GALION — Records were falling almost as fast as the temperatures during the Galion Kiwanis Invitational.
Among Ashland-area athletes, Ashland’s Daniel Arimi won the 1,600 in 4:30.22, while Galion’s Kerrigan Myers and Mansfield Senior’s Angelo Grose etched their names in the record books on what turned out to be an unseasonably cold and foggy Friday night at at Unckrich Stadium.
Myers was a quadruple winner, tying the meet record in the high jump (5-feet, 6-inches) and establishing a new mark in the 100 meter hurdles (14.84 seconds). She also won the 200 in 25.41 and ran a leg of Galion’s winning 4×100 relay (50.31).
“Today my mindset was … to stay consistent,” said Myers, who won an indoor state title in the high jump and competed in the hurdles at the New Balance National in New York. “I try not to let (the weather) bother me. I know (opponents) are cold, too. I just need to perform better than them.”
Colonel Crawford’s Katie Ruffener won the 300 hurdles in 47.73 seconds, while Lexington’s Juanna Halfhill won the 3,200 in 11:18.31. Ashland’s Emma Etzwiller was the area’s only other individual champ, winning the pole vault (10-9).
Lexington won a pair of relays and set a meet record in the 4×800 (9:34.59). Lady Lex’s 4×400 team won in 4:11.02.
Grose was a triple winner for the Tygers and broke the record in the long jump with a leap of 22-10.75. He won the 110 hurdles in 14.73 and joined Cyrus Ellerbe, Armon Huguely and cousin Alamar Grose on Senior High’s winning 4×100 relay team (43.87).
“We should be a little faster,” said Alamar Grose, who is headed to Ashland University to play football. “We need to improve on our handoffs.”
A major college football prospect, Angelo Grose was disappointed with his record-breaking jump after leaping 24-5.25 at last week’s Marion Night Relays. That jump stands as the best effort in the state this spring.
“I wasn’t really happy with my jump,” said Grose, who nearly leaped out of the long jump pit at Marion. “I’d like to stay away from 22-foot jumps from now on.”
Lexington’s Alex Green matched Grose with three wins. The junior speedster won the 200 (22.44) and 400 (51.36) and anchored the winning 4×200 relay team (1:32.53).
“It was a pretty successful day,” Green said. “We have a chance to win (the Ohio Cardinal Conference) which is our goal.”
Galion’s Braxton Tate won the 3,200 in 10:00.61. Galion’s Jack McElligott won the high jump with a leap of 6-4.
Ontario’s Keandre Marlow won the 300 hurdles in 41.42. Marlow was also runner-up in the high jump and the pole vault.
“It’s a toss-up between high jump and pole vault,” Marlow said when asked about his best event. “I love high jump but I’ve seen more progress in pole vault this year.
“I think I’ve trained really well to do those (events).”
