Bolin wins regional title, Grover advances in three events on Day 1 of regional prelims
It may have been just Day 1 of the regional meets, but that doesn't mean there weren't any fireworks.
Plenty of top athletes put on a show during Wednesday's first day of the Division III regional track meets. Let's take a look at the highlights.
Division III Regional at Port Clinton
• Lucas junior Shelby Grover moved on in the 200 meters with a qualifying time of 26.25 in Wednesday's preliminaries. She posted the third-fastest time behind Calvert's Leah Smith (25.45) and Leipsic's Peyton Heitmeyer (25.92) and will look to punch her ticket to state in Friday's finals.
• Grover also advanced to Friday's finals in the 100-meter hurdles. Her 14.94 prelim time was second among all runners behind only Colonel Crawford's Katie Ruffener, who ran a 14.28.
• Grover then had the top time in the 300 hurdles (45.50) with Ruffener second (45.76) as both qualified for Friday's finals.
Division III Regional at Southeastern
• Crestview is off to state. On Wednesday, Wade Bolin gave the Cougars a regional champion in the discus when he launched a throw of 165 feet, 5 inches — 13 feet longer than any other thrower — to take home the title —
• Lucas' Grant Barrett also advanced to state in the discus with a third-place throw of 151-5 in Wednesday's finals. He finished behind Bolin and Dawson-Bryant's Perry Kingrey (152-8) but will make the trip to Columbus next week for the state meet.
• The Crestview 4x800 relay team of Tommy O'Neill, Logan Friges, Cooper Brockway and Gabe Smedley finished second in 8:12.68 to give the Cougars their first state qualifiers of the day. The Cougars finished only behind regional champion East Knox (8:08.69).
• Crestview's Shawn Bailey cleared 13-8 to place fourth in the pole vault and punch his ticket to Columbus next week. Bailey's height was the third best of the day but he fell to fourth in the tie-breaker.
• Plymouth's Caiden Allen qualified for the finals in the 100 meters with the fourth-best time (11.36) during prelims. St. Peter's Peyton Bodnar ran an 11.48 for the fifth-fastest qualifying time, and both runners will compete in Friday's finals for a chance to advance to state. The top four finishers move on to Columbus.
• Bodnar also advanced to Friday's finals in the 200 with the third fastest-time (22.62) in the prelims, trailing only Cristo Rey's Noah Carmichael (22.06) and Elgin's Cy Starcher (22.24).
• Bodnar made it 3-for-3 as he also qualified for Friday's 400 finals with a third-place finish in 49.83. Carmichael (49.20) was first, South Central's Carson Music (49.28) was second and SC's Trey Beverly was fourth (50.32).
• St. Peter's John Harris gave the Spartans another runner in Friday's finals with the seventh-fastest time (16.72) in the 110-meter hurdles. He will need to do some work in Friday's final to place in the top four and advance to state.
• Crestview's 4x100-meter relay ran the second-fastest time (44.19) in Wednesday's prelims, behind only Mount Gilead (44.08). It could be a photo finish in Friday's finals as the top six teams all ran 44.85 or faster, with only the top four moving on to state.
• Crestview's 4x200 relay advanced to Friday's final with a sixth-pace finish in 1:34.21.
• Crestview's 4x400 relay also qualified for Friday's final with a second-place finish in 3:30.51, trailing only East Knox (3:29.60).
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Bolin wins regional title, Grover advances in three events
