Gahring, SE run down state track crowns

GENEVA — Owen Gahring anchored a pair of winning relays and ran to victory in an individual race Friday to spur Seneca East's boys to the Division IV state crown at the state indoor track meet, hosted by the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches at SPIRE Institute.Gahring ran the final legs of the winning 4x800 (8:12.27) and 4x400 (3:34.1) and added a win in the 800 (1:57.35) to help the Tigers score 42 points for the team title.Mount Gilead and Shenandoah tied for second with 33 points. Old Fort finished 14th with 13 points and Calvert tied for 19th with 10 points.Ayden Perkins and Bradley Smith joined Gahring on both relays. Evan Schiefer led off the 4x800, and Andrew Fay ran a leg on the 4x400.Ethan Shultz added a third in the triple jump (39-9) for the Tigers, and Schiefer ran third in the 3,200 (9:37.6).Calvert's Lukas Stultz also captured a state title, sailing 41-11 1/4 to take the triple jump. No other competitor bettered his opening distance of 40-5.Old Fort's Aidan Chapman, Aiden Dick, Jake Beisner and Henry Beisner claimed third in the 4x400 (3:37.87).Henry Beisner added a fifth in the high jump (6-3) for the Stockaders, pole vaulter Evan Combs took seventh (14-4) and Chapman ran eighth in the 400 (52.16).Carey's Brody Baker placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.84 seconds.Clyde's Damarius Chrisman placed in two Division III races.Chrisman ran second in the 200 (22.29) and third in the 400 (49.46). Sosa takes third in state pole vaultGENEVA — Bellevue's Lilly Sosa claimed third in the Division III pole vault Friday to top area efforts at the state indoor state track meet, hosted by the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches at SPIRE Institute.Sosa cleared 11-4 to take third.She also ran with Katelyn Turner, Hallie McCarthy and Amerie Wagner to end seventh in the 4x200 (1:49.48) for the Lady Red.Two local athletes also placed in the Division IV meet.Calvert's Shelby Michaels claimed fourth in the triple jump (30-7 1/4).Macy Schubach of New Riegel took fifth in the high jump (5-0).