By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

COLUMBUS — When it rains, it pours. Literally.

Heavy rains soaked the first day of the Ohio High School state track and field meet Friday at Jesse Owens’ Memorial Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University.

Several local track standouts battled the competition and weather conditions in both Divisions II and III.

The Fairland Lady Dragons’ Amber Pappas ran a 47.92-second time in the 300-meter hurdles preliminaries and was seventh in her heat.

In the 4×800-meter finals, the Fairland Dragons quartet of Raine Wireman, Logan Rowe, Ryan Stewart and Tanner Mattie had a time of 8:27.02 and placed 14th overall.

The Coal Grove Hornets competed in the Division III meet that included one running event for the Lady Hornets and two field events for the Hornet boys.

The Lady Hornets’ 4×100-meter relay team of Kim Short, Jacy Jones, Bailey Harrison and Leslie Mulkey ran a 52.91 time and finished eighth in their heat.

In field event finals, Greg Bender was 13th in the shot put with a heave of 47-feet, 11-inches. Bender fouled on his first two attempts. Stephen Lyons of New Middletown Springfield won with a distance of 58-10.5.

The Hornets’ Bryan Steele cleared 5-feet, 10-inches in the high jump and finished 11th overall. Mike Peeples of Edon won the event with a leap of 6-4.