Editor’s Note: This is the third of a summer series.
We’re into the stretch of featuring two teams until we get to the final installments.
Teams No. 5 and 6 are coming off very special years and show no signs of slowing anytime soon.
Let’s see who’s featured!
6. Wynford girls golf
After being in the shadow of county rivals Buckeye Central and Colonel Crawford for the last eight years despite boasting the golfer of the year four of those years, Wynford finally had the breakthrough season it has been waiting for.
The Royals started the season winning the Crawford County Tournament and proceeded to drop just one match all year to Colonel Crawford en route to the first league title in program history, a runner-up finish at sectionals and a seventh-place finish at districts with rising junior Caroline Sheldon missing out on an individual qualifying spot at state by a single stroke.
All of the top five golfers are back featuring three of the league’s top six in scoring last fall in Sheldon (44.50), senior Rylee Robinson (46.43) and junior Willa Johnson (47.93) along with junior Maggie Ridge (56.71), who was 16th, and sophomore Megan Young (57.50) in 20th. Four of those five have back-to-back district appearances under their belts.
Last fall raised a new bar for Wynford golf. Luckily for coach Sean Weisenauer, it’s one this group of girls won’t want to see lowered anytime soon. In fact, they’ll want to keep raising it with a potential state trip in the cards in the coming months.
5. Colonel Crawford track and field
Not only consistently the best track and field program in the county, the Eagles are regularly one of the best in the state of Ohio. A state title as recently as 2022, Colonel Crawford regularly sends several athletes to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium — and Welcome Stadium in Dayton that one year — who return home with medals draped around their necks more often than not.
Gone is one of the best athletes to ever come through the program at Colonel Crawford in Mira Holt and her best friend, Gabby Roston, who is just as talented and will be vaulting in college. Along with them are talented relay runners in Lucas Foy, Adam Scott and Brady Hill, plus vaulter Logan Goddard and distance runner Olivia Hardy. While that seems like a lot — and it is — there is no shortage of talent in North Robinson eager to make their own mark on the program.
It’ll start with rising seniors Jacob Cochran and Dom Dean, who were Northern 10 track and field players of the year, respectively, after Cochran won the 200 and was runner-up in the 100 and 400, while Dean swept the throws. Classmates Shawn Auck and Braeden Grau are talented distance runners, and Connor McMichael adds in sprinting depth. Add in juniors Roen Thew (sprints, hurdles), Luke Christman (throws), John DeGray (sprints), Landon Strausbaugh (distance) with sophomores Isaac Stirm (distance), Avery Powers (hurdles, sprints, jumps) and Kyle Smith (vault), and it’s easy to see why the boys are primed to defend their N10 crown and make some noise in the postseason again.
And the girls are led by one of the best distance runners around in Rylinn Edgington, who won the mile at the N10 meet and was third at districts. She is part of a small senior class that also features throwers Ella Agee (sprints, shot put) and Sydney Wirebaugh (discus). The juniors are led by sprinter Sydney Rayborn, Lila Plesac (relays, jumps, vault), Claire Smith (hurdles), Lily Alberty (jumps) and Brooklyn Good (sprints, jumps), and sophomores Eva Kozinski (distance), Alyssa Crank (distance), Sydney Link (relays, distance), Emmi Powers (jumps), Paelyn Horsley (shot put) and Ashlynn Beck (discus) give a strong core from which to build.
Add in incoming freshmen Trey Bruner and Cami Roston, who made the middle school state meet in shot put and pole vault, respectively, Colonel Crawford track shows no signs of slowing anytime soon.
zholden@gannett.com | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Crawford 12: Success drives No. 5, 6 to seek new heights
Reporting by Zachary Holden, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum / Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
