VWMS girls win Shawnee Invitational

Van Wert independent sports

LIMA — The Van Wert Middle School girls’ track and field team turned in their strongest performance of the season, winning the Shawnee Junior High Invitational on Friday.

Van Wert secured the championship trophy with 85.5 team points, edging Elida (85) and St. Marys Memorial (83.5).

The Lady Cougars had three first-place finishes: Sofia Houg (200 meter dash and the 400 meter run) and Kyra Welch in the 800 meter run. Houg also finished second in the 100 meter dash and was named female athlete of the meet.

Other top performers were:

Erin Schaufelberger (third, shot put)
Olivia Treece (fifth, long jump)
Lexi Barnhart (fourth, high jump)
Finley Foster (fifth, 100 meter hurdles and third, 200 meter hurdles)
Payton Nagel (fourth, 200 meter hurdles)
Danesha Branson (sixth, 200 meter dash)
4×100 relay team of Branson, Treece, Catanna Saum, and Nagel (third place)
4×200 relay team of Branson, Saum, Barnhart, and Welch (second place)
4×400 relay team of Barnhart, Foster, Macy Johnson, and Welch (second place)

On the boys side, Van Wert finished sixth out of eight teams. St. Marys won the title.

Nate Phillips was the sole first-place finisher, remaining unbeaten in the 400 meter run.

The Cougars also recorded two runner up finishes with Gage Springer taking secnd in the 1600 meter run, along with the 4×400 meter relay team of Greyson Pollock, Maddix Crutchfield, Springer, and Phillips.

Other top performers were:

Logan Dotson (sixth, shot put)
Gage Stemen (fifth, long jump)
Phillips (sixth, high jump)
Kelydyn Bill (fifth, 200 meter dash)
4×100 relay team of Logan Donor, Rylan Burnett, Crutchfield and Springer fourth place)
4×200 relay team of Keith Foreman, Dotson, Crutchfield and Bill (fourth place)