Deep JC tops Fort

Fort Recovery’s leaders won their share of events Tuesday, including another record-breaking effort from Aaron Vagedes, but the Patriots were simply too strong.
Jay County’s girls squad took the top spot in 11 events and swept three as it improved to 8-1 with an 84-39 victory over the visiting Indians, who got a pair of victories from senior Holly Brunswick.
“I thought we overall had a very nice meet,” said JCHS girls coach Brian McEvoy. “Fort Recovery has some strong athletes.
“Our distance was outstanding tonight. We swept the 800 and we swept the mile. Our depth came through.”
Vagedes broke his own record in the 100-meter dash yet again and won four events for the Fort Recovery boys team while the Patriots got victories from seven different individuals in a 91-32 victory.
“We did what we had to do,” said Jay County boys coach Greg Garringer, noting the impressive evening from Vagedes. “Jarod Lochtefeld’s 400 race and Cade Price going 6 foot tonight in the wind, those two things (stood out).
“There are some good things that are happening right now with the guys. Some people are stepping up and allowing us to adjust our lineup a little bit.”
Vagedes took advantage of a strong tail wind in the 100 dash, cruising to victory in a time of 11.04 seconds. He broke his previous mark of 11.2 seconds.
The record prior to this season was 11.7 set by Greg Bretz in 1998.
Vagedes also earned victories in the 200 dash in 23.8, 300 hurdles (time not available) and long jump at 19 feet, 5 inches.
“In the 300 hurdles, he’s right there,” said FRHS coach Brent Niekamp of his chances at a state berth in the race he ran for just the second time. “His form isn’t good yet because he hasn’t practiced it yet very much. But if he gets even pretty good at that he could have a really good time. And his 100 just keeps getting stronger it seems like, and his 200 is real consistent.
“He’s a pretty special athlete. He’s the fastest kid that Fort Recovery has ever had in the sprints, by far.”
Maria Murphy, Katie Simmons and Jordan McMillan each won a pair of events to lead the Jay County girls to their victory, with Murphy keeping her undefeated streak in tact in the throwing events.  She took the top spot in the shot put at 35 feet, 9 inches and won the discus at 117 feet, 5 inches.
McMillan dominated the 100 dash by more than a half-second to win in 12.33, and also took the top spot in the jump at 15 feet, 7 inches.
Simmons led the sweeps in the 800 run in 2 minutes, 40 seconds and the 1,600 run in 5:48. Abigail Johnson and Kassi Hemmelgarn followed Simmons in the 800 run, and Leah Wellman, Tiffany Huelskamp and Hemmelgarn were second, third and fourth in the 1,600 run.
“(Murphy) is still undefeated in shot and discus. It maybe wasn’t her personal best, but still we’re getting pretty deep in the season and she still has yet to be beat,” said McEvoy. “Jordan had a nice night in the long and the 100. She ran a real nice time in the 100 and got back into the 15s again in the long. And (Cierra) Barcus broke 15 for us too. That’s going to be a nice-one-two punch for us.
“Our (distance) depth came through. We worked together pretty well on the back stretch and ran smart races.”
Price turned in another strong effort for the JCHS boys in the high jump, leading a sweep in the event at 6 feet even. Lochtefeld picked up the victory in the 400 dash in 58.4.
Taylor Hatzell (108 feet, 10 inches) and Tyler Back (37 feet, 5 inches) gave the Patriots two more wins in the discus and shot put respectively. Zach Cash won the 110 hurdles in 16.6, Brad Leuthold was first in the 800 run in 2:18 and Dylan Cope won the 1,600 run in 5:11.
“(Price) has been consistent,” said Garringer. “And the thing is, it’s challenging (Raistlin) Rice and (Zane) Shreve. He’s got a lot of physical ability.
“If he can go 6-plus, that could get him through (to regional).
“Lochtefeld has come on strong. We’ve been doing the 100 and 200 with him, and tonight he had a nice 400 in the wind.
“He has opened some things up for us.”
Brunswick earned two of the three victories for the Fort Recovery girls team, including a first-place finish in the 100 hurdles by more than a second in 16.55. With the high jump already won at 5 feet, she cleared the bar on her first attempt at 5 feet, 2 inches and then narrowly missed on her final try at 5 feet, 4 inches.
And she also cleared the 15-foot mark for the first time this season, finishing second to McMillan in the long jump at 15 feet, 1 ½ inches.
“I was happy that Holly took some steps forward with long jump and high jump,” said Niekamp. “That was encouraging.
“I think it’s just a matter of doing it, and then having time to think about her technique and correct her technique.”
Amber Huelskamp turned in a comeback victory for JCHS in the girls 400 dash, chasing down the Indians’ Marissa Brunswick and taking the victory in 1:07.4. Katie Snyder picked up a victory in the 200 dash in 27.8, and Kim Braun led a sweep of the 300 hurdles ahead of teammates Morgan Link and Andrea Bruggeman in 55.8.
“Amber Huelskamp ran a really nice 400 tonight,” said McEvoy. “She gave up a little bit of a lead early and just ran a smart race. She went into that final corner and basically for the second race in a row tracked a girl down from deep.
“It’s great to see someone fight like that. If you leave the door open for her at all, she’s going to close it.”
Fort Recovery’s other victories both came in the 3,200 run.
For the Tribe boys, Ryan Heitkamp opened a sizeable lead en route to the victory in 11:35. In the girls race, freshman Elle Sutter rallied from a 20-meter deficit on the final lap to win in 13:31.7.
“She’s got a nice, long stride,” said Niekamp of Sutter, a state qualifier in cross country this fall who has been hampered by illnesses. “I think she had a hard time fighting the wind in those early races, but she got her stride working in the 2 mile. It was just great to see her finally healthy.
“(The win) is important to Ryan (Heitkamp). He’s worked really hard for it.”[[In-content Ad]]