COLUMBUS — The Sweet Sixteen.
This is what Ohio track and field athletes work for all season — and increasingly off-season as well; the State Track and Field Championships.
It’s all about peaking at the right time in hopes of at least making it to the podium at the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University.
As always, the Tri-County area is well-represented in the Division III ranks and had a solid representation in the Division II ranks.
That includes two entries trying to defend their Division III titles from a year ago.
One, the St. John’s 4×100-meter relay, will only have one veteran from the title-winning unit of a year ago: sophomore Cameron Hermiller. He will team with senior Nick Baldauf and sophomores Collin Etzkorn and Jay Leininger to run in lane 5 of the opening heat. However, their seed time of 44.17 is fifth in the heat and 11th overall.
Columbus Grove senior Cory Meuleman is back to try for a repeat in the discus and will attempt to add the shot put gold as well. His 164-6 coming into the former is tops overall. In the latter, his 57-9 1/2 toss is tops in his flight and second overall.
Two other locals would have to be termed the favorites coming into their respective events based on their seed times.
Hermiller is likely the favorite in the 100-meter dash. He will run in lane 4 of heat 1 in the semifinals; his mark of 11 seconds is tops in the field. He is also ranked 10th among all divisions.
Grove junior Heath Nickles, finally healthy, has the top jump in the boys pole vault of 15-7 (second-best in the entire 3-division field).
Likely the next-best shot of a top-4 placing will come in the 300-meter boys low hurdles. Nickles is in heat 2, lane 6. His 39.62 is third in that heat and fourth overall.
Jefferson sophomore Tim Sanders will run out of lane 3 in the opposite semifinal. His 40.07 clocking is third in the heat and sixth overall.
The St. John’s girls will have ample opportunity to pile up some team points but will need strong efforts.
Individually, junior Katie Grothouse is tied for seventh coming into the pole vault with a mark of 10 feet. She will jump seventh in the rotation.
Three-time state qualifier, junior Erin Calvelage, is in lane 5 of the 3,200-meter finals. Her time of 11:40.99 ranks 12th.
Freshman Allison Reindel is in lane 7 of the second heat of the 100-meter dash semifinals. Her 12.86 stands sixth in the heat and 12th overall.
Sophomore Lindsey Looser is also in lane 7 of the second heat in the 200-meter dash. Her 26.31 is seventh in the heat and 12th overall.
Sophomore Tori Recker is in lane 1 of the second heat of the 300-meter low hurdles. Her 47.52 is ranked last overall.
They also have a pair of relays in the semifinals. The 4×1, which finished second a spring ago, has lone veteran in junior leadoff Lauren Burgei. Along with Looser, junior Dana Martin and Reindel, that crew will run the first heat out of lane 5. Their 50.90 is ranked fifth in their heat and ninth overall.
The Lady Jays are also in the 4×2 semifinals. The quartet of Burgei, Looser, Recker and Reindel is in lane 6 of the first heat. Their time of 1:46.23 is third in their heat and fifth overall.
The Columbus Grove girls have possibilities as well. They have three relays in the semifinals. Their best chance of advancing and placing is in the 4-400-meter relay with freshman Paige Heffner, sophomore Ella Diller, senior Amanda Schroeder and junior Jaimie Lewis; they are in lane 6 of the first heat. The timing of 4:01.65 is second in the heat and fifth in the field.
Its 4×2 of senior Jamie Scott, Diller, Schroeder and Lewis is in lane 5 of the first heat. Their 1:46.58 is fourth in the heat and seventh overall.
Its 4×1 of Scott, senior Aubrie Stechschulte, Diller and Schroeder is in the second heat, lane 8. Their 51.04 is fifth in the heat and 10th overall.
Individually, Stechschulte is in the second flight of the girls long jump. Her mark of 16-6 3/4 is fourth in the flight and seventh overall.
Lewis is in lane 8 of the second heat of the 400-meter dash. Her 58.92 is fourth in her heat and eighth overall.
The Lincolnview girls have two entries in the state finals.
Junior Katie Honigford is in lane 3 in the 800-meter finals. Her time of 2:19.17 is ninth coming in.
The Lady Lancers’ 4×8 relay: sophomore Jordon Reynolds, junior Kylie Honigford, sophomore Brittany Katalenas and Katie Honigford; will run out of lane 1. Their time of 9:54.15 is 11th in the field.
The Ottoville girls have a lone representative: freshman Molly Maag; in the 800-meter finals. Her clocking of 2:20.63 is 12th.
In Division II, Elida has a pair of individuals and a relay in the semifinals.
Lady Bulldog senior Quinesha Dinkins is in lane 6 of heat 1 of the 100-meter high hurdles. Her 15.16 is third in the heat and fifth overall.
Freshman Quanisha McFadden will run out in lane 7 of heat 1 in the 200-meter dash semifinals. Her 26.64 ranks seventh-best in her heat and 15th overall
Finally, their 4×200-meter quartet of McFadden, senior Rosie Paris, freshman Toni Manley and Dinkins, will run out of lane 2 in the second heat. Their 1:45.01 is third in the heat and sixth overall.
The Division II running semifinals commence the State Track and Field Championships at 9:30 a.m. Friday, with the Division III running prelims set for 4:30 p.m.
The finals for both will be Saturday: 9 a.m. for Division II and 4:30 p.m. for Division III. Division III field events will all be held starting at noon Saturday.