GALION — Katie Ruffener had a performance for the ages. But the Colonel Crawford standout got plenty of help from her teammates.
The Eagles swept the Crawford County Championship track and field meet Friday night at Heise Park, with the girls piling up 227 points to second-place Galion’s 109. Wynford came in third with 101.
On the boys’ side, Colonel Crawford downed the Tigers 171-137. Bucyrus placed third with 123 points.
“We finally got some nice weather; they’ve been down on themselves because they don’t get a chance to go out and see what they’re capable of,” said Eagles boys’ coach Preston Foy.
“Today they had a great day. The thing I’m most impressed about is our field events. That’s the main difference. We came out of the field events, and we were up, I think 40 points. We knew Galion had some speed and some distance.”
Foy credited his assistant coaches.
“Coaching high jump, pole vault, throws and hurdles and hurdles is a specialty event. That’s a credit to our assistant coaches who put the time in.”
Matt Clinard and Logan Goddard finished 1-2 in the pole vault, going 12 feet and 10 feet, 6 inches, respectively.
Sisters Julia Feik (shot put, 39 feet, 6.5″) and Corin (discus, 120 feet, 7 inches) took top honors for the Lady Eagles.
Ruffener took four firsts, tied one record and broke three others.
“It started off good. I tied my cousin (Amber Rall’s record in the long jump at 17 feet, 8 inches), broke my own records. It was a great day overall,” Ruffener said.
She set meet marks in the 100 meters (12.27 seconds), 100-meter hurdles (13.98) and the 300 hurdles (44.06) that broke Rall’s time of 45.51 set in 2002.
She set a new Division III state-record time of 13.98 in the 100-meter hurdles.
Ruffener said she and her cousin discuss the records. She planned to text her afterward.
“When I see her, we do talk about track a lot and the records, and how I’m slowly getting most of them,” she said.
The air warmed into the upper 60s and that suited Ruffener and the other competitors.
“Not too hot; the sun wasn’t blazing; it was kind of cloudy, light winds, perfect temperature. I’m very much liking my times. PRing at the beginning of the season is great news, so hopefully I keep PRing throughout the season.”
Galion coach Dave Kirk was pleased with his athletes’ efforts.
“We’re just happy to be hosting and glad to have a beautiful night. Every school out here has been playing in the snow and had meets canceled. Finally, we get to come out here and see the kids can really do,” he said.
“We’re trying to get ready for the state meet. So, you can’t go after every race. You have to pick and choose. We are training and we’re in here on some tired legs, but so is everybody. You want to be first in April, but also first in May and maybe some kids first in June.”
The boys 4X100 and 4X200 relays took firsts for the Tigers.
“Hayden Kaple, Anthony Ferini, Tim Schmotzer and Caleb Brutchey did a good job. Caleb and Hayden run in regularly. We wanted to go after the mile and two mile tonight and try to get some times on kids that never got a chance to run fresh. Anthony and Timmy stepped in there as subs and had great races,” Kirk said.
Kirk pointed to the photos of 17 seniors on the fence behind the track.
“Last year we had five seniors. We were on this group to constantly learn how to be become leaders and they’ve done that.”
Sprinters Gabe Ivy (100 meters) and Jorden Borders (200 meters) netted individual honors. Ivy clocked a time of 11.81 to nudge Colonel Crawford’s Lincoln Mollenkopf at 11.87.
Miranda Stone took second in the shot at 32 feet, 1.5 inches and in the discus with a throw of 107 feet, 4 inches.
“I took second. I PRd by two feet. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted but I’ll take it. I have two more years to get to the top of the podium,” said the sophomore.
“I try to keep lifting. Swimming and volleyball definitely help keep me in shape. I enjoy doing three different sports.”
Meanwhile, rivals Chloe Kaple of Wynford and Bucyrus’ Emma Tyrrell engaged in another heated battle in the 200 meters.
Kaple edged her out by a quarter-second, 26.75 to 26.80 and the two relish their competition.
“It started off rough in the 100. I did not expect to get third,” Kaple said. “My blocks are horrible. I’m not afraid to admit that. It was just pure will power to finish races. I was happy with my 200.”
The two bring out the best in each other.
“Emma pushes me and has always been my number one competitor and I’m sure we’ll go back and forth in the future.”
Tyrrell agreed.
“It was so good. I was up in front, and she came from behind. I think I need to work on my steps more. She works hard. I took second in the 100 to Katie Ruffener, another great runner, and our 4X100 took second as well,” she said.
“Going to the smaller meets is definitely more difficult because I’m ahead and there’s nobody there. When I’m against everybody else it forces me to push myself,” Tyrrell said.
Ruffener was named girls running MVP and Stone girls field events MVP. Aiden McDougal of Buckeye Central, who won the shot and discus, took the boys field MVP. The Eagles Trevor Vogt was chosen boys running MVP.
Vogt won the 110-meter hurdles (15.92) to edge teammate Carter Valentine (15.97). Vogt finished behind Galion’s Andy Sparks in the 300-meter hurdles. Sparks clocked 41.64 and Vogt 43.14
McDougal threw the shot 49 feet, 4.5 inches and the discus 151 feet, 3 inches.
Zayna Tate of Galion got a double with wins in the 800 meters (2:36.50) and the 1600 meters (5:33.09).
Crawford’s Gabby Roston (9 feet, 6 inches) in the pole vault and Liv Krassow and Niyah Shipman (5-feet, 2 inches) aided the effort.
The Redmen’s Randy Banks edged Valentine in the high jump, going 6 feet.
“Randy jumped really well. He’s been very consistent all year. He placed at Mehock Relays last week and was second at Elgin. He’s been right at 6 feet all season,” said Bucyrus coach Kevin Boggs. “Mentally, he’s really into it and has been more mature about his jumping and working hard.
“We’ve had a lot of kids doing well. Our 4X800 won. Our long jumpers (Michael Wise and Mason Gebhardt) were second and third. It was a team effort with everyone trying to place two spots in everything.”
GIRLS
1) Colonel Crawford 227 2) Galion 109 3) Wynford 101 4) Bucyrus 59 5) Buckeye Central 19 6) Crestline 2.
BOYS
1) Colonel Crawford 171 2) Galion 137 3) Bucyrus 123 4) Buckeye Central 56 5) Crestline 22 6) Wynford 14.