Highland’s Juliette Laracuente-Huebner, who wins gold in groups of four, quadrupled again at the state level. She won four golds at the Division II, Region 6 meet at Lexington and also quadrupled in the MOAC championship. She tripled at the Westerville Divisional meet.
At the OHSAA 115th annual boys, and 48th annual girls state track and field tournament, June 2-3, 2023, at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (Ohio State University, Columbus), Laracuente-Huebner quadrupled again, winning the 200-meter dash, 100-meter hurdles, long jump and high jump in leading 18 local student-athletes – eight girls and 10 boys – who qualified for the competition.
Owens, for whom the track venue was named, is best known for winning four golds for the USA in the 1936 Olympics. He also won four events at the OHSAA State track meets in 1932 and 1933, and Laracuente-Huebner, who said she was humbled and honored by the comparison, did Owens one better, as she earned 40 points for her sweep, which placed her second among all school teams in the competition. She actually held the “team” lead before the multi-athlete team from Woodridge High School overtook her for first in the final event of the day.
Laracuente-Huebner, who set three meet records in earning her gold, is the first athlete to win four events in the state meet since Mentor's Paige Floriea accomplished the feat in 2021.
Of the other 17 local competitors who represented six local schools in this year’s meet, the only other podium finishes belonged to Nathan Streby (East Knox), who took bronze in the 800-meter run, and Northmor’s 4x400 relay team of Cowin Becker, Lucas Weaver, Connor Radojcsics and Bo Landin, who finished third.
The results: Girls Division II
Three student-athletes qualified from two schools. Number of athletes: 356, number of schools represented: 121.
Laracuente-Huebner swept gold in winning her four events. In the 100-meter hurdles, she won the finals in a record time of 13.64, a margin of 0.88 over second-place runner Isabel Evans (Johnstown Northridge). She beat the old record of 13.82 that she jointly held with two other runners. In the 200-meter dash, Laracuente-Huebner won the finals in 24.23, a margin of 0.38 over second-place runner Emma Henry of St. Clairsville. In the high jump, Laracuente-Huebner set a new meet record in winning at 5’10.75”, a margin of 3.75” over second-placed jumper Penelope Webb of Wyoming. And in the long jump, Laracuente-Huebner set a new meet record in winning at 19’11”, a margin of 1’2.5” longer than second-place jumper Ashtan Winfrey of Columbus.
1600 meters – Elsa Hoam (Fredericktown) finished 15th in the 1600 meters in 5:21.55, and Ella Bouton (Fredericktown) finished 12th in the shot put, with a throw of 36’6.25”.
The results: Girls Division III
In girls’ events, five student-athletes qualified from three schools. Number of athletes: 337, number of schools represented: 114.
100-meter hurdles – Corri Vermilya (Loudonville), 14th place in the prelims; 300-meter hurdles – Corri Vermilya (Loudonville), 16th place in the prelims; 1600-meter run – Tess Shultz (Loudonville), finished fourth in 5:04.20, just 1.32 second off the podium. In field events: Long jump – Kenzie Cutlip (Loudonville), 15th place; pole vault – Natalie Hunter (Northmor), 14th place; shot put – Isabella Grennell (East Knox), 18th place.
The results: Boys Division III
In boys’ events, 10 qualified locally from four schools. Number of athletes: 369, number of schools represented: 131.
Nathan Streby (East Knox) placed third in the 800-meter run in 1:52.73, just 0.47 out of second. Aaron Gannon (Mount Gilead) finished 15th in 1:59.29.
In the 4x400 relay, Northmor’s team of Cowin Becker, Lucas Weaver, Connor Radojcsics and Bo Landin placed third in 3:24.21, just 0.49 out of second. In the 4x800 relay, Mount Gilead’s team of Aaron Gannon, Owen Hershner, Parker Bartlett and Will Baker placed ninth. In the 1600-meter run, Will Baker (Mount Gilead) placed seventh in 4:21.58. In the 3200-meter run – Will Baker (Mount Gilead) placed 12th in 9:58.6 and in the pole vault – Braden Carr (Loudonville) placed 11th.
