OF's Miller places twice at state meet

COLUMBUS — Qualifying for both individual distance events at state is far from easy.Placing in one can be difficult, let alone doing so in two.That's why although a handful qualify in both the 1,600 and 3,200 each year, it's common for some runners to withdraw from one to focus on the other.But not Macie Miller.The Old Fort sophomore made her Division III state track debut Saturday and climbed the podium steps twice, finishing third in the 1,600 (5:01.51) and fifth in the 3,200 (11:08.13). Both times were school records.It was a good showing, especially considering she didn't begin running the 3,200 until late in the season this year."Last year I actually didn't run the two-mile at all and I was just full-time 800 and mile. This year we were thinking maybe we're a little better at distance; give the mile and the two-mile a try," she said. "I believe this is only my fifth, sixth time running (the 3,200). I didn't run it at all this year either."Doubling up actually works really well for me," Miller said.Miller was one of seven Division III girls who qualified for state in both races. Two of them withdrew from the 1,600, with both placing in the 3,200 — West Liberty-Salem's Megan Adams took second and Madeline Palmisciano of Grandview Heights ended eighth.Of the remaining five who qualified and ran in both, Miller was one of only two who placed in both races.Maplewood's Caleigh Richards was the other. She won the 1,600 and took fourth in the 3,200.Of the other three, Columbia's Madeline Finton ran fourth in the 1,600 and Myla Toole of North Adams came in sixth, while Rittman's Pyper Gibson took sixth in the 3,200.Miller said she knew the 1,600 would probably tire her out, but the sophomore wanted to make the most of her first trip to state track."I knew I was going to be tired going straight into the two(-mile) right after (the 1,600). But overall I felt really good today and got a PR in the mile and got a good time in the two(-mile)," she said."Last year, I actually didn't make it at all, and this year being my first time (at state), I think I ran really well and had an overall really good experience," she said. "And I'm proud of the way I ran and what I accomplished this season."Hopewell-Loudon junior Alivia Roerdink also found her way to the podium.She claimed fourth in the 800 after entering the race seeded a few spots lower."I was ranked seventh so I knew I had a really good shot (of placing), but with state you never know because all of us here were within five seconds," she said. "It could have easily been a battle between just who wants it the most at the end."Roerdink crossed the line in 2:16.79, just seven-hundredths of a second off the school record she set at the regional."I just thought, 'Oh, my goodness, I'm All-Ohio. This is all I ever could have wanted. I reached my goal,'" she said.In the boys meet, Seneca East's 4x100 team of senior Jesse Beckman, junior Korbin Beamer, freshman Taylor Young and senior Dylan Young finished eighth in 44.19 seconds.The Tigers actually ran 44.184 seconds, beating out the Liberty Center squad by three-thousandths of a second for the last podium spot.The foursome accomplished that in Lane 2, balancing being able to see the field ahead of them against tighter corners."It's not the greatest (lane), but I thought they handled it really well," Seneca East coach Ed Phillips said. "A 44.1 out of that lane is really good and I knew, when you looked at it yesterday, from third through eighth, it was just a couple tenths. There was no separation. One of the most competitive, tight 4x1s I'd ever seen."I told them, 'Just get on the podium.' So, to get on the podium after not getting on the podium last year was a big goal of ours and they got that," he said. "Couldn't be happier for them. To be All-Ohio in a sprint relay these days is as hard as it's ever been, and they got it done."