The high school career for one of the best runners in Ashland-area history will continue for another week.
Loudonville senior and star distance runner Tess Shultz qualified to state in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs during the Division III regional track and field meet at North Royalton to lead a batch of local state qualifiers Friday.
Shultz entered this spring season already committed to run at NCAA Division I Florida Gulf Coast University. A three-time All-Ohioan in cross country who boasts Ashland County’s fastest-ever girls time in that sport (18:17 at the Denny Stevens Invitational), she owned Loudonville school records in both the mile and two-mile before this spring even began.
On Friday, Shultz moved on to Columbus by placing second in the 3,200 (11:13) and third in the 1,600 (5:04.19). At state, she will be looking to improve upon her placements from last year of fourth in the mile and fifth in the two-mile.
Ashland senior Jayden Goings, meanwhile, highlighted an eventful day for the Arrows at the Division I regional meet at Port Clinton.
The Ashland University-bound Goings claimed a state spot in the 300 hurdles with a fourth-place showing in 38.73, and looked to have potentially moved on in the 110 hurdles as well. His 14.59 matched the time of St. John’s Jesuit hurdler Caleb Root, but the Arrows’ senior was awarded fifth.
Ashland head coach Ryan Stackhouse appealed the placement with an official and said Friday night he is considering another appeal.
Last spring, Goings advanced to state in the 110s and as a member of the AHS 4×200 and 4×400 relays.
In the girls pole vault for Ashland, Vivian Walter set a new school record with a clearance of 11-0, landing her on the podium in seventh place. Impressively, the feat came after she had snapped one of her poles while approaching the bar at 10-6.
Walter also earned her way onto the podium in the 100 hurdles, taking fifth in 15.09.
In Division III, back at North Royalton, Shultz wasn’t the only area standout surviving another day.
The Crestview boys squad closed out another fine regional team effort, tying Smithville for third place with 37 points to finish behind only McDonald (49) and Seneca East (47).
The hurdles were where the Cougars made big moves individually, as Liam Kuhn placed third in the 110s (15.16) and Max Durbin took third in the 300s (39.68) to move on to Columbus.
Crestview’s 4×400 relay of Durbin, Bransen Hider, Everett Smith and Logan Friges also moved on thanks to a fourth-place clocking of 3:26.55.
The Cougars added additional podium efforts behind both Durbin in the 110 hurdles (eighth in 20.62) and their 4×100 relay of Trenten Weaver, Kuhn, Keith Abshire and Durbin (eighth in 44.35).
Additional state-qualifying efforts emerging for locals came in the form of Hillsdale’s Hayden McFadden (fourth in the 200, 22.65) and Mapleton’s Scotty Hickey (fourth in the high jump, 6-2).
McFadden’s 5-8 clearance in the high jump also tied him for eighth in that event.
The area’s lone fifth-place finisher in Division III on Friday was Hillsdale pole vaulter Ady Tipton (5-8).
Mapleton’s Braylon Goon landed himself on the podium with PR efforts in both the 1,600 (sixth in 4:30.58) and the 800 (eighth in 1:58.61), while fellow Mountie Emily Katsaris tied for seventh in the pole vault (8-4).
In that same pole vault competition, Loudonville’s Lina Brecheisen was on the podium in sixth place (9-0).
Crestview’s girls, meanwhile, competed in their Division III regional at Fostoria, where Chloe Ringler earned the team’s top finish with an eighth-place podium effort in the discus (114-3).
