The West Liberty-Salem girls track and field team earned runner-up honors at the DIII Southwest Regional Meet at Troy Memorial Stadium Friday evening.
Team Scores (top 10): 1st Ft. Loramie 86.5, 2nd WLS 62, 3rd Minster 51.5, 4th Ft. Recovery 36, 5th Summit Country Day 335, 6th St. Henry 31, 7th Delphos St. John’s 30, 8th Botkins 29, 9th Fairlawn 24, 10th Dixie 23
On Wednesday the Tigers 4×800 Relay team of Malia Miller, Addison McAuley, Ashley Yoder, and Mallory Bostick qualified for the state meet with a third-place finish (9:44.21). The top four placers qualify for next week’s OHSAA State Meet.
Delaney Jones had a big night for WLS Friday winning the Long Jump (18’2.25), the 100 Meter Dash (11.93), and the 200 Meter Dash (24.63). Both times were DIII Southwest Regional records. Jones along with teammates Tori Douthwaite, Gwen McCullough, and Chloe Griffith won the 4×100 Meter Relay in a new state record of 48.67. The previous record was 48.70 set by Gates Mills Gilmour Academy in 2009.
WLS also had several scorers including Mallory Bostick 5th place in the 400 Meter Dash (1:00.51-career PR), Malia Miller 5th place in 3200 Meter Run (11:44.51), Chloe Griffith 7th place in the 100 Meter Dash (12.78-career PR), Ashley Yoder 7th place in the e1600 Meter Run (5:28.3), Sophia Hardwick 7th place in the 300 Meter Hurdles (47.09-career PR), Claire Longshore 100 Meter Hurdles (16.01-new school record), 4×200 Relay team of Tori Douthwaite, Mallory Bostick, Claire Longshore and Gwen McCullough 8th place (1:49.18).
“This team continues impress me with its ability to rise to the occasion when it matters,’ said WLS Head Girls Track and Field Coach, Ann Vogel. “Delaney had a huge night for us setting two regional records and being a part of our 4×100 really team that set a state record. Even our athletes who didn’t qualify for the state meet had personal best efforts to score points for us. Claire Longshore broke her own school record in the 100 Meter Hurdles twice this week and Sophia Hardwick ended her high school career with a personal best time in the 300 Meter Hurdles. It’s so much fun to watch these young women empower each other.”
WLS will compete in the OHSAA DIII State meet on Thursday, May 30th, and Friday, May 31st at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.