BUCYRUS — The track and field squads from Colonel Crawford and Crestline did not have a long trip to compete in their district championship last week. Both teams were at Bucyrus High School with their eyes set on advancing to regional competition by snagging at least one of the top four spots over the two-day event last Thursday and Saturday.
When the meet concluded on Saturday afternoon, the Eagles would have some hardware to bring home as both the boys and girls teams won their respective district team championships.
For the boys team from Crawford, it was a dominant performance leading to 153 points to outlast the runner-ups from Crestview. The Cougars finished in that second spot after scoring a total of 121.5 team points.
Overall, the Eagles earned four individual event championships and two relay titles.
Senior Chad Johnson led the way for Colonel Crawford, winning all three of his individual events in addition to being the anchor in a relay championship team. In the 1600-meter run, Johnson outlasted the field with a time of 4:37.10 before claiming the title in the 800-meter run in 1:57.62. In his final individual event, Johnson won the 3200-meter run with a time of 10:16.55.
Joining Chad in the 4×800-meter relay team was Cody Reed, Brody Martin and Braxton James. That Crawford foursome cruised to the title with a time of 8:19.21. The other championship relay team for the Eagles was the 4×100-meter group consisting of Colton Rowland, Trevor Shawber, Kaleb Landin and Owin Seevers, posting a title worthy time of 44.42.
Colonel Crawford’s other district champion was Drake Delong who won the discus throw with a distance of 136’.
In addition to the champions at districts, the Eagles will also see most of their team in action in Tiffin in regional competition this week.
Landin took third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.70 with Rowland narrowly missing the cut by finishing fifth in 11.82. James and Wade Hopkins will be joining Johnson in the distance events in Tiffin after James was the runner-up in the 800 at 2:00.60 while Hopkins finished fourth in the 3200 in 10:31.32. Rowland will be in action in the 200-meter dash after a third place finish in 23.98.
The Eagles will also be heavily represented in the field events. Jonah Studer threw the discus 127’3” to advance after finishing fourth in Bucyrus and Harley Shaum cleared 5’10” to earned third in the high jump. In the long jump, Seth Carman (19’5”) and Seevers (19’3½”) finished second and third, respectively. Alex Mutchler cleared 12’6” to earn runner-up in the pole vault while Landin took third by clearing the same height.
In the 4×200-meter relay, the team of Rowland, Landin, Martin and Shawber advanced by finishing second (1:33.24) and the 4×400-meter relay squad of Dylan David, Martin, Reed and James move on after a runner-up finish in 3:34.78.
Jacob Rahm earned seventh in both the 110 and 300-meter hurdles while Mutchler snagged fifth in the 300-hurdles and eighth in the 110-hurdles.
Alec Sipes of Crestline will represent the Bulldogs in regionals competition after clearing 11’ to finish fourth in the pole vault while teammates Max Anatra, Dakota Wireman, Zach Gregory and Garrisen Almanson advanced in the 4×100-relay by finishing third overall in a time of 45.69.
Almanson also snagged seventh in the 100, Anatra finished eighth in the 300-hurdles and Logan Parrella picked up two points by earning seventh in the shot put.
The Lady Eagles were in a much tighter battle at the top of the field but would emerge as the champions by holding off runner-up Hopewell-Loudon; 66-63.
Cassidy Vogt and Drew Krassow would earn Crawford a pair of individual titles en route to the district championship. Vogt, a freshman, took the 300-hurdle title with a time of 48.71 while Krassow cleared 5’2” to win the high jump back on Thursday, May 17. In addition to her individual title, Vogt also advances to regionals after finishing second in the 100-hurdles in a time of 17.50.
Ally Hocker will also continue her season at regionals after earning runner-up honors in the 3200 with a time of 12:52.07. Crawford’s final, individual event participant will be Pierce Krassow. Pierce finished third overall in the shot put with a heave of 34’6”.
D. Krassow and Vogt will team up with Jenna Siegel and Julia Brewer at regionals after the foursome finished fourth in the 4×100-relay at districts in a time of 53.55. Hocker, Kari Teglovic, Katie Hopkins and Courtney Britt finished in third in the 4×800-relay to punch their ticket to regionals (10:37.22).
Other placements for the Lady Eagles were: Hocker- 1600, 5th; Britt- 1600, 7th; Teglovic- 800, 8th; Alison Manko- 3200, 6th; P. Krassow- discus, 7th and Sarah Campbell- pole vault, 8th.
