Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COLUMBUS — A good season for some local track athletes came to an end at the state track and field meet.

Seven area track athletes reached the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II and Division III state meet on Friday held at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

In Division III, Coal Grove Hornets’ junior Austen Pleasants was 11th overall with a toss of 144-feet in the discus.

Bucyrus Palo of Newton Falls threw 176-feet to win the discus and Brad Montgomery of Sidney Lehman Catholic was second at 164-feet. Marcus Myers of Patrick Henry threw 162-1`0 and Stephen Pop of Maplewood 160-10 to place third and fourth, respectively.

Coal Grove’s 4×200-meter relay team of seniors Conor Markins, Ian McFarland and Mason Nance and freshman Tanner Henry ran a solid 1:32.68 time but failed to qualify for the finals on Saturday.

The group ran a 1:31.63 last week to set a school record.

Hornets’ freshman Eli Willis cleared 11-feet, 6-inches in his first state meet competition.

Kevin Mestemaker of St. Henry went 15-feet to win the event as he won on fewer misses. Zach Gregg of Seneca East also went 15-0 to place second.

In the Division II meet, South Point Lady Pointers’ junior Tori Koukos ran a 17.1 in the 100-meter hurdle preliminaries but failed to qualify for the finals.

The top qualifying time was Jazmin Smith of North College Hill at 14.68 seconds with Meredith Fennell of Canal Fulton Northwest second at 14:78 seconds.