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2023 Girls Track Overview Capsules

rob mccurdy, marion star
·11 min read
Cardington's Loey Hallabrin competes in the girls 1600-meter run during the Division III state track and field championships at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Cardington's Loey Hallabrin competes in the girls 1600-meter run during the Division III state track and field championships at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Cardington Pirates

  • Conference: Knox Morrow Athletic Conference.

  • Tournament Division: III.

  • Coach: Clayton Osborne.

  • Assistant Coaches: Andy Meade (jumps).

  • Roster: Dana Cosgrove (shot put, discus), Alexis Crone (400 meters, 4x400, 4x200), Loey Hallabrin (4x800, 1600, 800, 4x400), Magi Hallabrin (4x800, 800, 4x400), Maleigha Holtrey (SP, disc), Gracie Meade (4x800, 400, 4x400), Jillian West-Johnston (SP, disc), Sage Whetnall (100, 200, 4x200, high jump), Sophie Moloney (HJ, 100 hurdles, long jump, 4x200).

  • Notes: Osborne has been coaching for six seasons, but this is his first as the head coach ... The Pirates have a good core that will be competitive in races ... The team is working hard and pushing one another to be better ... With their numbers, they will be one of the smallest teams in the KMAC and won't be able to field entrants in every event ... They must replace Hazel Jolliff and Olivia Holt who graduated and Megan Greenwalt who is injured.

  • Comment: "We would like to improve on last year's accomplishments, be competitive when we can be and score points when we need to," Osborne said.

Elgin Comets

  • Conference: Northwest Central Conference.

  • Tournament Division: III.

  • Last Year: NWCC runners-up.

  • Coach: Jeff Ferrell (10th season).

  • Assistant Coaches: Tracy Hix, Maddie Gantz.

  • Roster: Sarah St. Germaine (Sr., letter, hurdles, sprints, regional qualifier 4x100-meter relay), Addison Holland (Jr., letter, HJ, sprints, conference runner-up HJ, regional qualifier 4x100), Hanah Rhoades (Jr., letter, SP, disc), Abby Seiter (Jr., letter, SP, disc), Shay Grim (Jr., 800, 1600, disc, 4x800), Zoriana Bakelets (Jr.), Nicole Domingues-Hernandez (Jr.), Jena Doss (Jr.), Leah Ahrmantraut (Jr.), Delainy Boles (So.), Madelynn Casey (So.), Julia Kuba (Fr.), Halie Leonard (Fr.), Halie Winslow (Fr.).

  • Notes: The Comets will be strong in the field events and sprints ... They lack experience and depth in the distance events ... They team has a good attitude, and it is determined to improve as the season goes ... With only 14 athletes and six with any experience, numbers are a concern ... Elgin lost state qualifying pole vaulter and regional qualifying long jumper and sprinter Tiffany Hix along with regional qualifier high jumper and sprinter Kenya Dillon and regional qualifier sprinter Brooke Mathews, all to graduation ... Four others decided to not compete this season ... Waynesfield-Goshen is talented and experienced in the NWCC as Ridgemont and the Comets will compete for the runner-up spot.

  • Comment: Ferrell said the goals are "to improve each week, find the strengths of each individual and place high in our conference meet. (We are) looking to find our best sprinters to develop another strong relay team."

Highland's Alexis Eusey competes at the Division II regional meet at Lexington in the shot put last season.
Highland's Alexis Eusey competes at the Division II regional meet at Lexington in the shot put last season.

Highland Scots

  • Conference: Mid Ohio Athletic Conference.

  • Tournament Division: II.

  • Coach: Chip Wendt (15th season).

  • Assistant Coaches: Satchel Denton (assistant head coach, long jump), Denny West (distance), Barry Myers (throws), Camryn Taylor (assistant throws), Jeanie Styer (pole vault), Mike Ryder (jumps).

  • Returnees: Juliette Laracuente-Huebner (Sr., LJ, HJ, hurdles, sprints, 10 indoor state championships, two-time defending state champion in the long jump, national champion in the indoor triple jump, Cincinnati signee), Izzy Arnett-Tomasek (Sr., middle distance), Emma Barnett (Sr., sprints), MacKenzie Blubaugh (Sr., sprints, middle distance), Alexis Eusey (Sr., throws, two-time regional qualifier in LJ and disc), Camryn Miller (Jr., distance), Gracyn Zerby (Sr., pole vault), Anya Taylor (Sr., throws), Kendall Rogers (Sr., throws), Josie Turiaga (Sr., throws), Lauren Garber (Sr., distance), Amarie Morgan (Jr., sprints), Abbie Pruett (So., LJ, PV, hurdles, middle distance), Kat Loeffler (So., sprints), Sophia Hinkle (So., sprints), Audrey Weaver (Jr., sprints).

