund and Grzegorczyk were 10th in the 4x8 finals Wednesday. Camryn Bench, Maddy Morris and the Wegerts were 12th in the 4x2 prelims and Liz Koenig was 14th in the 300 hurdles.

JT Atkin (long jump) and Ben Wilt (discus) were fifth to narrowly miss advancing and Jeremy Schiavone was 13th in the 400 prelims for the Wildcats’ boys.

Gibsonburg’s Wesley Campbell was 16th in the 110 hurdles prelims and 15th in the pole vault. Abbey Castillo was 11th in the shot put.

Lakota’s Hope Watson was eighth in the 100 hurdles prelims at 16.16 to advance.

Margaretta’s Emma Denman was fourth (47.39) and Old Fort’s Jenna Clouse seventh (48.22) in the 300 hurdles to advance to Friday.

Aleah Bailey (high jump) and Kassidie Stimmel (100 hurdles) were ninth for Margaretta. Dominic Muratore was 12th in the discus and Austin Emmons, Josh Stanley, Logan Schroer and Isaiah Ingraham were 15th in the 4x4 prelims.

Danbury’s Bri Adams was 10th in the high jump.

Devyn Smith, Cole Manasian, Robert Anstead and Mike Heilman were 14th in the 4x8 finals.

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