Track fans won't enjoy weather quite this nice yet when the girls open the season this Saturday at the Versailles Lady Classique, but with temps in the 50's there won't be snow like in some years past
Chloe Flora, Botkins - Top Event: 1600m (PR 5:02.11)
Distance runners like Chloe Flora don't come around often. Never mind everything she accomplished on the cross country course, this is a track preview. She's simply the best D-III 1600 runner right now on this side of Ohio and that's a fact. She also keeps getting faster. Chloe just completed an outstanding indoor track season where she ran a personal best 5:00.99 at the Indoor State Championships and won a state title. She also did well at the New Balance Nationals Indoor in New York, NY just a couple weeks ago. Chloe signed last fall to run with the University of Dayton after graduation, but she's amazingly still training like she has something to prove. Maybe she does. Chloe was runner-up in the 1600 at state last year by a little over 3 seconds to Athena Welsh of St. Thomas Aquinas. Athena is back this year for her senior season also and might just be Chloe's biggest rival. I'll enjoy watching Chloe during the regular season, but I'm marking my calendar for a showdown in Columbus on June 4th.
Chloe (#1) beat Athena Welsh (#4) for an indoor state title back on March 5th and will be aiming for an outdoor state title to close out her high school career
Andrea Meyer, Ft. Loramie - Top Event: Pole Vault (PR 10-06)
Olivia Quinter, Ft. Loramie - Top Event: 300H (PR 45.63)
Olivia was already a great hurdler last year as a junior and she proved it at the state meet finishing 6th in the 100H and 5th in the 300H. Unfortunately, she also followed in the footsteps of two other great hurdlers from the SCAL. Leah Francis of Russia was 2nd in the 100H and Whitney Bornhorst of Botkins was 2nd in the 300H. Leah and Whitney have since graduated and Olivia is now the one to beat in both those events. By the way, while she was in Columbus last year she also finished 8th in the long jump. I look for Olivia to continue that same success and perhaps be one of the brightest stars in southwest Ohio this season.
Whitney Bornhorst (left) has graduated and Olivia (right) will shine even brighter this season
Nicole Fogt, Jackson Center - Top Event: Discus Throw (PR 130-0)
Nicole is no stranger when it comes to Jessie Owens Stadium at The Ohio State University. After all, she's been going there for the state meet the last three years to compete in the discus throw. She keeps getting better too. Nicole finished 14th as a freshman, 11th as a sophomore, and 5th as a junior. She set the SCAL meet record last year at 130-0 and I don't expect any competition in Shelby County if she stays injury free. Nicole also throws shot put and does well at that, but the discus is clearly her best event. Confidence should be sky high after coming off an appearance in the state basketball tournament just a couple weeks ago, and nerves shouldn't be a problem in her pursuit to yet another trip to Columbus. Discus throwers always get better with age and I expect this season to be another record-setter.
Molly Kearns, Russia - Top Event: 3200m (PR 11:36.57)
You won't ever find Molly jumping over hurdles or hanging out at the long jump pit. Molly is a 100% distance runner and a good one too. She would have to be considering Wright State University recruited and signed her to their cross country and track teams back in November. Molly made her first state track appearance last year as a junior in the grueling 3200 meters and finished 10th overall. That experience seemed to propel her to the level she's at today. After a very successful senior cross country season in the fall and a winter track training program that kept her in shape, Molly is already in excellent condition. She will be a distance work horse for the Lady Raiders competing mainly in the 4x800 relay, 1600 and 3200. Her biggest obstacle will be the fact she runs in the same league as one of Ohio's elite distance runners in Chloe Flora of Botkins. That competition will only drive Molly harder and I'll look for those benefits in mid-May.
Russia has a long history of great distance runners and Molly is the next one
Lauren Heaton, Russia - Top Event: 400m (PR 56.75)
Lauren is the only athlete in Russia history to have her name on two state banners. She was the anchor leg of the 2013 state champion 4x800 relay team as a freshman and she won an individual state title in the 400 meters in 2014 as a sophomore. Earlier this school year she committed to run track for the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland after she graduates. You might wonder how hot the fire still burns in a kid with all those accomplishments? I've watched Lauren run since her junior high days and one thing you never want to do is question her heart. Lauren bleeds blue & gold and is no doubt the most versatile runner in the SCAL. While she could easily be successful in long distance events like she has in cross country for the last four years, her focus in track will be on sprints and middle distance. Lauren can rack up points fast in the 100, 200 and 400, but I also expect to see her in the 800 and perhaps the 4x800 relay when the time is right. Heck, don't be surprised to see her in the 300 hurdles if she thinks she can win.
Lauren will finish #1 in a lot of events this track season
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