Bryce McKinstry and Oliver Ellis pick up TRAC championships

FINDLAY – Maybe it’s something in the water.

Whatever the reason, Fremont Ross’ track and field teams are flush with high jumpers.

Two nights after Olivia DeRodes won the girls’ high jump on the first night of the TRAC championships, Bryce McKinstry matched the feat, winning the conference championship in the high jump with a jump of 6-feet-even.

Finishing just behind McKinstry, Hayden Lehmann cleared 5-10 to place fourth in the event.

“They’ve been jumping really well,” Ross boys track and field coach John Elder said. “Bryce hasn’t really jumped a lot this year so for him to do that was really outstanding.

“And it’s kind of cool because for the first time, I think, ever, in whatever league Ross has been in, it’s the first time boys and girls won the high jump at the same (championship) meet. I could be wrong, but I don’t ever remember that happening. It was pretty cool.”

The boys team placed third in the team competition, totaling 103 points, behind second-place St. Francis (121 points) and league champion Whitmer (179).

“That was really nice,” Elder said of placing third. “We got a lot of nice performances.”

The girls team placed fifth in the TRAC with 78.83 points.

In addition to McKinstry’s high jump championship, Oliver Ellis turned in a first-place performance in the 400 dash. His time of 50.74 seconds was 1.2 seconds faster than his preliminary time and proved he has left a mid-season hamstring injury behind him.

“I’m really excited for him because he looked really good,” Elder said. “I bet he’s 95 percent.”

Ross picked up a handful of runner-up performances. Devyn Jagodzinski placed second in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.84 seconds and Matt Kuyken was second in the 800, clocking in at 1:54.37.  Mike Thomas’ personal-best throw of 50-08.75 place him second in the shot put. He also took third in the discus.

“We had some good second-place performances,” Elder said. “Jagodzinski was second place in the 110 hurdles, that was really good. Mike Thomas threw his best throw ever to get second in the shot put.

“Matt Kuyken, his time in 800 was wonderful. We all kind of thought he’s got to get down to 1:54 if he wants to go to state and he nailed it tonight. It kind of leads me to believe he can go even faster.”

Kuyken, McKinstry, Ka’Von Martin and Ivan Starkweather combined for a time of 3:29.44 in the 4×400 relay, giving them second. Evan Starkweather, Ethan McClory, Kuyken and Kayden Scott also placed second in the 4×800.

In addition to DeRodes’ championhip on Day 1, Friday saw AnneMarie Moses add to her resume as she also brought home the league championship in the pole vault. While her winning height of 10 feet is far below her best vault, Elder pointed out the weather conditions Friday were not in the vaulters’ favor.

“The girls pole vault was into the wind, that’s why AnneMarie’s jump was not really as good,” Elder said. “For her, (the weather) bothered, but I think for everybody else it was just a nuisance and when we got going in the running events, I don’t think it bothered anybody.

“AnneMarie and Olivia are outstanding,” he added. “They did what we assume they’ll do every meet. They just perform.”

McKela Elder can be added to that group whose top-flight performances are just to be expected. Elder finished third in the 800 and fourth in the 1600.

“McKela Elder was once again very strong,” said John Elder, no relation. “It may not look like it on the place side, but boy she ran really well. When you add up what McKela has done, the points she’s scored, she’s the leader on the team in points scored when we get to the team scores.”

Jazzele Lindsey placed fourth in the 100 and fifth in the 200. The Lady Giants’ 4×400 relay of Madalyn Metcalf, Ashanti Elkins, Ashtyn Schneider and Kimora Rapp placed fourth – the highest of the the Lady Giants’ relay teams – and did so with a time of 4:14.41, dropping 10 seconds off their previous best time.

In the shot put on Thursday, Emma Jahns turned in a personal-best throw of 33 feet, 11 inches, giving her third place.

“She had a really good night,” Elder said of Jahns. “She’s been kind of frustrated the last couple meets. I didn’t get a chance to see her, but I think she just put it all together. She’s good enough to do that, Travis (Bates, girls head coach and throwers’ coach) expects her to do that and she came through.”

The Little and Lady Giants will return to Findlay next Wednesday and Friday for the district meet.

 

 

TRAC Championship

GIRLS

Team scores : 1. Lima Senior 122; 2. Whitmer 108.5; 3. Notre Dame Academy 104; 4. Toledo Central Catholic 100; 5. Fremont Ross 78.83; 6. St. Ursula 70.33; 7. Clay 44; 8. Findlay 35.33.

100 Hurdles: 5. Janna Sutton, 16.97

100 Dash: 4. Jazzele Lindsey, 13.20; 8. Talayiah Milton, 13.41

200 Dash: 5. Jazzele Lindsey, 26.73

400 Dash: 5. Kimora Rapp, 1:02.24

800 Run: 3. McKela Elder, 2:23.34

1600 Run: 4. McKela Elder, 5:26.14

4×100 Relay: 6. Janna Sutton; Ashanti Elkins; Talayiah Milton; Jazzele Lindsey; 52.76

4×200 Relay: 6. Janna Sutton; Jazzele Lindsey; Kimora Rapp; Ashanti Elkins; 1:50.14

4×400 Relay: 4. Madalyn Metcalf; Ashanti Elkins; Ashtyn Schneider; Kimora Rapp; 4:14.41   by 10 seconds

4×800 Relay: 6. Ashanti Elkins; McKela Elder; Hayley Wilson; Mara Brown; 10:38.10

High Jump: 1. Olivia DeRodes, 5-01.00

Pole Vault: 1. AnneMarie Moses, 10-00.00; 8. Faith Zimmerman, 7-00.00

Discus: 5. Marissa Overmyer, 96-02

Shot Put: 3. Emma Jahns, 33-11.00; 7. Olivia Baptista, 31-10.50

 

BOYS

Team scores 1. Whitmer 179; 2. St. Francis 121; 3. Fremont Ross 103; 4. Findlay 82; 5. Toledo Central Catholic 62; 6. St. John’s 55; 7. Clay 46; 8. Lima Senior 12.

110 Hurdles: 2. Devyn Jagodzinski, 15.84

400 Dash: 1. Oliver Ellis, 50.74

800 Run: 2. Matt Kuyken, 1:54.37; 8. Evan Starkweather, 2:09.27

1600 Run: 7. Ethan McClory, 4:47.52

3200 Run: 4. Ethan McClory, 10:11.92; 6. Zach Edmonds 10:33.13

4×100 Relay: 4. Maliek Johnson; Hayden Lehmann; Devyn Jagodzinski; Bryce McKinstry; 46.03

4×200 Relay: 4. Matt Kuyken; Bryce McKinstry; Ivan Starkweather; Oliver Ellis; 1:33.34

4×400 Relay: 2. Matt Kuyken; Bruce McKinstry; Ka’Von Martin; Ivan Starkweather; 3:29.44

4×800 Relay: 2. Evan Starkweather; Ethan McClory; Matt Kuyken; Jayden Scott; 8:28.62

 

High Jump: 1. Bryce McKinstry, 6-00.00; 4. Hayden Lehmann, 5-10.00

Discus: 3. Mike Thomas, 130-02; 6. Calvin Beckley, 126-04

Shot put: 2. Mike Thomas, 50-08.75

Pole Vault: 4. Keaton Jordan, 12-06.00; 6. Isaac Smith, 11-06.00