Bender gets 2nd state berth

Published 11:56 pm Saturday, May 28, 2011

By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

RUSHVILLE — Greg Bender is going to do double duty, and he doesn’t mind the extra work.

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Bender qualified for the Division III state track meet on Wednesday when he won the discus event.

The Coal Grove Hornets’ junior followed that performance up by placing second in the shot put on Friday during the second day of the regional track meet.

Bender threw the shot put 51-feet, 8-inches to finish behind Demetrius Williams of Allen East who threw 52-2.5.

The top four finishers in each event qualify for the state meet to be held Friday and Saturday at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Bender was the only area athlete in Division III to advance to the state meet. He will throw the shot put at noon on Friday and the discus at 3 p.m.

The Hornets’ Bryan Steele leaped six feet to place seventh in the high jump while Jacob Pauley was eighth in the 800 meters with a 2:07.18 time.

For the girls, Ironton’s Hannah Cronacher set a personal-best height of 8-6 in the pole vault and finished 10th. Coal Grove’s Kayla Suitor cleared 8-feet and was 11th.

The Lady Tigers’ Ariel Schweickart was 11th in the 1600 meters with a 5:47.89 time and teammate Taylor Hacker ran a 13:18.6 to finish 14th in the 3200.

“I’m proud of the effort all our girls gave all year,” said Ironton girls’ coach Tim Thomas.