Stein, Johnson miss state medals (06/03/06)

COLUMBUS, Ohio and BLOOMINGTON — Neither Holly Stein nor Amanda Johnson was able to finish the season the way they hoped Friday. They will both get their chance again next year.

Stein, a Fort Recovery junior, fell an inch-and-a-quarter short of earning a state medal in the shot put, finishing ninth at the OHSAA Track and Field State Finals at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus. She was also 12th in the discus.

Johnson, a Jay County sophomore, placed 25th among 27 competitors in the 800-meter run at the IHSAA Track and Field State Finals at Indiana University in Bloomington.

“It’s a great experience. It ends on a sour note because she was sitting in eighth place going into finals and ended up ninth,” said FRHS track coach Jason Grieshop in a phone interview Friday evening. “That’s a little hard to swallow.

“But she gave it her best shot and she was ninth in the state. It’s a great day for her. There’s no reason to hang her head.”

Jay County girls track coach Les Bantz also had praise for Johnson.

“I’m just thrilled to death for her,” he said. “It was a great learning experience. She’ll know and I’ll know exactly what she needs to do next year to have herself in the right place.”

Stein entered as the No. 8 seed in the state shot put competition after placing 14th last season. Her final toss of the preliminary round was 37 feet even, which was one of the best of her career and good enough to keep her in eighth place heading into the finals.

However, she was surpassed in the span of the final three throws and finished ninth. Sheena Taylor of Cleveland Central Catholic was eighth at 37 feet, 11/4 inches, and Stacey Wannemacher of Ottoville won her third consecutive state title in the event at 44 feet, 51/2 inches.

“I did better than I did last year, but yet it’s a huge disappointment because I finished ninth,” said Stein. “I just didn’t throw my best. It happens.”

Almost all of the 16 state finalists in the discus had rough days as the event was contested in a downpour.

Stein’s first throw of the preliminary round was a foul, and her second traveled 102 feet, 8 inches. She fouled again on the third throw and finished 12th.

Elmore Woodmore’s Emily Pendleton won at 153 feet, 7 inches.

“She grew up a lot from last year today,” said Grieshop. “Last year she went out to throw shot and she had to really, really overthrow it. This year she got the distance she needed, but it wasn’t enough to place her.”

Johnson struggled in her race in Bloomington, falling behind when the runners broke from their individual lanes at the 300-meter mark. She tried to take a long angle to the finish line, but was in last place at the mid-point of her heat.

She finished in 2-minutes, 23.39 seconds, more than five seconds slower than her regional time. She was ahead of Tricia Oxford of Heritage Hills and Kristi Vest from Eastern (Pekin).

South Dearborn’s Kathy Klump won in 2:11.15, and all of the eight medalists finished under 2:16.

“Those girls are really fast,” said Johnson.

“I walked in and I must say I’ve never seen this many people at a track meet before,” she added. “It was scary.

“As much as I wish I could have done better, it’s still awesome that I got here.”[[In-content Ad]]