RANDY HISNER & DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
The Heritage Patriots and the Woodlan Warriors split their dual track meet Wednesday at Heritage, the Patriots winning the girls’ competition, 84-48, and the Warriors taking the boys’ meet, 78-54.
The Heritage girls swept all three scoring places in five events—shot put, discus, long jump, 200 meters, and 300-meter hurdles. The Patriots also won all three relays.
Last year’s state runner-up in the shot put, Alexa Walter, threw 42-11 to place first in her specialty, followed by freshman Lenai Riddle (41-5), and Riley Roy (35-0). In the discus, it was the same trio with a slightly different order, Walter winning again (118-1), Roy second (100-3), Riddle third (89-1).
Veteran Heritage throws coach Jason Habisch was pleased with his crew, on both the boys’ and girls’ sides. “They’re just great kids,” he said. “They work hard. We’re excited about what’s going to be happening, especially in the second half of the season.” He pointed out that Walter is ranked among the top 50 in the nation and that Riddle is near the top of the freshman rankings.
In the long jump, it was Kierstyn Hess taking first for the Pats, with a jump of 15-1.5. Next came Olivia Lybarger (15-0) and Di’Mond Williams-White (14-5).
The 200 sweep saw Di’Mond Williams-White take first (27.7), Lybarger second (28.2), and DiNestee Williams-White third (28.75). Rosalinda Medina led the 300H contingent in 50.28, with McKinsey Amstein runner-up in 51.9 and Bailey White third in 52.73. Medina also placed second in the 3200 meters (14:50), as did Ava Johnson in the high jump (4-6).
Other individual winners for the Patriot girls were DiNestee Williams-White in the 400 (1:05.2) and Amstein in the 100 hurdles (16.85).
Notes & Times:
-Emily High, Audrey Meyer and Hoting each ran season bests in the 800 for coach Smith’s Patriots.
-Rosalinda Medina and Ava Gerber both ran season-best races in the 3200.
-Alexa Walter made a huge improvement in her PR in the discus, throwing over 118 feet. She won sectional last year with her PR of 107 feet.
-Freshman Kierstyn Hess won the long jump with a PR of 15-01.5.
No names were provided for the winning relay members.
Heritage girls’ coach Matt Smith praised his athletes. “We have a lot of girls hitting PRs, and not just our varsity girls but our JV girls,” he said. “Everybody’s putting forth the effort and the work so far this season. Our overall goal is to win the conference.”
On the boys’ side, double winner Ryan Kline (shot put, 47-7; discus, 133-7) led the Warriors to victory.
But the Patriots had a double winner of their own in sophomore Sawyer Thiele, who took the 100 hurdles (16.77) and the 300 hurdles (43.5). He also placed second in the long jump with a 19-6 effort.
Lucas Weber won the 100 meters for the Patriots in 11.39, placed second in the 200 (23.37), and tied for second in the high jump (5-8).
Other runners-up for the Heritage boys were Alden Bowers in the shot put with a season best of 42-0.25 , Cade Foster in the pole vault (10-6, career best), Wyatt Comment in the discus (122-5, season best), Corban Roth in the 1600 meters (4:48, season best), Geremew Gerber in the 100 hurdles (17.8) and 300 hurdles (46.9), and Jaxon Kerr in the 800 meters (2:22.3, season best).
Jon Davis-Hopper posted a PR in the pole vault at 9-6. Aaron Baeumler did the same with his third-place time of 2:26.11 in the 800 meters. Wyatt Comment’s 41-8.5, good for third in the shot put, was also a season best.
Times and Notes:
-Alden Bowers was second in the shot with a season and team best this year of over 42 feet. Teammate Wyatt Comment was third with a season best.
-Cade Foster turned in his best performance of his career with a vault of 10-06, but had to settle for second place to the talented Luke McAlexander. Teammate Jon Davis-Hopper also turned in a PR with his jump of 9-06.
-Lucas Weber ran a team best 200 this season for Heritage to take second place.
-Jaxon Kerr and Aaron Bauemler each ran season bests in the 800.
-Corban Roth’s runner-up time in the 1600 was his best mile time of the year so far.
Heritage will host the Patriot Relays this Saturday.
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