Numerous PRs set as Granville girls, Watkins boys rule LCL Buckeye
HEATH ― Charlotte Turner lay on her back, exhausted, on the turf at Heath's Swank Field. But as she rose to her feet, the Granville sophomore was able to smile.
After figuring in three Blue Aces' victories Friday, she was admittedly tired during her fourth event, the 400 meters. But even so, she was able to set a new personal record, running a PR 1:02.32. And her effort helped push junior teammate Avery Ogg (1:01) to victory as Granville continued its domination of the Licking County League-Buckeye Division meet.
"Track is sometimes considered a solo sport, but you have to bring the focus on your team, so it's a combination of both," said Turner, who won the long jump (16-7¾) and ran on two winning relays Friday before the 400. "For me, it's about the team. When you have a team like ours, it makes everyone better, because, in practice, you have to fight for your spot."
Ogg's victory (she had back surgery in November and missed the indoor season) was one of 10 on the day in 13 events for Granville, which piled up 155 points to easily claim the title over Watkins Memorial and Licking Heights, which each scored 70. Licking Valley had 44 and Zanesville 14.
Numerous personal records were established as teams geared up for next week's district meets. The Watkins boys won seven events and took the boys title with 125 points. Granville scored 114. Valley had 64, Heights 30 and Zanesville 20.
One of the Warriors' biggest wins, and PRs, came in the field events as senior Tommy Robinson cleared 6-foot-4 to win the high jump over Granville sophomore Cade Roberts after both had cleared 6-2.
"This is just my second year of jumping, and last year, Cade won and Marshall Carr (of Licking Valley) beat me for second," said an elated Robinson. "It's been a lot of practice. I was ready to do it, and I proved it. You have to stay prepared, stay ready, and the mental part is the main thing for me. I've always been able to get the height, and when I put it and the form together, you can see what happens. So I'm definitely capable of going higher."
Junior Joe McIntosh sped to wins in the 100 (:10.93) and the 200 (a PR :22.43) for the Warriors, while also running on the victorious 4x200 relay (1:30.69) with Jacob Holbert, Elijah Hardiman and John Apel, and 4x100 relay (:43.56) with Troy Blankenship, Holbert and Hardiman. Blankenship also took the 300 hurdles (:40.90) and Apel captured the 400 in :51.24, nosing out Granville's Corbin Bell who ran :51.82.
It wasn't the best race for Apel, who has run :48.6, but he was satisfied with the win.
"On the backstretch, I was getting pushed, so I had to pick it up a little bit," he said. "We have a lot of races, and I just wanted to make sure my team would win. I love it when I have good guys to race against. The coaches do a great job with our training, and it really helps me for football, because with the conditioning, I'm already in shape."
Granville kept the pressure on Watkins as junior Cohen Stump ran 4:36 to win the 1,600 by over 12 seconds, senior Owen Kirkham took the 800 in 2:00.7 and sophomore Callum Sproul ruled the 3,200 with a PR 10:15. The Blue Aces capped the meet with a winning 3:30.66 effort in the 4x400 with Bryan Sarrensen, Bell, Will Ebner and Kirkham.
Licking Valley senior Trevor Croak was excited to follow up his win in the shot put Wednesday with a PR in the discus Friday of 158-0, besting his previous mark by four feet and giving him the top discus effort of the day in either division.
"It's finally starting to click; now I need to make it happen at the district," he said of the discus.
He's a returning state qualifier in the shot put and wants to ascend to the podium.
"I'm where I want to be right now. I'm on the right track," he said. "I have 58 feet in mind and I've come close in practice, so now I need to do it competition."
He'll throw collegiately at Coastal Carolina.
"I want to show them that I'm worth their investment," Croak said.
Granville's girls showcased their depth throughout the day Friday, starting with Turner and junior Nora Carrington (16-4) finishing 1-2 in the long jump, then sophomore Annie McCracken (10-0) taking the pole vault with freshman Nina Brechler second (9-6).
The trend followed in the running events, as sophomore Ayla Cook shaved nearly a half second off her PR with a winning :15.7 in the 100 hurdles, followed by classmate Audrey Adams in a PR :16.1.
"We definitely get motivation off of each other, and I finally got my three step down," Cook said. "I finally put into action what we do each day."
Cook also ran on the 4x100 relay team (:49.86) that won by almost four seconds with senior Caitriona Sproul, junior Hope Mahl and Turner. The 4x200 relay (:1:45.84) won by nearly five seconds and included Sproul, Mahl, Turner and freshman Ivy Miller. To close the night out, the all-freshman 4x400 relay of Emma Treece, Clara Bethel, Miller and Melina Dennen won in 4:15.13.
Sproul sprinted to victories in the 100 (:12.9) and 200 (PR :26.23), while senior Kara Bergeron clocked a PR 11:10.51 in running away with the 3,2000.
Even the Blue Aces' second placers recorded their fastest times. Junior Sophia Poling ran with Licking Heights sophomore Addison Caudill for three laps before she finally pulled away to win in a PR 5:12, with Poling following in a PR 5:17. Then, Ames pushed Heights sophomore Emma French, who won the 300 hurdles in :48.1 with Ames right behind in a PR :48.93.
"My goal is to get it down to 45 (seconds) and I was hoping to get there today, but today was not my best," French said. "But it was great to get competition. I'll bring it next week at the district and run my best. Last year, I made the district finals but not the regional. It's my goal and it's been in the back of my mind."
Licking Valley senior Peyton Robey completed a sweep of the throws, winning the shot put Friday with 29-1¾, while Watkins Memorial senior Scarlett Lovenguth took the 800 in 2:25.37 in a race that saw the top three finishers establish new PRs.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Numerous PRs set as Granville girls, Watkins boys rule LCL Buckeye
