FREDERICKTOWN – Shin splints were not enough to keep Fredericktown’s Steven Tumbleson from breaking a record that stood for 20 years.
He cleared 13 feet, 6 inches in the boys pole vault at the Fredericktown Track and Field Invitational on Friday, April 30.
The mark (13-0.5), which was set by Mount Vernon’s Dustin Ridenbaugh in 2001 was broken by two athletes. Clear Fork’s Ethan Staley, who earned first-place in the event, also jumped 13-6.
In a meet full of shattered records, Highland’s Juliette Laracuente soared to 5-feet-5 in the girls high jump, breaking the meet mark of 5-feet-4 set in 2001 by Brittany Baumgardner of Clear Fork.
The longest-standing meet record to fall was in the boys shot put. Not only did Centerburg’s Ben Riegel set a school record of 56-11.50, but he broke Loudonville’s Rusty Reynolds’ 45-year-old meet record by half a foot.
Riegel was also first in the discus (167-7).
Fredericktown’s girls won with a combination of versatility and depth. The Freddies (131.5 points) edged Mount Vernon (123) in the team totals. Highland’s girls were third (107) in the 10-team meet. For the boys, Mount Vernon (159) was first, followed by Highland (117) and Fredericktown (81).
Tumbleson hopes to build off of Friday's success.
“The hope is to clear 14, hopefully by next week,” he said. “By the end of the season, I hope to clear 15 feet. I want to get more practice and more repetition in the next week. I have to put faith in God.”
Laracuente placed first in the 200-meter at 26.33. She was also part of the winning 4x100 team along with Brylinn Tuggle, Peyton Carpenter and Makenna Belcher, finishing with a time of 51.85, which set a Highland school record.
The Freddies, missing top pole vaulter Celeste Swihart because of a pulled hamstring, got a strong effort from Sydney Wilson, who stepped right up and soared into first place by clearing 8 feet. Her teammate Emma Fowler (7-6) placed second. Wilson was also part of the first-place 4x400 team (4 minutes, 28.72 seconds) that included Elsa Hoam, Emma Scott and Kennedy Fisher.
“Sydney is going from being a good middle-distance runner to being dominant, and it’s fun to watch,” Fredericktown coach Bob Geiger said. “She is our Swiss Army Knife. We can use her in any event.”
Wilson’s positive attitude matches her versatility.
“I’m willing to do any event, if I am needed,” she said. “I have the endurance for longer runs because I run cross country. If they put me in anything, I’m excited to do it.”
Also for Fredericktown, sophomore Ashley Cockrell won the 100-meter hurdles (16.31) and 300-meter hurdles (48.73). The Freddies took first in both 1,600-meter runs, with Hoam (5:26.72) winning the girls and Thomas Caputo (4:33.15) winning for the boys. Additionally, Hoam won the 3,200-meter, posting a time of 11:52.15; while teammate Titus Krabill (10:03.44) won the boys 3,200-meter.
Mount Vernon’s Erich Rhodeback was first in the 110-hurdles (14.24), breaking the meet record of 14.28 set by Sam Bethea of Mount Vernon in 2019. Rhodeback took first in the 300 hurdles (38.66) as well. The Jackets also fielded the top boys 4x400 team (45.96), with Taylor Mitchell, Jesse Foster, Jack Craigo and Bryce Wiles.
Landyn Albanese of Highland was first in the boys 100 (11.27) and 200 (22.75). He was also part of the first-place 4x200 team (1:37.40), along with Dane Nauman, John Melchiori and Gavin Hankins.
Highland’s quartet of Miachele White, Camryn Miller, Lauren Garber and Jade Disbennett won the girls 4x800 (8:58.90), while teammates McKenzie Blubaugh, Audrey Weaver, Jennifer Fisher and Tuggle were first in the 4x800 (1:57.17).
Centerburg’s Mason Lanthorn was second in the discus (138-3). Chloe Goulter was first in the girls 100-meter (12.95) and the long jump (14-10.5), while teammate Abigail Dickhof (2:30.20) won the 800 meters for the Trojans, who finished fourth (74) in boys and fifth (57) in girls.
East Knox runner Nathan Streby (2:02.81) won the boys 800 and took another first in the 4x800 (8:58.90) with Dillon Moreland, Samuel Whitney and Seth Madden. Teammate Alexandria Magers (1:04.10) was first in the girls 400 meters. The Bulldogs finished sixth in both boys (50) and girls (54).
Alenah Boeshart was second in the 100 (13.16) and Aiden Bell was third in the long jump (19-2) to lead Danville, which finished ninth in both boys (20) and girls (23).
MOUNT GILEAD INVITATIONAL
Chandler Hartman won the discus (137-10.5) and the shot put (43-9), and Laura Brubaker won the 300-hurdles (49.20) and tied for first in the pole vault (8-0) to lead Utica at the Mount Gilead Invitational on Saturday, May 1.
Hartman’s effort helped the Utica boys team (39) finish seventh out of 12 teams; behind winner Westerville North (108), which edged host Mount Gilead (106). Northmor (37.5) was eighth and Cardington (37) was ninth.
Brubaker led the Utica girls team (30) to an eighth-place finish behind winner Mount Gilead (108). The Golden Knights (57) finished fifth and the Pirates (43) were sixth.
Brubaker, who tied Rachael Ervin in the pole vault, was also second in the 100-hurdles (17.92), narrowly defeated by Columbus School for Girls’ Kayden Edwards (17.89).
Silas Bruckenberger was third in the 3,200 (10:34.28), and Jay Figgins was fourth in the 1,600 (4:47.5)