  • Notes: The Scots have 15 more athletes out this year, and they bring back a strong senior class ... Highland had its best indoor season in 12 years ... Last year they were lacking depth in the distance events, but Wendt expects that crew to be much stronger ... They are gunning for Shelby as a league championship contender and postseason success ... They need to replace MOAC 300 hurdles runner-up Jade Disbennett, pole vaulter and jumper Emma Hinkle and All-Ohio sprinter Brylinn Tuggle.

  • Comment: "I want the kids to have a blast!" Wendt said.

Marion Harding's Abrianna Smith runs in the girls 4x200-meter relay during the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships in Harding Stadium last season.
Marion Harding's Abrianna Smith runs in the girls 4x200-meter relay during the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships in Harding Stadium last season.

Marion Harding Presidents

  • Conference: MOAC.

  • Tournament Division: I.

  • Last Year: Third in MOAC.

  • Coach: Christopher Schertzer.

  • Assistant Coaches: Bryson Faggs, Jordan Geckler, Dena Benroth, Robert Peters.

  • Roster: Sophie Beechum, Serenity Blevins, Breanndon Card, Lillian Chevalier, Lailianna Contreras, Beautifull Drake, Autumn Fitzgerald, Crimszine Flournoy, Mariah Glover, Morgan Harrah, Brynna Hartman, Sofya Hart-Sedykh, Suzannah Houpt, Saige Huffman, Annabell Johnson, Jule Kueppers, Ashley Martinez Ramirez, Kamryn McDonald, Gabrielle Neault, Jade Nelson, Sophia Pedraza, Paige Powers, Leah Price, Lydia Price, Crystal Ramirez Espino, Ayris Rich, Alicia Rojas, Sara Ortiz Garrigos, Layla Schneider, Brooklynn Schultz, Nyla Sharp Holmes, Abrianna Smith, Clara Sturm, Miana Taylor, Taliyah Thomas, Hope Wheeler, Shila Woods.

  • Notes: The Presidents will be strong in the sprints and sprint relays and will be solid in the field events ... They are untested in many of the field events, but new staff and changes within the staff will get them more competitive this spring ... The Prexies graduated a pair of high-caliber performers in Anaya Reynolds and Shealana Booker ... Two years ago, the Presidents were seventh in the MOAC and last year they moved up to third, so the hope is they can continue the trend of improvement.

  • Comment: "We just need to get some real meet experience to show what we can do," Schertzer said.

Mount Gilead's Grace Shipman competes in the pole vault during a girls track meet at Highland last spring.
Mount Gilead's Grace Shipman competes in the pole vault during a girls track meet at Highland last spring.

Mount Gilead Indians

  • Conference: KMAC.

  • Tournament Division: III.

  • Last Year: KMAC runners-up, D-III Central District runners-up, five state qualifiers).

  • Coach: Lauren Huelsman (ninth season).

  • Assistant Coaches: Jonah Barnett (sprints), Sabrina Bolha (LJ), Rachel Hatfield (PV), Jake Hayes (distance), Bob Henry (hurdles), Matt Scott (HJ), Melissa Shipman (throws), Brandon Strain (throws), John Bueschele (middle school), Hannah Crawshaw (MS), Jason Heacock (MS), Elle Hempstead (MS).

  • Roster: Ava Baker (So., distance, letter), Kate Kelty (So., distance, PV, letter), Olivia Long (So., sprints, letter), Haley Pfeifer (So., distance, letter), Kimberly Staley (So., distance, letter), Faith White (So., sprints, letter, state qualifier in 4x100), Darbie Dillon (Jr., hurdles, letter, regional qualifier), Shelba Fisher (Jr., throws, letter),Rebeka Clark (Sr., hurdles, letter), Madilyn Elson (Sr., sprints, letter, two-time state qualifier in sprint relays), Mikala Harris (Sr., throws, letter, two-time regional qualifier), Tatum Neal (Sr., distance, jumps, letter, 2020 indoor state qualifier in 4x800), Grace Shipman (Sr., sprints, LJ, PV, letter, 2021 state qualifier in pole vault, 2022 4x100 state qualifier), Karley Wallace (Sr., distance, PV, letter, 2022 indoor state meet qualifier in 4x800), Cassady Irwin (Fr., throws), Abby Leonhard (Fr., throws), Danielle Pohlkotte (Fr., sprints, HJ), Madalyn Shonk (Fr., sprints), Brooklyn White (Fr., sprints, hurdles), Claudia Herando Montes (So., sprints), Natalie Waugh (So., sprints).

