Division I regional track finals
Fenwick graduation 2012
Ponitz graduation 2012
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Friday, June 5, 2009
Double the fun: Christine Borchers wins D-III shot put for team-leading Versailles
All Christine Borchers wanted to do was be a part of something special for Versailles. She did, twice.
“This means so much to be able to help my team like this,” said Borchers, who won the D-III shot put (44-0.25) and was fifth in the discus (130-0).
“Our coach (Mike Goubeaux) has been telling us all week that we have a special team and that we could do some really great things. To be able to do my part and win, it just means so much.”
Borchers’ 14 points and 10 more from the Tigers’ winning 3,200 relay gave Versailles 24 points, good for the team lead heading into today’s finals. Borchers is headed to UD on a T&F scholarship.
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Good to go: Anna high jumper Laura Gehret successfully defends D-III state title
Laura Gehret was hurting to defend her D-III state high jump crown. Almost as much as her sore left takeoff foot.
“I just thought, OK, I’m not going to get any better if I don’t take a few weeks off,” said Gehret, who broke down in midseason with a sprained leg ligament.
She regrouped for the postseason, and is better than ever, clearing 5-7 to defend her title.
The event was dominated by area jumpers. Preble Shawnee’s Emily Amburgey was second (5-6), Ansonia’s Ariel Edwards fifth (5-3) and Fort Loramie’s Megan Fullenkamp sixth (5-2).
“There’s a lot of pressure (to repeat),” said Gehret, who’ll jump for Miami next season.
“You know you’re capable, but you’ve got to do it.”
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Can’t beat that: Versailles girls win D-III 3,200 relay
Versailles’ girls started the meet in the best possible way, winning the 3,200-meter relay (9:17.92).
Tigers anchor Mindy Henry held off a strong challenge from Bekka Simko of D-III power Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (9:18.08). Joining Henry were Mary Prakel, Kristen Schulte and Tammy Berger.
Gilmour jostled its lineup and nearly overtook Versailles, which had the best time in the field by eight seconds.
“People like to arrange their teams differently, so you can’t let early-on legs freak you out,” said Prakel, Versailles’ leadoff runner.
“Even though I didn’t come in first like it usually happens they kept a good head on their shoulders and did what they had to do.”
The Tigers will need more of the same to beat Gilmour. The Lancers won the D-III state team title in 2005 and ’06, tied for the title in ’07 and was runnerup last year.
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Now hear this: Bethel’s Kylie Kopp D-III state long jump champ
An army of relatives, coaches and teammates all offered encouraging instructions to Bethel long jumper Kylie Kopp. She whittled the well-wishes to their core: “All I knew was I needed to run faster, jump higher and get farther,” she said. “That’s all that mattered.”
Kopp flew 17 feet, 11.25 inches to win the D-III event on her next-to-last jump. More important, she made a winning statement to her three older brothers, two of whom played on state baseball runners-up and another who played on a state title hoop team.
“They all have state rings,“ said Kopp, who’ll convert to a heptathlete at Wright State University.
“It’s about my time I get something from state. It’s ridiculous. I want some bragging rights. And I didn’t have any until now.”
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Alter’s Borland 2nd in D-II state shot put
By Dave Long
Contributing Writer
COLUMBUS — The last day of Chris Borland’s high school athletic career was a good one.
“I couldn’t plan the story line any better,” he said. “except maybe winning the state championship.
“But we were all pretty much throwing for second place unless Hoty completely screwed up.”
Borland, who graduated from Alter last week, was runner-up in the Division II shot put Friday, June 5, at the 102 boys and 35th girls state track and field championships at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Stadium.
And he finally broke the 40-year-old Alter school shot record he had just missed the last three weeks.
His runner-up distance was 61-feet .75 inches, and came on his last throw in the finals.
The toss was good enough to break the school record of 60-9. It was Dr. Tim Quinn, a well-known area orthopedic surgeon and University of Dayton team doctor.
Matt Hoty won the shot put throwing 61-3.25, an effort produced on his second preliminary throw. The Sandusky Perkins junior had the best throw coming into state at 64-8.25.
“He’s (Hoty) is tough,” Borland said. “When he hit that 61-footer, everyone kind of looked each other. We knew he was on.”
Borland’s first attempt was 58-10.50. That put him in second place through the six preliminary throws and got him one of nine places in the finals. He remained in second until Justin Welch popped one 59-0.50 on his second throw in the finals.
