Licking County track athletes fight through the wind at Newark meet

On Apr 2, 2023

NEWARK ― Winds were steady at 25 to 30 miles per hour Saturday at Evans Athletic Complex, even gusting up to 60. They were especially bad on the final turn and straightaway, and a 30-minute lightning delay was thrown in for good measure.

Still, Granville freshman Audrey Ames was ready to run. And her lunging effort at the finish line in the 300-meter hurdles nearly netted her a title in her first-ever high school race in the event. As it was, her second place helped the Blue Aces to a runnerup finish out of 11 teams at the Newark Invitational, with Granville totaling 90.5 to 86 by Fairfield Union. Bishop Watterson won with 163.

“I was really looking forward to this race,” said Ames, who fell forward on the track but climbed to her feet after being nosed out :51.33 to :51.40 by Bishop Watterson’s Rose Lombardi. “I was afraid the meet might get canceled,” Ames said. “I’m in a lot of pain, but I’m happy.”

The same could be said of Licking Valley’s senior 400-meter specialist Reagan Campbell, who won her signature event in 1:01.39, much slower than the pace she set during her 2021 run to the state title. However, she was victorious by nearly three seconds and was able to smile, after catching her breath.

“That was pretty horrible on the turn, but I’m happy, despite these conditions,” said Campbell, who will run the 400 next season for Bowling Green. “I’ll focus on the 400, but get some 200s, in too. I think I’m better than I realize in that. The 100 is just too short. There’s not much time between the 400 and 200, and we’ll see how it goes.” She has plenty of motivation, after placing seventh in last year’s state 400, and not making the finals in the 200.

Meanwhile, the conditions helped slow Newark senior Isaiah Potter to :42.07 in the 300 hurdles, over three seconds above his school-record :38.6. But it was good enough to nip Thomas Worthington’s Eyiram Nutor (:42.12) at the line, after Nutor led most of the way down the stretch.

“I was very sloppy over the hurdles, but it was the season opener of my senior year, and I wanted it a lot more,” Potter said. “I just had to attack that last hurdle. I want to lower that :38.6.”

Granville senior Lillian Eckels blew through the wind to a dominant 2:20.48 win the 800 by over three seconds, helping cement the Blue Aces’ second-place finish. Junior Caitriona Sproul was second in the 200 (:28.05), while taking thirds were freshmen Annie McCracken in the pole vault (9-6) and Ayla Cook in the 100 hurdles (:17.33), sophomore Sophia Poling in the 1,600 (5:40. 38) and the 4×400 relay (4:29.31).

Heath junior Brayden Bayles likened the 100, where he finished third in :11.64, to “running into a brick wall.” But he and classmate (and football teammate) Daylen McIntyre weren’t affected by the wind in the long jump, where they went 1-2 (McIntyre with 20-6.5 and Bayles at 19-7.5).

“The long jump has always been our thing,” Bayles said. “I thought coming in we should at least get top three, but going 1-2 is even better. Losing Huntyr (Butler) is hard and we’re not as good as we’ve been, but our young guys are coming on and we should be good by the end of the season.”

Junior Carter Higgins won the discus with a throw of 130-9 for the Bulldogs, and was fine with that. “It’s good numbers to start the season, and I’ll see improvement as the season goes on,” he said. “I want to hit 150 by the end of the year.” Newark senior Sean Lee threw 129-2 to place second, a 10-foot PR.

It was a good day for Licking County throwers, as Newark senior Sophie Bidwell delivered a personal record 132-6 to win the discus by 21 feet, and a solid 35-4.75 to place a close second in the shot put. She’s already taking aim on the discus school record of 136 feet.

“From the first day of practice, I’ve wanted a PR. It’s good to know, you can see the results from the practices,” Bidwell said. “I really wanted the school record today, but I can build from here. I just need to stay focused.”

Lee also threw a PR of 47-8 to take third in the shot, and knows he’ll do better.

“The shot is my event, but it was a little nerve-wracking, being my first meet after doing the weight throw indoors,” he said. “I’ve been struggling in practice, because the weight throw is so much different.”

Licking Valley junior Trevor Croak, who came in with a PR of 49-11 in the shot, was not entirely happy with his 47-10.5 throw on Saturday, and thought he had finished second to Groveport’s Jalen Joyce. But he actually beat Joyce by an inch.

“It was a good wakeup call,” Croak said. “I was excited to see Evan (Fee) break 40 feet for the first time since January. My goal is to win the Huston Relays.”