  • Notes: The Indians have 34 girls on the roster and 18 are freshmen or first-year athletes, so there will be a lot of learning going on this spring ... Elson, Faith White and Shipman return with state meet experience, while Harris is a two-time regional qualifier, and Pfeifer and Staley will lead the distance squad ... Twot0me state qualifying sprinter Asia Jones and three-time state medalist distance runner Michaela McGill, who was a state runner-up in the 3200 last year, have graduated.

  • Comment: "The 2023 girls team wants to win back the KMAC title, which our 2022 girls lost to Fredericktown in a tight race last season," Huelsman said. "Staying healthy and fresh in the postseason will help us reach our 2023 goals and lead us far into championship season."

Northmor Golden Knights

  • Conference: KMAC..

  • Tournament Division: III.

  • Coach: Mark Yaussey (27th season).

  • Assistant Coaches: Mark Hunter, Todd Miracle, Dee Yunker.

  • Roster: Sarah Abrams (Fr., distance), Emily Ball (So., SP, disc), Harley Barler (So.), Lyla Bishop (Fr. middle distance), Maizy Brinkman (So., middle distance, distance), Ryann Brinkman (Fr., PV, hurdles, middle distance), Layla Castle (Fr., sprints, middle distance), Abbey Conant (Sr., HJ, LJ, sprints), Ella Creswell (So., distance), Autumn Driscoll (Sr.), Lizzie Erlsten (So., LJ, sprints), Brenna Headley (So.), Kenzi Hobson (So.), Natalie Hunter (So., PV, distance), Chevelle Jones (So.), Hannah Kanagy (Jr., distance), Chloey Keen (Jr.), Kelbie Kightlinger (Jr., distance), Kayla Kirkpatrick (Fr.), Kate Lehman (Fr., distance), Emily Littleton (So.), Macy Miller (So., hurdles. sprints), Julie Moore (So.), Allison Sheriff (Jr., sprints), Kiley Snyder (So., throws), Kate Statler (So., sprints), Audreana Whited (So., throws), Bre York (So., HJ, sprints).

  • Notes: The Golden Knights have a good group of hard workers ... Many of them are capable of competing in multiple events ... Of the 28 athletes, only six are upperclassmen, so they are very young ... Rachael Ervin and Kahlen Ball are two key graduates.

  • Comment: "With us being young, we are going to use the beginning of the season to try and put the girls in a position where they will experience the most success. We will work hard everyday in practice and try to timprove times/distances each week," Yaussy said.

North Union's Hannah Carney fires out of the blocks for a girls 400-meter race at the Division II track and field meet at Westerville South last year.
North Union's Hannah Carney fires out of the blocks for a girls 400-meter race at the Division II track and field meet at Westerville South last year.

North Union Wildcats

  • Conference: Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division.

  • Tournament Division: II.

  • Last Year: Fourth in Mad River, one regional qualifier.

  • Coach: Cole Krawczyk (fourth season).

  • Assistant Coaches: Penny Cunningham, Ivan Leavitt, Hailey Spriggs, Adam Brown, Sydney Bacon, Jerry Sparks, Brad Cunningham, Andrea Stineman.

  • Roster: Savannah Amstutz (So., middle distance, letter), Kaylee Brestle (Sr., throws, letter), Hannah Carney (Sr., sprints, letter, first-team CBC, regional qualifier 400), Evelyn Clark (Jr., PV, letter), Corajayne DeBoer (Jr., sprints, letter), Montana Donohue (So., sprints/throws), Lauren Hall (So., distance, letter), Riley Heminger (Jr., sprints, letter), Izzy Hutchinson (Fr., throws), Aunna Kasler (Sr., distance), Hailey Litteral (Fr., throws), Ava Smith (Fr., sprints), Kinley Smith (Fr., sprints), Gillian Stone (So., sprints), Maryanna Thompson (So., sprints), Kamryn Thompson (Jr., sprints), Josie Ufferman (Fr., sprints, throws), Kendal Walczak Music (Sr., distance, letter), Lindsay Willis (Jr., sprints, letter), Madelyn Zimmerman (Jr., middle distance), Dallis McIntire (So., sprints).

