May 25, 2023 at 5:44 p.m.
4x8 on to state
FR breaks record to earn trip to Columbus
4x8 on to state
By Andrew Balko-
TROY, Ohio — There was a sizable gap between the Indians and fourth place when Natalie Brunswick took the baton during the 4x800-meter relay.
Brunswick closed it, but couldn’t quite catch Brittany Arnold of Botkins.
The Indians finished fifth, missing out on an automatic qualification to the state finals.
Defeated and tired from the heat, Brunswick, Ellie Will, Kennedy Muhlenkmap and Megan Diller started to walk back to the southeast end of the stadium.
“Eleven seconds, are you kidding me?!” assistant coach Shane Stein shouted from the bleachers to the girls alerting them of a new best time for the group.
A quick check made them realize that was also a school record and also reignited hope that there is still a chance to make state. (The top four finishers in each event advance, along with the next two fastest times from regional meets statewide.)
Coach Christy Diller quickly got to work, checking the live scoring from other regional meets. A few minutes later, Diller announced to the quartet that it would be going to state, leading to cheering and the four coming together in an embrace.
The relay team punched its ticket to the state championship Wednesday as the Fort Recovery High School track team competed at the OHSAA Division III regional meet at Troy.
Along with the 4x800 relay team, the Indians competed in four preliminary events during the first day of meet, with all four advancing to tonight’s regional finals.
“Crossing knowing that we were in fifth was kind of heartbreaking,” Brunswick said. “Crossing, I didn’t know the time so I thought, ‘Holy crap, we did not make it.’ After finding out that we did,after looking at all the other regions, it’s so relieving.”
The team’s time of 9 minutes, 48.8 seconds, beat the previous school record of 9:49.04. It was set in 2019 by Kierra Wendel, Ava Bubp, Cassidy Martin and Chloe Will (Ellie’s sister).
The Indians’ time was the fastest among the four regionals for those that didn’t finish in the top four, earning them a berth.
“Those kids ran out of their mind,” Christy Diller said. “They had a goal. They went right after it. They crushed it.”
That wasn’t the only school record broken Wednesday.
The 4x100 relay team composed of Kiana Matsuda, Paige Guggenbiller, Anna Roessner and Mara Pearson broke the mark set just one year ago. Roessner and Pearson competed with Allysen Fullenkamp and Abbie Francis for the previous record of 51.05 seconds. They and their new teammates clocked in at 50.97 seconds Wednesday.
The relay team earned the third seed in the finals tonight, favoring them to make it to the state tournament.
Just as the 4x100 relay team earned a top-four seed, the 4x400 snuck in with one as well.
Matsuda, Will and Diller were the first three legs of the race. All three handed the baton off while in third place in their heat. Once it was Roessner’s turn to run, she flew out of the gate and passed Maddy Merritt of Legacy Christian to earn the automatic qualification for the finals.
“Our goal before we even started was, ‘We get second, we move on,’” Roessner said. “I was pretty tired. I think just telling myself we have a chance at state and keeping it all mental helped.
“I feel like 90% of running is mental so telling myself we have a chance helped propel us to get the chance.”
The Indians’ time of 4:14.09 has them as the No. 4 seed for the finals tonight.
Along with being the lead leg of both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, Matsuda also qualified for finals in the 300 hurdles. Her time of 48.74 was good enough for the eighth seed.
“I was scared at first and very, very nervous starting my race,” she said. “Getting into the race and going made me feel very confident. I just shut my brain off and went and made it to finals.”
Roessner also made it through the preliminary round to the finals in the 400 dash, picking up the No. 7 seed in 1:01.63.
All four of the Indians’ events made it through to the final and will compete tonight at Troy High School. Joining them will be Mara Pearson in the long jump, Trevor Heitkamp in the 1,600 and 3,200 run, Brunswick in the 3,200 run, Will in the 1,600 run and Lucas Acheson in the high jump.
