Smithville's record-breaking 4x800 relay highlights first day at Norwayne Regional

CRESTON — Maryn Erdman isn’t ashamed to admit that she was a bit nervous Wednesday in the 4x800-meter final.

The Smithville freshman, who was running the anchor leg for the first time all season, patiently waited at the starting line watching the final 400 meters of teammate Kaitlyn Carr.

Once she saw Carr pass runners from Mogadore and Rittman, those nerves turned to excitement.

Erdman was able to make that lead stand up as she held off the rest of the field as the team clocked a school-record time in winning the Norwayne Division III Regional.

Regional Track Preview: Rittman's 4x800 relay eyes Div. III title

“There were some mixed emotions,” she said, after the group ran a 9:33.63 for the win by nearly 11 full seconds. “I saw Katie on the back straightaway passing (Rittman and Mogadore) and it just felt amazing. When I come down the backside, I was thinking to myself 'I think we got this'

“With around 300 left I had my teammates shouting that I had a good 20 meters on them and I was like 'OK, I think we actually got this,’ Erdman added. “And coming down the final straightway I was like 'Wow, we're about to win.'”

After Mogadore stormed out to an early lead, with the team from Rittman right behind, the first two legs for the Smithies — Claire Haas and Cadence Amstutz — kept the team within reach of the leaders. Then after Carr’s kick on the final lap of the third leg, the stage was set for Erdman to bring the victory home.

The result was a program record by 22 seconds and passes the fastest time by a Wayne County 4x8 relay that was set a week ago at the Norwayne District by Rittman (9:33.38) and trails West Holmes (9:24.83) on the area’s all-time list.

Haas was an addition to the group this week as the sprinter replaced Jenna Necko, who helped the team to a regional berth last Wednesday.

We were prepared to go a good 15 seconds faster switching out those two legs, but not quite a 9:33 … that was shocking,” Erdman said. “We all went out there and gave it our all. We just left it all on the track.”

Rittman's team of Brooke Bowlby, Adyson Fosen, Ryver Ramsier, and Annabelle Snyder were third overall in 9:47.56 and will join Smithville at the OHSAA State Championships next week at Dayton Welcome Stadium.

Both relays won’t be alone as the area added a number of field-event individuals to the list of state qualifiers, one that is expected to group after Friday night’s finals for the remaining field and running events.

Dalton’s Carson Steiner set a personal record for the third straight week in taking the regional championship in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 14 feet.

The senior had a near-perfect day as he had just one miss before hitting the career mark on his first try. With the title wrapped up, he would try to clear 14-4, one inch better than the school record of 14-3 that was set back in 2005 and came oh-so-close on this final attempt just clipping the bar with his back leg.

Not too shabby for someone who cleared only 11-6 all of last season.

“I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me I would be doing this. I had over two feet of PR this year, which is amazing,” Steiner said. “We had a nice tailwind today, so I could get on a couple bigger poles. That helped me get into the pit and get a little higher.

“That wind helped me get more speed and get you farther into the pit so you could hold up higher on the pole.”

Loudonville sophomore Braden Carr was runner-up and will be making a return trip to state after his mark of 12-8.

A handful of locals were runner-up in their respective events as Haley Bittinger (shot put), Northwestern’s Jule Stoller (high jump), Rittman’s boys 4x8, and Evan Rastorfer (long jump) all were second.

Bittinger secured a spot in her first state meet with a personal-best 40-11½ mark, finishing ahead of fellow state qualifier Emily Thompson of Northwestern, while Stoller was one of three individuals in the field to clear the bar 5-3 to also make a debut trip to Dayton.

“This is something new, but I'm really excited,” Stoller said. “I felt pretty fresh going into it. Towards the end my legs were definitely getting tired, but I think the 5-3 jump felt pretty good.”

Rittman's 4x8 got an impressive anchor leg by Luke Snyder to earn a return trip to state as the group, which also includes Logan Chaplin, Caleb Bolender, and Bryen Valerio registered an 8:15.61, finishing ahead of Waynedale (8:16.57).

Rastorfer, a Rittman senior, also will be making his second state appearance, after missing all of the 2023 season with a knee injury. He did it in style, too, as he cleared a school-record 21-11½ on his second attempt of the day to remove any doubt.

Dalton’s Jace Eberly picked up the fourth and final automatic state berth, thanks to a career-best mark of 21-3.

“I just went into it with the right head space,” Rastorfer said. “It's a beautiful day, great competition, and I knew it wasn't going to be an easy job, so I just went in open-minded and whatever happens, happens.

“It took some of the nerves off (getting the mark early), but there's a lot of good competition so I knew the job wasn't finished and I had to keep pushing,” he added. “I'm happy, but the job's not finished yet.”

Collin Jones of Dalton was the lone qualifier in the discus, picking up a throw of 142-9 in the preliminary round that held up to take the final spot over Cardinal’s Max Soltis (142-0).

“That was definitely nerve-racking, but when it comes down to it you just got to put together your best throw and see what happens,” Jones said. “It's super exciting (to be going to state); I'm pretty pumped for it. You look back several weeks ago and you wonder where everything is going to go and I'm very happy to be here.”

Norwayne D-III Regional

Boys

Team standings (after four events; top-10 listed): 1. McDonald 23, 2. Dalton 20, 3. Rittman 19, T-4. Lowellville/Maplewood 10, 6. Cuyahoga Heights 8, T-7. Loudonville/Mapleton 7, T-9. Waynedale/United/Lake Ridge Academy 7.

Results

(Top four in each event advance to OHSAA State Championships;

winner listed along with local competitors)

Discus: 1. Drew Zajack (McD) 165-5, 4. Collin Jones (D) 142-9, 6. Hugo Hawkins (R) 141-7, Cade Herman (W) ND. Long jump: 1. Michael Ballone (Low) 22-6, 2. Evan Rastorfer (R) 21-11½, 4. Jace Eberly (D) 21-3. Pole vault: 1. Carson Steiner (D) 14-0, 2. Braden Carr (Lou) 12-8. 4x800: 1. Maplewood 8:12.12, 2. Rittman (Logan Chaplin, Caleb Bolender, Bryen Valerio, Luke Snyder) 8:15.61, 3. Waynedale (Nick St. John, Jackson Varner, Jayden Varner, Conner Reich) 8:16.57.

Girls

Team standings (after three events; top-10 listed): 1. Northwestern 14, 2. McDonald 12, 3. Badger 11, T-4. Rootstown/Smithville 10, T-6. Norwayne/Mogadore 8, T-8. Rittman/Liberty 6.

Results

(Top four in each event advance to OHSAA State Championships;

winner listed along with local competitors)

Shot put: 1. Brooklynn McIntyre (Ro) 42-11, 2. Haley Bittinger (Nor) 40-11½, 3. Emily Thompson (Nwn) 40-3. High jump: 1. Katie Grexa (B) 5-3, 2. Jule Stoller (Nwn) 5-3, T-9. Brooke Bowlby (Ri) 4-10, 11. Maddy Kate Wolf (Nor) 4-10. 4x800: 1. Smithville (Claire Haas, Cadence Amstutz, Kaitlyn Carr, Maryn Erdman) 9:33.63, 3. Rittman (Bowlby, Adyson Fosen, Ryver Ramsier, Annabelle Snyder) 9:47.56.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Track and Field: Smithville's 4x800 relay wins regional title