PEMBERVILLE — A school record seemed out of reach for Eastwood distance medley runners Talia Baum, Haley Sponaugle, Kayden Firsdon and Z Ramsey, until Friday night.
During the Larry Kohring Eastwood Relays at Jerry Rutherford Stadium, the foursome finished in 13:32.95, not only setting the school record, but finishing first ahead of second place Findlay (13:46.97).
Their win, combined with another relay championship and a hammer throw first place by Olivia Newsome, put Eastwood in position to finish second as a team, scoring 84 points to trail champion Toledo Whitmer (91).
Sandusky Perkins (80) was third, followed by Liberty-Benton (77½), Anthony Wayne (66½), Napoleon (60), Bowling Green (52), Findlay (52), Sylvania Northview (36), Sylvania Southview (24½), Toledo Rogers (10), Cardinal Stritch (3) and Toledo Start (3).
Eastwood’s distance relay team had been shooting for 13:35, and when they did it, they did it in driving rain and temperatures in the low 50s.
“I think it was really inspiring for us,” Baum said. “It was like a boost for the season and this is going to push us to start improving our times and to start working toward bigger goals this season.
“We want to win postseason starts,” Baum continued. “I’m just really proud of where we are at this point in the season. There’s a lot of work.
“I feel like there is a lot mentally, too, because we all feel like we were there. We just weren’t hitting what we wanted, and it’s real hard to keep fighting and fighting and getting the same times. But when we really pushed through and got those times, it is really rewarding.”
Working under the tutelage of head coach Gary Sabo, Eastwood mid-distance coach T.J. Tuttamore said it was the foursome’s work ethic that got them to this point.
“These girls work super hard,” Tuttamore said. “Three of them are cross country runners and Kayden is a soccer player, and then Haley and Kayden are seniors, so I was really happy they got that this year.
“These girls don’t ever ask any questions. They just come out and compete no matter what they must face. I love them. They put it out there all the time. I don’t ever have to make them do anything.”
Eastwood’s 4×800 relay team, Sponaugle, Firsdon, Leah Emch and Amelia Ward took first place 10:21.61, defeating a second place L-B team (10:33.87) by over 12 seconds. Tuttamore says this is their specialty.
“They just compete,” Tuttamore said. “They work really, really hard and they know how to run the 800 and they do it well.”
Sponaugle, running the second leg, took her team from being back a few spots and putting the Eagles well into first place. Tuttamore says they put Sponaugle at the second leg for that reason.
“She likes tracking people down,” Tuttamore said. “They just fit in those spots well. There are certain things they do in those spots. We switch them up sometimes, but they fit into it a certain way a lot.”
Sponaugle does not ever want to see the order changed.
“I’ve been second leg almost every time and I love it,” Sponaugle said. “It’s my favorite leg because I know our first leg is going to get us in a good spot. If we are not in first, I always try to get us there. A win is a win, right?
“What’s great about our relay is all our girls are about four or five seconds away from each other,” Sponaugle continued.
“Everyone is strong, and we know we are going to go out there and compete. We try and fix a race strategy every time and I think every leg of our 4×8 is super, super strong.”
Ward added, “Haley is awesome — she is such a team player, she is amazing. She’s there for me when I’m at the end of my races.
“She knows how to cheer me on. I became good friends with her this season, and I couldn’t thank her enough for the things she’s done for me.”
Ward said everything came together for the team Friday night, despite the rainy and cold conditions.
“The rain definitely plays a factor, but I think all of our girls came out and we ran hard,” Ward said.
“We’re working on getting (our time down) right now and I think all of us are doing well. It just comes down to finishing, I think, and our anchor (Firsdon) did very well finishing.”
Newsome threw the hammer 127 feet, more than 32 feet further than second place CeCe Dye from Bowling Green (94 feet, 10 inches).
It’s an event rarely seen at high school meets, but if Newsome wants to compete collegiately she has to be prepared to throw the hammer. The OHSAA does not sanction the hammer throw in the state meet, but an unofficial state championship is held every year.
“It’s different because we only get three meets each year to do it,” Newsome said. “We don’t practice it as much, which kind of affects how I throw, but it is my favorite event because it’s fun and it’s like something different than the others.”
Newsome says the fundamentals behind the hammer throw are a world away from the discus and shot put, too.
“Like my coach said, it’s like the exact opposite movements of discus, which makes it kind of hard because I’m thinking disc, and I need to be thinking hammer, so makes it a little difficult to throw at times,” Newsome said.
The hammer was held as an individual event, but the shot put and discus were held as team relay events, totaling up distances by three competitors from each school. Eastwood was second in the discus and third in the shot.
Still, in the discus, Newsome’s throw of 120-3 was the most of any individual competitor.
“I was still 14 feet off my PR (personal record), but for the weather conditions I was happy with how I threw because the ring was slippery, the disc was wet, and so I was just glad it didn’t slip out of my hand,” Newsome said.
Eastwood’s Mylie Frantz threw 91-1 and Kennedy Ameling threw 89 feet. Perkins (114-3, 114, 99-1) was team champion.
“I think they went well,” Newsome said. “With the rain, I’m proud of how all my teammates threw and it was a really good night.”
In addition, Eastwood thrower Jenna Gallant won the wheelchair shot put event with a toss of 8-6½.
Gallant, Jenna Eastwood 8-06.50