“It was an excellent day,” Christy Diller said. “Two school records. Everybody moves onto Friday. Not much more we can ask for. …
“We need to do what we’ve been doing all season long. … Nobody has to do anything heroic. They just need to go out there and take care of business just like they’ve been doing and hopefully we have some good results.“
Brunswick closed it, but couldn’t quite catch Brittany Arnold of Botkins.
The Indians finished fifth, missing out on an automatic qualification to the state finals.
Defeated and tired from the heat, Brunswick, Ellie Will, Kennedy Muhlenkmap and Megan Diller started to walk back to the southeast end of the stadium.
“Eleven seconds, are you kidding me?!” assistant coach Shane Stein shouted from the bleachers to the girls alerting them of a new best time for the group.
A quick check made them realize that was also a school record and also reignited hope that there is still a chance to make state. (The top four finishers in each event advance, along with the next two fastest times from regional meets statewide.)
Coach Christy Diller quickly got to work, checking the live scoring from other regional meets. A few minutes later, Diller announced to the quartet that it would be going to state, leading to cheering and the four coming together in an embrace.
The relay team punched its ticket to the state championship Wednesday as the Fort Recovery High School track team competed at the OHSAA Division III regional meet at Troy.
Along with the 4x800 relay team, the Indians competed in four preliminary events during the first day of meet, with all four advancing to tonight’s regional finals.
“Crossing knowing that we were in fifth was kind of heartbreaking,” Brunswick said. “Crossing, I didn’t know the time so I thought, ‘Holy crap, we did not make it.’ After finding out that we did,after looking at all the other regions, it’s so relieving.”
The team’s time of 9 minutes, 48.8 seconds, beat the previous school record of 9:49.04. It was set in 2019 by Kierra Wendel, Ava Bubp, Cassidy Martin and Chloe Will (Ellie’s sister).
The Indians’ time was the fastest among the four regionals for those that didn’t finish in the top four, earning them a berth.
“Those kids ran out of their mind,” Christy Diller said. “They had a goal. They went right after it. They crushed it.”
That wasn’t the only school record broken Wednesday.
The 4x100 relay team composed of Kiana Matsuda, Paige Guggenbiller, Anna Roessner and Mara Pearson broke the mark set just one year ago. Roessner and Pearson competed with Allysen Fullenkamp and Abbie Francis for the previous record of 51.05 seconds. They and their new teammates clocked in at 50.97 seconds Wednesday.
The relay team earned the third seed in the finals tonight, favoring them to make it to the state tournament.
Just as the 4x100 relay team earned a top-four seed, the 4x400 snuck in with one as well.
Matsuda, Will and Diller were the first three legs of the race. All three handed the baton off while in third place in their heat. Once it was Roessner’s turn to run, she flew out of the gate and passed Maddy Merritt of Legacy Christian to earn the automatic qualification for the finals.
“Our goal before we even started was, ‘We get second, we move on,’” Roessner said. “I was pretty tired. I think just telling myself we have a chance at state and keeping it all mental helped.
“I feel like 90% of running is mental so telling myself we have a chance helped propel us to get the chance.”
The Indians’ time of 4:14.09 has them as the No. 4 seed for the finals tonight.
Along with being the lead leg of both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, Matsuda also qualified for finals in the 300 hurdles. Her time of 48.74 was good enough for the eighth seed.
“I was scared at first and very, very nervous starting my race,” she said. “Getting into the race and going made me feel very confident. I just shut my brain off and went and made it to finals.”
Roessner also made it through the preliminary round to the finals in the 400 dash, picking up the No. 7 seed in 1:01.63.
All four of the Indians’ events made it through to the final and will compete tonight at Troy High School. Joining them will be Mara Pearson in the long jump, Trevor Heitkamp in the 1,600 and 3,200 run, Brunswick in the 3,200 run, Will in the 1,600 run and Lucas Acheson in the high jump.
“It was an excellent day,” Christy Diller said. “Two school records. Everybody moves onto Friday. Not much more we can ask for. …
“We need to do what we’ve been doing all season long. … Nobody has to do anything heroic. They just need to go out there and take care of business just like they’ve been doing and hopefully we have some good results.“
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