Division III state track: Minster, Coldwater runners win state championships

“I’m ridiculously grateful,” Roth said. “That’s probably the best word I can come up with at the moment. I knew I was going to have to work my butt off, and that’s all I did today. I just competed and here we are, a two-time state champion.”

There was one other state champion from the area in Division III on Saturday.

Coldwater sophomore Izzy Zahn raced to a victory in the 200 with a time of 24.39 seconds. She entered the state meet with the best qualifying time (24.72) and ran 24.54 in the preliminaries on Friday.

“I prayed to God, and my mom helped me,” Zahn said. “She pushed me all season long.”

Zahn ran to her mom, Nicci, in the stands as soon as the medal ceremony ended. She also crossed the finish line with one of the biggest smiles of the day by a winner.

“I was so happy, especially as a sophomore,” she said. “Not many underclassmen get an opportunity.”

Zahn also placed fifth in the 100 (12.31).

Credit: David Jablonski

Credit: David Jablonski

In other Division III action:

• 100 girls hurdles: Aurora Schubert, Dayton Christian, fifth (14.74); Cayla Eaton, Triad, sixth (15.13); and Grace Moeller, Marion Local, eighth (15.42).

• 110 boys hurdles: Colton Reese, Versailles, second (14.89); Justin Finkbine, Tri-Village, fourth (14.95)’ and Chaz Miller, Dixie, seventh (15.01).

• 100 boys: Justin Richards, Anna, second (10.81); Kalien Butler, Mechanicsburg, fourth (10.87).

• 4x200 girls: Coldwater’s Izzy Zahn, Kiersten Keller, Becca Wenning and Allison Hamberg, second, 1:43.47; Minster’s Keri Heckman, Kylie Williams, Anna Larger and Cameo Cedarleaf, fourth (1:44.34).

• 1,600 girls: Margaret Hemmelgarn, Minster, 11th (5:17.38); Isabella Ferriman, Dayton Christian, 13th (5:25.57).

• 1,600 boys: Trevor Heitkamp, Fort Recovery, 142th (4:27.62); and Will Negley, Mechanicsburg, 16th (4:28.34).

• 4x100 relay boys: Anna’s Chase Murray, Xavier McEldowney, Ben McDermott and Justin Richards, second (43.50); Marion Local’s Brayden Pavelka, Nate Buschur, Kyle Otte and Tate Hess, third (43.50); and St. Henry’s Ryan Wehrley, Chase Litmer, Hayden Harrod and Harrison Wendel, eighth (43.98).

• 400 girls: Maddy Merritt, Legacy Christian, second (56.41).

• 300 hurdles girls: Ariel Heitkamp, Fort Loramie, seventh (46.31).

• 300 hurdles boys: Owen Rindler, Marion Local, second (38.86); and Colton Reese, Versailles, seventh (40.07).

• 800 girls: Carolina Hamilton, Legacy Christian, 12th (2:22.36); and Annie Hemmelgarn, Minster, 16th (2:22.99).

• 800 boys: Caleb Sultan, Cedarville, second (1:52.26); Jack Grieshop, Minster, ninth, 1:57.10; and Frank Rethman, Fort Loramie, 11th (1:58.06).

• 200 boys: Blunt, Yellow Springs, seventh (22.47).

• 3,200 girls: Alaina Mann, Botkins, fourth (11:12.70); Maria Niekamp, Minster, ninth (11:35.48); Brittany Arnold, Botkins, 11th (11:38.88); and Chaney Cedarleaf, Minster, 17th (12:23.42).

• 3,200 boys: Asher Long, Covington, fifth (9:34.01); Kellen Reichert, Jackson Center, seventh (9:34.91); Asher Knox, West Liberty-Salem, ninth (9:46.37); and Owen Harrison, West Liberty-Salem, 13th (10:10.95).

• 4x400 relay girls: Minster’s Keri Heckman, Cameo Cedarleaf, Ava Stammen and Taylor Roth, fourth (4:01.99); Mechanicsburg’s Isabelle Rodgers, Olivia Skillings, Taylor Miller and Clair Rodgers, seventh (4:05.89).

• 4x400 relay boys: Marion Local’s Tate Hess, Andrew Pohlman, Wesley Schoen and Owen Rindler, second (3:23.70); and Fort Loramie’s Caleb Maurer, Adam Ballas, Ryan Hoelscher and Frank Rethman, ninth (3:34.43).