PIQUA — Otsego junior Nathan Strahm placed second in the 800 at the Division II regional track meet Saturday to qualify for next weekend’s state meet at the University of Dayton’s Welcome Stadium.
Strahm finished in 1:54.06, less than two seconds behind Carroll junior Andrew Janson (1:52.16).
Strahm won the district title at Defiance, finishing in 1:55.43, defeating Van Wert senior Rylan Miller (1:57.44) by over two seconds in the finals.
At the Northern Buckeye Conference meet at the Rossford Athletic Center, Strahm won the 800, finishing in 2:00.52 to defeat second place Oak Harbor sophomore Bodee Miller (2:06,93).
Strahm, who finished 11th at state in the 800 last year, had the fourth fastest time in NBC history, and won this event after running two other events, admitting he was tired. This was his first league championship.
“I didn’t think my legs were the best, but when you run the 800 you don’t have much of a choice,” Strahm said. “That is all you’ve got and all you’ve got left.”
He said it is all about taking care of yourself.
“I just make sure I get a real good meal before, the day before a good sleep and a good breakfast in the morning,” Strahm said. “It’s one step at a time — districts, regionals and hopefully I’ll go to state.”
At the NBC meet, Otsego junior Wesley Kellermeier won the 3200 in 10:21.81 to beat Boyles (10:28.97) and Balsmayer (10:37.85). Kellermeier said fighting poor weather conditions did not make the run any easier.
“It was a little tough in some places, but I just pushed through and got it done. It was a little brutal in some places but I had to push through. I knew I could do it,” Kellermeier said.
Kellermeier added a comment that reflected what you saw on the track before and after every event—athletes from different schools encouraging each other and then congratulating each other afterward.
“It’s like before races, after races, you are all talking and everything, and it’s a real good time,” Kellermeier said. “There is no bad blood. I mean, you are all good friends running together.”
Kellermeier did not qualify out of districts, however, finishing seventh in the 3200 (10:07.5) and sixth in the 1600 (4:43.19).
