Van Wert runs to D-II district title

Van Wert independent sports

DEFIANCE — The Van Wert Cougars are Division II District Track and Field champions after topping the field of 15 at Fred Brown Stadium in Defiance.

Events were held on Wednesday and Friday.

The Cougars were led by Austin Clay, who set a district record with a shot put toss of 56-05.5 on Wednesday, then followed up with a first place finish in the discus throw (158-11) on Friday.

Other district champions who qualified for next week’s regionals were Blake Henry (high jump, 6-02) and the 4×200 meter relay team of Ethan Brown, Henry, Nathan Jackson and Jacob Hart (1:31.77).

Hart also qualified for regionals in the 100 meter dash (fourth place, 11.28) and the 200 meter dash (third, 22:68), along with the 4×800 meter relay team of Trey Laudick, Gage Chiles, Asnake Steyer and Hunter Sherer (second, 8:27.30).

Steyer also qualified for regionals with a second place finish in the 1600 meter run (4:38.51) and Sherer advanced to the next level in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:02.87, good enough for third place.

Chiles nabbed the final regional spot in the 3200 meter run, placing fourth with a time of 10:18.90.

The Lady Cougars finished seventh out of 18 teams, and Jill Gemmer set a school and district record with a discus throw of 142-02, and she claimed shot put title with a toss of 40-09.50.

Teammate Kirsten Clay was the runner up in the discus throw that also topped the former district record (135-04), and she qualified for regionals in the shot put (third place, 38-10).

Caylee Phillips won the 800 meter run in 2:20.01.

The regionals will be held Thursday and Saturday at Piqua.

Boys team rankings

1 – Van Wert (92)
2 – Elida (73)
3 – Toledo Central Catholic (64)
4 – Bryan (61)
5 – Rossford (57)
6 – Otsego (53)
7 – Wauseon (48)
8 – Archbold (43.50)
9 – Swanton (38)
10 – Napoleon (34)
11 – Ottawa-Glandorf (25)
12 – Paulding (23)
13 – Kenton (20)
14 – Coldwater (18)
15 – St. Marys Memorial (12.50)

Girls team rankings

1 – Coldwater (78.50)
2 – Toledo Central Catholic (69)
3 – Defiance (61)
4 – Elida (51)
T5 – Bryan (49)
T5 – Rossford (49)
7 – Van Wert (47)
8 – Wauseon (45)
9 – Napoleon (38)
10 – Bath (34)
11 – Ottawa-Glandorf (31)
12 – Celina (26.50)
13 – Kenton (24)
14 – St. Marys Memorial (22)
15 – Maumee (14)
16 – Otsego (11)
17 – Fostoria (8)
18 – Evergreen (5)