COLUMBUS — Trevor Vogt capped off a rocky post-season with a stellar effort in the 300-meter hurdles here Saturday morning.
The Colonel Crawford junior ran a 39.27, marking his 7th time drop over the past month. It was good enough for a fourth-place finish and a spot on the podium at the OHSAA state track and field meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
“It’s so brutal,” Vogt said of the final 25 meters. “I got off hard and I ran a .23 PR again. It’s just the final stretch will get you. It’s so hard. All these dudes are really fast.”
Ottoville’s Kellen Schlagbaum ran a 38.6 to win the event.
“I had to try to compete with him to try and win a state title. They outran me. I knew the one guy ran a 38. Those are some fast dudes out there so it’s hard,” Vogt said.
“The kid in lane 6 (Cameron Corrothers of Trinity), I was trying to get to his hip and try to pass him, maybe get second. Then I saw the Edgerton kid (Carter Herman) on my hip and I’m like, ‘Oh, crap.’ I didn’t have much left in the tank. I tried to give it my all, but he had more kick than I did.”
Vogt said all-Ohio recognition means a lot to him.
“It’s great to get top 5 in the state. I was expecting to get the 110 hurdles and it didn’t happen. It feels great to finally get it,” he said.
Regarding next year, Vogt said, “I’d like to repeat and do even better. It’s about all I can do.”
Vogt and Eagles and Lady Eagles teammates kept their strong state showing intact with several podium appearances.
RELAY PLACES: Seneca East’s Lilly Schiefer and Crawford’s Cecilia Chase both placed in the 1600-meter run.
Chase got 5th (5:06.10) and Schiefer 7th (5:06.32).
In the 3200-meter run, Schiefer again took 7th and Chase 13th.
Schiefer admits she’s a numbers geek.
“I’m one person that would go through all the heat sheets before the meet and write down everybody’s PRs, because numbers are my thing and I just like to be really prepared. That’s something my coach does also,” she said.
“I didn’t do it for the 2-mile for state, so I was going into it blind. Coach had done some numbers, but we wanted to see how the race goes because districts and regionals is the top 3 girls for me. They’re my friends and competition. I run with them a lot and in cross country.
“I tagged along around 8th place and just hoped to get podium,” Schiefer said.
The 90-degree heat challenged all the competitors’ conditioning.
“I did lots of mileage close to my cross-country mileage, like 5 miles less per week. I didn’t cut much mileage because that didn’t work in the past. So, we were trying something new. Not looking at the times, not cutting mileage and just see what I can do, and it paid off.”
Schiefer said one PR she hasn’t reached is that of her mother, Niki (Hines) Schiefer in the 3200.
“I still got one more year. She’s my inspiration.”
LADY EAGLES SOAR: The quartet of Mira Holt, Gabby Roston, Rylee, and Reagan Ritzhaupt took 5th in the girls 4X400 meter relay.
“Coming here last year we didn’t do what we wanted. And to come back and get fifth is great with the same group of girls,” Holt said.
They ran a 4:02.40.
“We’ve been thinking about this all season. Being at a bigger meet, our nerves and excitement gets to us,” Rylee added.
Holt said teamwork plays a critical part in relays.
“Handoffs and everything, nobody really knows how important those are to get you in the right position. Our coaches have been great getting us where we need to be.”
Roston said the post-season meets bring out their best.
“Our adrenaline is up at these big meets so that makes us go faster. But knowing what happened last year also made us run faster.”
In the 4X100, Hailey Slagle edged out a pack for fifth place time of 50.42 and a new PR. Slagle joined Reagan, Holt, and Ayla McKibben.
STONE’S THROW: Galion junior Miranda Stone took home a 6th place medal with a throw of 39-feet, 7 inches in Division II.
“It didn’t go as planned. Part of it is the ring over there is super slick. You gotta adjust to your surroundings. There were a lot of fouls,” she said.
“I didn’t really try to change anything because I thought that would mess with me more than how slick the ring was.
“It’s good going into next year and I’m proud of myself because last year I didn’t even make it to regionals and now I’m all-Ohio. I’m excited for next year and indoors,” Stone said.
Makenna Rudy of Salem won the event with a throw of 42-feet, 7 and 3/4 inches.
TIGERS FOURSOME: The team of Gabe Ivy, Jack Hart, Zach Sallee and Jacob Chambers reached the podium in the boys 4X100 relay.
“It was a blessing,” Hart said. “I’m really proud of this group of guys. We’re all committed, and all want it just as badly.”
Their PR time of 42.93 earned the quartet a 7th-place spot.
Hart is a senior, Ivy a junior and Sallee and Chambers are freshmen.
“It was surprising with the two freshmen, but I know what they’re capable of. I’m confident in everything they do.”
The freshmen said they were nervous.
Ivy, a standout football player, said it was “amazing” to run in the state meet.
“Last year our group of guys came up short at regionals. I just wanted to get here this year,” he said.
Ivy joked about the “Ivy curse” and dropping the baton in the 4X200 but noted that didn’t happen today.
“The atmosphere was amazing. It’s everything everybody talks about. We came here yesterday we were sweating, not from the heat, but from straight fear. You don’t want to let down your town.”
PLOTT PLACES: Carey’s Lexi Plott came in 9th in the girls 100 hurdles. Her time was 15.73. For full meet results go to http://milesplit.live/meets/557757/