Borland promptly responded going 59-11. “I knew I probably couldn’t beat Hoyt, but I wasn’t going settle for anything but second.” he said.
Despite having a sore hamstring, he unloaded on his final throw to hit his 61-footer.
“At least I got over 61 feet and got the school record, ” he said. “That’s kind of been a monkey on my back the last few weeks because I was so close (throwing 60-8 at league, 60-8 in the district and 60-6.25 at regional).
“Dr. Quinn said he’d buy me dinner if I broke his record. I’ll hold him to it.”
Borland didn’t have too much time to enjoy his state runner-up status. He and his father were on the road at 5:30 a.m. headed for Madison, Wis. Summer football begins Monday for Wisconsin recruits, including Borland who could be a linebacker or a running back.
“Pretty good senior year,” said Borland. “The shot put was great, but winning the (Division IV) state championship was tops because it was a team thing.”
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Area players taking game to college
Catching up on some college signings. Here are some recent ones:
Meadowdale’s Jeremy Williams will play basketball at Sinclair Community College. He spent last season at Miami University-Middletown where he led the team to the Ohio Regional Campus Conference regular-season title.
Alter’s Kevin Van Oss will play volleyball at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Fairmont bowler Ricky Brown is taking his game to Wright State University.
Fairmont soccer player Brad Bamberger is also joining the Raiders.
Three basketball players from Miami East are moving to the next level. Katie Mengos will play at Ohio Northern, Sarah Skidmore at Wittenberg and Rebecca Leffel at Thomas More.
Know of other signings? Let us know.
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Alter girls win state 3,200 D-II relay
Not returning to the state track and field meet in the 800 meters made Alter’s Catherine Crisler sick. So did a late-season bout with “a version of mono.”
Crisler was second in the D-II 800 at state last year and had trained hard all winter in hopes of winning as a senior. She also elected not to play for the basketball team — missing the Knights’ state semifinal season.
Weak, Crisler flamed out in her specialty at district. That’s why her 3,200 relay anchor at state Friday at OSU’s Jesse Owens Stadium was so special. The Knights posted a school-record 9:17.10, hammering runner-up Warrensville Heights by a whopping 11 seconds.
“Being able to anchor this and win it made up for everything,” she said. “When I got sick, I can’t even describe how disappointed I was.”
Junior Rebecca Esselstein made up a 30-meter deficit on her third leg, then put 50 meters on the field to set up Crisler’s clinching leg.
“(Coach Matt Sableski) told me if there’s someone in front of me, just to catch them and keep going,” Esselstein said. “That’s what I did.”
Joining them were sophomore Ashley Rodgers and freshman Olivia Albers, meaning Alter should remain in great position to contend for this race again. The Knights also won this relay in 2007 and were runner-up last season.
Timing right
Fort Loramie sophomore standout Janel Olberding defines versatility. She’s among the state’s best D-III cross country runners. Ditto for the 100, 200 and 400.
She was pulled from the 100 and instead inserted into the Redskins’ 3,200 relay. Good choice: Loramie placed third.
Olberding will be busy today. She advanced to the 400, 200 and 1,600 relay finals.
“I’m really excited for what’s to come,” she said. “I’ve set my goals as high as they can be. I’m peaking at the right time. Hopefully, I can have my best performance (today).”
It’s a (school) record
Alter’s Chris Borland finally surpassed Alter grad Dr. Tim Quinn as the school record holder in the shot put with a toss of 61-0.75, good for second in the Division II state track and field meet Friday at OSU’s Jesse Owens Stadium.
Quinn, UD’s orthopedic consultant, had held the record of 60-9 since 1970. Borland is headed to the University of Wisconsin to play football this fall.
She said it
“Compared to last year I felt a lot more conditioned. I have a little bit more energy left.”
— Miami Valley sprinter Elaina Cromer, who wilted after the daunting 100-200-400 triple last season. Not this year.
Cromer advanced to the finals in her specialty, the 400, placing second (57.90) to Fort Loramie’s Janel Olberding in their heat. Cromer’s only other race was the non-qualifying 1,600 relay.
Peaked out
It’s not unusual for girls to peak early in their running careers. Add Bluffton’s Bonnie Stratton to the list.
The “Blonde Blaze” swept the D-III 100 and 200 titles last season. She also won the 200 in 2007. This year, she couldn’t advance to the finals in either event.
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