FR relay is top seed

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Tribe's 4x400-meter relay entered the preliminaries as the fourth seed.

It will be the team to beat as the meet continues today.

Owen Moorman, Jacob Acheson, Jared Timmerman and Drew Muhlenkamp of the Fort Recovery High School's boys track team posted the fastest time in the event Friday and the Indians reached the finals in six events from the first day of the OHSAA Division III Track & Field Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University.

The second day of the meet begins at 9:30 a.m. today. The top eight places in each event earn state medals and the distinction of being All-Ohio.

Fort Recovery's 4x400 relay had the top time of 3 minutes, 24.97 seconds, edging the quartet from Liberty Center by 0.43 seconds to win the heat and grab the No. 1 overall seed for today's final.

The Indians' 4x100 and 4x200 relays also advanced to the finals.

Riley Pearson, Brayden Schoen, Robby LeFevre and Acheson claimed the No. 3 seed in the 4x200 relay with their time of 1:29.88, nearly two seconds behind top-seeded Columbus Crestview.

In 2016, the FRHS 4x200 relay was 13th, and it got disqualified in the final a year ago for dropping the baton.

Pearson, Schoen, LeFevre and Timmerman had a time of 44.08 seconds to take fourth in its heat of the 4x100 relay. They will be the No. 6 seed today.

Fort Recovery's 4x100 relay took eighth in the state each of the last two seasons.

Ottawa Hills is seeded first at 43.3 seconds, and East Canton's 44.16 seconds is eighth.

Individually, senior and future Fordham speedster LeFevre will go for his fourth straight medal in the 200 dash and is eyeing back-to-back spots on the podium in the 100 dash.

LeFevre had a time of 22.34 seconds in his marquee event, the 200 dash, to place second in his heat behind Justin Wright of Wellsville. Wright's time of 21.75 seconds is the top overall seed. LeFevre, who was fourth in the event as a junior, fifth as a sophomore and tied for seventh as a freshman, posted the fourth-fastest time out of the 18 competitors Friday.

The premier sprinting event, the 100 dash, saw LeFevre finish fourth in his heat with a time of 11.22 seconds. After placing 10th as a freshman and fifth a year ago, he'll be seeded eighth for the final, which is expected to be approximately 9:42 a.m.

Muhlenkamp, who was a district champion in the 400 dash, squeaked into today's final with the No. 9 seed as he crossed the finish line in 50.54 seconds. Jermaine Jones of Lordstown holds the No. 8 seed at 50.36 seconds, and Garrett Walker of Springfield (New Middletown) is seeded first with his time of 49.34 seconds.

Friday marked the end for Timmerman’s individual season and the year for two FRHS girls relays. 

Timmerman set a school record with a long jump of 21 feet, 1.5 inches, on his second attempt, surpassing his first (20-11.75) by almost two inches.

Seeded 15th entering the night — the afternoon session was delayed for more than three hours because of inclement weather — Timmerman was in third place with one attempt to go in the first flight.

He fouled on his third attempt and was pushed to fourth after the flight completed its preliminary jumps.

Timmerman fell to eighth after the first attempt of the second flight, and two jumps into the second round he was pushed out of the top nine, marking an end to his season as those with the nine longest distances make the finals and get three more attempts.

The Tribe girls’ 4x800 squad of Kierra Wendel, Cassy Martin, Ava Bubp and Chloe Will finished 10th in 9:54.88 to open Friday's competition.

Wendel, Will and Martin joined Abbie Francis to place 12th in the 4x400 relay as they ended in 4:10.79.

Wendel is set to compete in the 800 run at 10:55 a.m. today. She is seeded 10th.