Van Wert boys 4x800 sets WBL record; Benner, Scott earn titles

DEFIANCE — The Van Wert boys and girls track and field teams traveled to Defiance High School on Wednesday and Friday for the Western Buckeye League (WBL) Championships. Ottawa-Glandorf swept both titles, winning the girls meet with 137.75 points and the boys with 95.83. Van Wert's girls placed fourth overall with 50.75 points, while the boys finished seventh with 43. The Cougar boys opened the meet with a statement, winning the 4x800 meter relay in a league-record time of 7:59.21. The record-setting relay team included Andrew Laudick, Evan Keuneke, Noah Spath and Owen Scott. In the boys long jump, Roman Martin placed 10th (18-05.25) and Heet Patel 17th (16-04.75). For the girls, Claire Benner took seventh in discus (95-10) and Josie Coleman 10th (87-08). Claire Benner later won the shot put title with a throw of 33-07.00, while Josie Coleman placed 16th (28-09.25). Nick Edwards was 14th in boys discus (112-02) and Noah Doctor was 15th (109-03). In shot put, Edwards came in 10th (41-06.50), and Doctor placed 18th (36-03.75). In high jump, Lily Greve (girls) placed 13th at 4-06.00, while Hayden Saunier (boys) finished 12th at 5-06.00. Sophie Gearhart cleared 8-08.00 in girls pole vault to place third, while Leah Krites finished fifth (7-06.00). Kendra Deehring had a standout day, finishing runner-up in both the 100 meter dash (12.89) and 200 meter dash (27.03). Olivia Vaas added an eighth-place finish in the 200 (28.62). The girls 4x200 relay (Olivia Vaas, Harper Roop, Vanessa Vaughn and Kendra Deehring) finished second with a 1:47.97. The same foursome also took second in the 4x100 with a 51.86. The 4x400 relay team of Olivia Vaas, Jazzlyn Florence, Vanessa Vaughn and Harper Roop placed sixth (4:22.76). Van Wert's boys 4x200 team (Roman Martin, Heet Patel, Brendon Mendoza and Keaten Welch) placed seventh (1:37.51), while the boys 4x400 team (Evan Keuneke, Noah Spath, Andrew Laudick and Keaten Welch) was sixth (3:35.00). The girls 4x800 team (Lizzie Spath, Leah Krites, Symphony Schuerman and Noelle Byrum) placed ninth (11:04.63). Owen Scott led the way for the boys, winning both the 1600 (4:14.92) and 3200 (9:33.66). Andrew Laudick was fifth in the 1600 (4:37.63) and third in the 800 (2:01.56), while Keaten Welch placed seventh in the 800 (2:06.52). Harrison Sloan claimed fourth in the 3200 (10:27.47). For the girls, Symphony Schuerman took seventh in the 1600 (5:31.97) and sixth in the 3200 (12:57.33), while Noelle Byrum finished 10th (1600, 5:48.18) and ninth (3200, 13:28.97). In the 800, Leah Krites placed 15th (2:50.10), while Lizzie Spath was 18th (3:19.93). In boys sprint prelims, Brendon Mendoza placed 18th in the 100 (12.43) and 17th in the 200 (25.27), with Roman Martin finishing 18th in the 200 (26.46). The boys 4x100 relay (Roman Martin, Colton Richardson, Brendon Mendoza and Heet Patel) finished 10th in prelims (48.41). In the girls 400 prelims, Sophie Gearhart (1:08.23) and Jazzlyn Florence (1:08.37) placed 13th and 14th, respectively. For the boys, Noah Spath (10th, 54.01) and Evan Keuneke (11th, 54.32) ran solid times in the 400. In hurdle events, Cole Story was 16th in the 110 hurdles (20.07) and 18th in the 300 hurdles (49.14). RJ Saum was 17th in the 110s (20.66), while Dakota Fife took 15th (59.08). Hayden Saunier finished 17th (47.03) in the 300 hurdles.