Local Athletes Excelling in College Track & Field
Volume 2 Issue 17
There are a myriad of athletes competing at the collegiate level in track and field from Northwest Ohio. Here is a breakdown of some of the best so far this outdoor season.
Division One Boys
In the Big Ten, Indiana’s Noah Koch (Genoa) threw 60’03 in the shot put to take 1st at the Indiana Invitational and 184’01 in the discus to take second. Koch is currently ranked 7th in the Big Ten in the discus. Sean Kaminski (Huron) opened up his collegiate career with a fourth place finish in the high jump at the Tom Jones Memorial with a leap of 6’06.25 for Ohio State.
Over at Miami OH, Mhalicki Bronson (Defiance) placed 5th at the Indiana Invitational in the 5k with a personal best time of 14:07.91. Bronson is currently ranked 6th in 5k and 5th in 10k in the MAC. Keeping it in the MAC, Jimmy Harkelroad (Huron) went 51.29 in the 400m hurdles to place second at the Jesse Owens Classic for Akron. Harkelroad is currently the top ranked 400m hurdler in the conference and 37th in the country. Akron teammate Davis Hedrick (Norwalk St. Paul) is currently ranked 4th in the MAC in the discus with a throw of 163’ 08. Louisville’s Erik Fertig (Eastwood) threw 204’09 in the hammer throw to place 6th at the Joe Walker Invitational at Ole Miss. Fertig is currently ranked 7th in the ACC.
Outside the midwest, Zak Kirk (Maumee) went 28:43.79 in the 10k to place 15th at the Bryan Clay Invitational for Portland. Lipscomb’s Brady Yingst (Lima Perry) took first in both the 1500m and 3000m Steeplechase at the Joe Walker Invitational at Ole Miss.
Division One Girls
Virginia Tech’s Kenna Stimmel (Margaretta) took 3rd place at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in the pole vault with a height of 14’07.25, tying her personal best. That height ranked her 3rd in the country. At Marshall, Macie Majoy (Huron) broke the Marshall school record in pole vault with a height of 13’ 04 at the Jesse Owens Classic.
At Cincinnati, Victoria Abunaw (Maumee/Springfield) placed 4th in the 400m Hurdles with a time of 1:00.81 which is the 6th fastest time in Northwest Ohio history. At the Tennessee Invitational, Ella Rigel (Leipsic) placed 4th in the hammer throw with a heave of 176’04 for Miami OH. Rigel is currently ranked 4th in the MAC in the hammer.
Division Two Boys
Findlay’s Josh Verhoff (Kalida) stormed to a 10.22 100m and a 20.81 200m so far this season. Nationally he is ranked 7th in 100m and 6th in the 200m. Those times make him the second fastest 100m runner and tied for third fastest 200m in Northwest Ohio history. Teammate Noah Fisher (Def. Ayersville) is ranked 21st in the nation with a 10k time of 29:37.29. Findlay vaulter Alex Mutchler (Colonel Crawford) his currently ranked 10th in nation with a vault of 16’07.5. Long jumper Eliot Cummings (Ottawa Hills) is also ranked nationally for the Oilers with his jump of 24’09 which places him tied for 9th.
For the Tiffin Dragons, Garrett Hoepf (Grand Rapids/Otsego) his ranked 18th in the country in the high jump with a height of 6’09.5. Thrower Matt Lamb (Sandusky St. Mary’s) is ranked 20th in the country in the discus with a heave of 169’ 03. At Grand Valley State Ben Ireland (Findlay) is currently 31st in the nation in the 400m with a time of 47.81. At Walsh, Micah Gremling (Findlay) is ranked 14th in the nation in the 100m with a time of 10.33.
Division Two Girls
At Grand Valley State, Kassidie Stimmel (Margaretta) is tied for 10th in the country in pole vault with a jump of 13’01.5. At Tiffin, Brook Boes (Tiffin Columbian) is ranked 8th in the nation in the shot put with a toss of 48’02.75, 11th in the discus with a distance of 157’01 and 20th in the hammer throw with a throw of 176’10.
For Findlay, Meadow Cromer (Ridgeway/Ridgemont) is ranked 6th in the country in the pole vault with a height of 13’04.5. Trista Fintel (Deshler/Patrick Henry) is currently 3rd in country in the shot put with a toss of 50’10, she is also 14th in the discus with a throw of 153’ 04 and 10th in the hammer with a mark of 186’10.
Leading Updates
Macie Majoy (Huron) set the Marshall school record in the outdoor Pole Vault with a jump of 13’ 04.
Notable Game Updates
On April 16th Nick Thwaits (Fort Recovery) earned the win in while pitching 3 innings and giving up no runs in a Fort Wayne TinCaps win over the Lake County Captains in High-A.
On April 17th Andrew Chafin (Wakeman/Western Reserve) earned the save in a Diamondbacks win over the Cardinals.
On April 18th Chris Bassitt (Curtice/Genoa) pitched 6 innings and gave up no runs to get the win for the Blue Jays over the Astros.
On April 19th Dantez Walton (Lima/Lima C.C.) had 21 points in a Slavia win over Opava.
On April 20th Zavier Simpson (Lima/Lima Senior) had 25 points in a Humacao win over Bayamon.
On April 20th Jase Bowen (Northwood/Tol. C.C.) went 4-for-6 and had 5 RBIs in a Greensboro Grasshoppers win over the Greenville Drive in High-A.
On April 21st Marc Loving (Toledo/St. John’s) had 25 points and 10 rebounds in a Leicester Riders win over Sheffield.
On April 21st Nigel Hayes-Davis (Toledo/Whitmer) had 24 points in a Fenerbahce win over Merkezefendi.
