Aurora's Morgan Schmitt caps senior season with podium finish in the 1600

COLUMBUS — Morgan Schmitt enjoyed her first time running at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Good thing because Schmitt, an Ohio State commit, will be running there a lot over the next several years.

The Aurora senior's first race at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium resulted in a sixth-place finish in the Division I 1600-meter run Saturday, as she hit her main goal of running a sub-five (4:59.51).

"My goal was to break five because it's just a mile mark I've been shooting for the whole season," Schmitt said. "So I'm glad I got that and then the podium was just an extra bonus."

In her second race, the 3200, Schmitt passed a few runners throughout the middle laps to take 12th with a time of 11:28.67.

It's safe to say Schmitt enjoyed her new home, though she admitted that the bar on the inner edge of the track required some adjustment.

"I've only run with one other track [like] that," Schmitt said. "I just had to make sure I didn't hit that, someone else fell earlier today, but the track was nice and it was a nice firmness. I felt a lot of bounce coming off of it. The whole atmosphere was just fun."

Two top-12 finishes in the state.

A podium finish in the 1600.

The Ohio State commitment.

It was a fitting cap on a remarkable senior season for Schmitt, who spent a good chunk of the previous two years battling injuries, including a broken femur last year.

"It was just a good year because last year I was hurt, so I wanted to come back and just really make my mark," Schmitt said. "I just kept that in mind throughout the whole season to work hard."

Finally given the chance to show what she could do, Schmitt certainly did with an impressive cross-country season that included a league championship, a district runner-up finish and a 14th-place run at the state meet.

Track season was no different, right down to her state debut, when Schmitt showed impressive restraint early amidst a crowded pack of runners.

"At the beginning, I felt kind of boxed in," Schmitt said. "There were so many girls, all in the same spot, but I knew I would be able to get out and make my way up through the next couple laps."

Her splits in Saturday's 1600 were remarkably consistent — 1:13.78 in the opening 400, 1:16.96 in the next, 1:16.38 in the third lap and 1:12.39 to pass three runners on her way to the finish line.

"I don't really like to do either a positive or negative split," Schmitt said. "I like to keep it pretty even and then I looked at the clock on the last lap and I saw I needed to just go."

Schmitt was one of three Aurora seniors to compete Saturday as Aiden Henderson took ninth in the high jump and Lauren Tincher tied for 11th in the long jump.

"What's fun is that my first year, [with Aiden's] sister Corinne, I came down [to state] with a Henderson and a Tincher, [who] was a freshman, and then we come back with another Henderson and a Tincher and we add a Schmitt this year," Greenmen coach Kory Rorabaugh said. "It's been bittersweet and such a privilege to coach."

Tincher came an inch shy of making finals as her third jump measured 17-8.50 and a 17-9.50 was the ninth and final mark to advance. Still, Rorabaugh said Tincher was pleased with her day — with all three of her jumps topping 17 feet — and simply pleased to be back — she just missed state last year after making it as a freshman.

"She is that special kid for me, like an athlete that I know that [I] will forever have a bond and have a relationship with and I'm very proud of her," Rorabaugh said. "She's very happy with how she jumped today."

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Aurora senior Morgan Schmitt makes podium, Lauren Tincher takes 11th