  • Notes: The Wildcats have a lot of experienced athletes so they know how to run races ... They are working really hard together at practice to become better ... Lost some athletes to softball so they are a smaller team and will try to excel in individual events.

  • Comment: "We have some athletes back that we believe can make a run to the regionals and maybe even to the state meet," the coach said. "But, as a team, we are focusing on the conference meet first then it's survive-and-advance from there."

Pleasant's Maddie Aurigemma competes in the girls discus at last year's Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Harding Stadium.
Pleasant's Maddie Aurigemma competes in the girls discus at last year's Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Harding Stadium.

Pleasant Spartans

  • Conference: MOAC.

  • Tournament Division: III.

  • Coach: Rich Nelson (27th season).

  • Assistant Coaches: Clay Cheney, Beth Lichtenberger, Ed Brown.

  • Roster: Maddie Aurigemma (Sr., letter, sprints, throws, regional qualifier in SP), Kalyn Kimball (Sr., letter, distance, state qualifier 4x800, all-league and district), Lexi Olt (Sr., sprints, hurdles, throws), Whitley Baumgartner (Jr., letter, distance), Kylee LaCroix (Jr., sprints), Olivia Pratt (Jr., letter, hurdles, middle distance, state qualifier 4x800, all-league and district), Whitney Waddell (Jr., letter, sprints, middle distance, state qualifier 4x800, all-league and district), Casey Kimball (So., letter, middle distance, state qualifier 4x800, all-league and district), Anya Miller (So., middle distance), Taydon Obenour (So., letter, LJ, hurdles, sprints, regional qualifier 100 hurdles, all-league), Marissa Rinehart (So., letter, LJ, sprints, regional qualifier 4x800), Lily Wright (Fr., throws).

  • Notes: The Spartans have a solid core of experienced athletes who have been in big meets ... Seven competed in last year's Division III regional and four competed at last year's state meet ... They are hard workers who strive to succeed ... With only 13 girls and one freshman, they lack depth, so they need to stay healthy ... They lost four-year sprinter and hurdler Grace Cobb to graduation.

  • Comment: "Qualify as many people as possible to the regional and state meet," Nelson said of the team's ultimate goal.

Ridgedale Rockets

  • Conference: NWCC.

  • Tournament Division: III.

  • Coach: Shannon Tilley.

  • Assistant Coach: Stephanie Thacker.

  • Roster: Amirah Jones (Jr., letter, 100, 200, 4x100, 4x200), Hannah Staton (Fr., 400, 4x100, 4x200), Mya Brown (Sr., 4x100, 100, 200), Hannah Murphy (Fr., 4x100, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4x200).

  • Notes: Due to the small numbers, the high school and junior high teams combine for practice so the older athletes can mentor the younger ones and hopefully grow the numbers ... They want to get girls to place in every meet ... The Rockets lost Hannah Cook to injury.

  • Comment: "Even though we are small, we have great morale and spirit," Tilley said.

River Valley's Jaxon Gilliam competes in the girls 100-meter dash during the Division II district track meet at Westerville South last year.
River Valley's Jaxon Gilliam competes in the girls 100-meter dash during the Division II district track meet at Westerville South last year.

River Valley Vikings

  • Conference: MOAC.

  • Tournament Division: II.

  • Coach: Andy Wheeler (third season).

  • Last Year: Fourth at MOAC, third at district.

  • Assistant Coaches: Aric Smith (boys head coach, distance, LJ, relays), Mark Starrs (sprinters), Bill Fegley (throws), Kevin Keller (PV), Scott Ruth (PV).

  • Key Returnees: Eva Moran (So., state placer in PV), Jaxon Gilliam (Sr., regional qualifier in two sprint relays), Eden Osborne (Sr., regional qualifier in 4x100), Lexie Stiverson (Sr., throws), Shayla Pappert (Sr., throws), Lila Mencer (Sr., throws), Reagan Hummel (Sr., throws).

  • Notes: The Vikings have 35 athletes on the roster and 15 letter winners ... The lost five big contributors to graduation: Annabelle Gandert, Catherine Starrs, Emma Hawk, Rachel Keller and Megan Diven ... RV will have good senior leadership and more depth than in recent years ... They are coachable, but the youngest team the program has seen in a while ... They need to gain experience and stay healthy.

  • Comment: "We always want to contend for the MOAC championship and have as many as we can qualify deep into the postseason," Wheeler said. "We also need to continue to work to improve each and every day."

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: 2023 Girls Track Overview Capsules