Licking County track athletes take it up a notch at Licking Valley
HANOVER — Joesy Kramer and Avery Williams were not going to let teammate Reagan Campbell have all of the fun for the Licking Valley girls track team Thursday.
That trio combined for six individual titles on their home track, and they joined senior Liberty Bunting in running a season best and winning the 1,600 relay (4:16.90) to clinch the team championship. Valley, which previously won the title at New Philadelphia last Saturday, totaled 130.5 points, just ahead of Newark's 128.
"I was not expecting that, but it feels good," Kramer said. "We are definitely focusing on the 4x4 trying to improve our time."
Campbell, a junior, won the 100 (12.72), 200 (26.03) and 400 (58.01). Kramer, a sophomore, and Williams, a freshman, took the top two spots in the 100 hurdles (17.44 and 18.19), and Williams later won the 300 hurdles (51.30) after previously winning the long jump (16-feet-10.25).
"Running with Avery is the best feeling all of the time in any race. It definitely helps a lot," said Kramer, who just missed breaking the 17-second mark last Saturday. "I definitely want to improve in the 100 hurdles to get it faster."
Newark junior Nadia Liesen had never done the 1,600 and 800 in the same meet, but she passed the test, winning both (5:33.05 and 2:29.20). Teammates Gwen Stare won the 3,200 (11:35.88), and Sophie Bidwell the discus (127-6).
Newark's distance standouts are beginning to near their peak as their times in the 1,600 relay (4:15.44) and 3,200 relay (9:56.47) at Westerville South last week are in line with where they finished the 2021 season.
"It's good to see the growth over the season," Liesen said. "We ran season records, so it's exciting to see what we will do in the later meets."
Licking Heights' Chanell Harris, Amya Thompson, Kaylee Vance and Olivia Fink won the 400 relay (54.09), and Harris, Thompson, Symaya McDougall and Jordan Watkins won the 800 relay (1:53.03).
Lakewood's foursome of Addison Pound, Christl Blaha, McKenna Clem and Camryn Martindale won the 3,200 relay (10:43.21), holding off a late charge from Newark.
"We wanted to do the best we can," said Pound, who recently returned from injury. "This is the first time we have had this group of girls run together, so we are just trying to push each other."
Heath's Allie Dunlap won the pole vault (10-0), and Kennedi Bailey matched her in the shot put (41-1).
Heights' stars shine
In the boys meet, Heights' D.J. Fillmore and Heath's Huntyr Butler each won three events.
Fillmore won the 100 (10.83), 200 (21.78) and long jump (22-5). Huntyr Butler won the 110 hurdles (15.84), 300 hurdles (41.25) and high jump (6-2).
Heights' Emmanuel Ennin won the discus (153-3) and shot (43-0.25).
Fillmore also joined Kellen Fields, Da'metrious Boyd and Jayden Alexander on the 1,600 relay, which took a close second to New Philadelphia. The Hornets also took second in the 400 (45.29) and 800 (1:35.13) relays to the Quakers and also finished runner-up in the team standings.
"We are getting better with each meet, and our PR is 3:30, so we are trying to get into the 3:20s," said Fields, a junior, who also ran on the 800 relay and took runner-up in the 400 (53.82). "I got injured my sophomore year, and freshman year was Covid. This was my first time doing the first leg (in the 1,600 relay) because I am usually the anchor, so it was a new thing we were trying."
Newark's Isaiah Potter won the 400 (50.89), and Ethan Stare matched him in the 1,600 (4:39.34).
Lakewood's Caleb Rafferty won the 3,200 (10:16.99), and his distance teammates Corey Rafferty, Aidan Bowman, Jonathon Holbrook and Ryan Byers won the 3,200 relay (8:23.96) for the Lancers.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County track athletes take it up a notch at Licking Valley
