EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story included inaccurate information. It has since been corrected.
PORT CLINTON — The Ashland boys track and field team put together its best day at the Division I regional championships in six years Friday at Port Clinton High School.
Braydon Martin and Jayden Goings both advanced to the state meet with fourth-place, PR finishes in the hurdles — Martin with a 38.04 in the 300s and Goings in a time of 14.47 in the 110s.
That duo also made up half of the Columbus-qualifying 4×200 quartet for AHS, which set a school record in 1:28.43 for fourth and also included Jacob Holbrook and Ayden Behrendsen.
Capping the night of qualifiers for the Arrows was the 4×400 relay of Goings, Behrendsen, Gavin Hoffman and Tyler Sauder. That unit finished in 3:21.77 to place fifth and snag an at-large bid, as Sauder practically dove across the finish line.
The Ashland boys had not had a day of that magnitude at regionals since 2018, when the squad qualified three relays and two individuals to state.
“After Jayden (qualified in the 110s) and everybody saw him on the podium, then the 4×2 came around (and qualified), so everybody kind of said, ‘OK, let’s do this,’” second-year Ashland head coach Ryan Stackhouse said. “I think that confidence was there with them knowing, ‘Hey, we’ve got this — we can compete.’
“It was good to see them racing some of those teams that make it to state every year like St. John’s and Avon. We’re right up there with them.”
The large contingent is the first to represent AHS at state under Stackhouse, as the last Ashland boy to qualify was Lukah Will in 2022 under former head coach Dan Fuller.
Stackhouse said the coaches talked about potentially not running a few of the relays Friday to be sure the team was geared up in its most promising races, but he said his athletes still wanted to run all of them into the finals.
“Those veterans know what’s going on and they kinda go do their thing,” Stackhouse said. “All that coaching stuff is kind of done and it’s on them to compete and do what they need to do.
“They definitely did that today.”
As a team, Ashland tied for ninth overall with 25.5 points.
Loudonville, Mapleton, Hillsdale send 5 to state
CRESTON – Loudonville distance runner Tess Shultz had a huge night Friday to lead the local contingent at the Division III regional meet at Norwayne High School.
The junior set new school records in two events, making it to state in both the 1,600 (third in 4:59.43) and 3,200 (fifth in 11:14.47 for an at-large bid).
On Wednesday, Redbird sophomore Braden Carr took fourth in the pole vault (12-8) to make it to Columbus.
The Mapleton boys also were able to move a pair of athletes on to state.
After senior Hayden Kidney moved on with a runner-up finish Wednesday in the pole vault (12-8), senior Isaik Schoch secured the fourth and final spot Friday in the 1,600 (4:31.79).
Hillsdale, meanwhile, had the area’s highest finisher at the regional. Freshman Adalyn Tipton claimed second in the pole vault with a clearance of 10-0.