On April 22nd Josh Verhoff (Kalida) ran 10.22 in the 100m to win the Jesse Owens Track & Field Classic for Findlay.
On April 22nd Ross Adolph (Van Buren) homered in a Sugar Land Space Cowboys win over the Las Vegas Aviators in Triple-A
Interesting Reads
How Bills safety Micah Hyde continues to be instrumental on the field and in the community
Findlay quarterback Ryan Montgomery rides the recruiting wave
Just For Fun
Looking back at state champions from the fall 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 years ago.
5 Years Ago (2018)
Girls T&F - Minster (D3)
Boys T&F - Logan Bloir 100m (Edon, D3)
Boys T&F - Brendan Seifker 1600m (Ottoville, D3)
Boys T&F - Chad Johnson 3200m (Colonel Crawford, D3)
Boys T&F - Erik Fertig Discus (Eastwood, D2)
Girls T&F - Fremont St. Joseph 4x100m (D3)
Girls T&F - Fremont St. Joseph 4x200m (D3)
Girls T&F - Minster 4x800m (D3)
Girls T&F - Dakota Stamm 400m (Archbold D3)
Girls T&F - Destini Oler 800m (Mohawk, D3)
Girls T&F - Emma Watcke 1600m (Minster, D3)
Girls T&F - Megan Braun Long Jump (Van Wert, D2)
Girls T&F - Katelyn Meyer High Jump (Eastwood, D2)
Girls T&F - Julia Smith High Jump (Swanton, D3)
Girls T&F - Kassidie Stimmel Pole Vault (Margaretta, D3)
Girls T&F - Chloe Miller Discus (Liberty-Benton, D2)
10 Years Ago (2013)
Baseball - Defiance (D2)
Boys T&F - Lima Central Catholic 4x100m (D3)
Boys T&F - Lima Central Catholic 4x200m (D3)
Boys T&F - Matt Tobin 200m (Fairview, D3)
Boys T&F - Tyler Brown 400m (Findlay, D1)
Boys T&F - Matt Tobin 400m (Fairview, D3)
Boys T&F - Abel Flores 3200m (Defiance, D2)
Boys T&F - Mykale Rogers Long Jump (Lima Central Catholic, D3)
Boys T&F - Tyler Brown High Jump (Findlay, D1)
Boys T&F - Matt Rowland Pole Vault (Bellevue, D2)
Boys T&F - Collin Grothaus Pole Vault (Columbus Grove, D3)
Girls T&F - Defiance Tinora 4x200m (D3)
Girls T&F - Michaela Butler 200m (Libery-Benton, D2)
Girls T&F - Colleen Reynolds 400m (Gibsonburg, D3)
Girls T&F - Olivia Smith 800m (Tiffin Calvert, D3)
Girls T&F - Sarah Kanney 1600m (Coldwater, D3)
Girls T&F - Delainey Phillips 3200m (Toledo Christian, D3)
Girls T&F - Carly Truckor 300m Hurdles (Evergreen, D2)
Girls T&F - Michaela Wenning High Jump (Celina, D2)
Girls T&F - Lexis Davis High Jump (Lima Perry, D3)
Girls T&F - Willow Thompson (Arlington, D3)
Girls T&F - Alex DiVincentis Discus (Liberty-Benton, D3)
Girls T&F - Becca Leppelmeier Shot Put (Leipsic, D3)
25 Years Ago (1998)
Boys T&F - Liberty Center (D3)
Boys T&F - Toledo Central Catholic 4x100m (D1)
Boys T&F - Tiffin Calvert 4x400m (D3)
Boys T&F - Ryan Huber 400m (Wauseon, D2)
Boys T&F - Phil Slonkosky 800m (Minster, D3)
Boys T&F - Jesse Smith Long Jump (Liberty Center, D3)
Boys T&F - Corey Echelberry Discus (Fostoria, D2)
Girls T&F - Cory-Rawson 4x100m (D3)
Girls T&F - Cory-Rawson 4x400m (D3)
Girls T&F - Jana Dearth 100m (Cory-Rawson, D3)
Girls T&F - Jana Dearth 200m (Cory-Rawson, D3)
Girls T&F - Kylie Studer 800m (Edgerton, D3)
Girls T&F - Brianna Shook 1600m (Seneca East, D3)
Girls T&F - Tiffani Page 100 Hurdles (Rossford, D2)
Girls T&F - Bridget Kozy High Jump (Ottawa Hills, D3)
Girls T&F - Jodi Borges Shot Put (Minster, D3)
50 Years Ago (1973)
Boys Tennis - Phil Brondes & Kevin Shaw (Sylvania Northview, A)
Boys T&F - Phil Trask 440yd (Columbus Grove, A)
Boys T&F - Luie Garcia 880yd (Northwood, A)
Boys T&F - Randy Bindel 120yd Hurdles (Spencerville, A)
Boys T&F - Max Midlam Long Jump (Marion Pleasant, A)
Boys T&F - Steve Shcertzer High Jump (Upper Sandusky, AA)
Boys T&F - Kevin Keller Pole Vault (Marion Elgin, AA)
Boys T&F - Dan Allshouse Shot Put (Paulding, AA)
100 Years Ago (1923)
Boys T&F - Milton Trubey 100yd (Carey, B)
Boys T&F - ___ Poleman 440yd (Tiro, B)
Boys T&F - Warren Anson Long Jump (Prospect, B)
Boys T&F - Warren Anson High Jump (Prospect, B)
Boys T&F - ___ Dunn Shot Put (Genoa, B)
Boys T&F - ___ Dunn Discus (Genoa, B)