Annie McCracken continues to pole vault into rarefied air, and now, only one has ever been better.
The Granville senior cleared 14 feet to win the title during the Blue Aces’ Granville Invitational on April 17. McCracken broke the Division II state record and became only the second girls vaulter in Ohio history to reach 14-0.
“I have been pushing for 14 all year, including indoor, so after indoor season when I didn’t clear 14, I kind of had more fire under my belt, and I was a little bit bummed out,” McCracken said. “This week after not my best meet last week, I did a lot of reflecting, praying and trusting the Lord throughout this whole process. Mainly, I was just studying my vaults and giving my body time to recover.”
Clearing 13-6 gave McCracken the official Division II state record, and she then cleared 13-9, also surpassing the Division I state record of 13-7 set by Greenville’s Riley Hunt in 2019. Only Kenna Stimmel, of Margaretta, has gone higher, setting the Division III state mark at 14-6¼ in 2022.
McCracken, an Indiana signee, was Division I state runner-up last June. She won the Division II indoor state championship in March.
“When I cleared, I was surprised. It was pretty great,” McCracken added. “I am not going to lie; today, I felt quite crappy. It’s hot. I am feeling a little nauseous, but I would rather clear a bar than throw up and quit. I was not going to let that stop me.”
Tory Reynolds cleared 5-0 to win the high jump and took runner-up in the triple jump (34-4½) and 200-meter dash (27.06 seconds), helping Granville take runner-up in the team standings. The Blue Aces totaled 115 points, trailing Logan’s 126.
Reynolds also combined with Charlotte Turner, Anna Ehrlich and Ayla Cook to win 800 relay (1:49.92), and Elsa Tonnessen won the 1,600 (5:18.47). Audrey Ames took runner-up in the 100 hurdles (15.93) and combined with McCracken, Lily Kronk and Sadie Tritico to take runner-up in the 1,600 relay (4:12.04), and Sophie Price placed third in the high jump (5-0).
Newark’s Odessa Andrews Barreau won the 100 hurdles (15.77), and Janel Johnson and Jazmyn Brown combined with Sean Brechbill and Treig Loughman from the boys team to win the 1,600 mixed relay (3:52.62).
Andrews-Barreau, Brown, Kyleigh Davis and Bailey Francis took runner-up in the 400 relay (51.88). Johnson added a third-place finish in the 400 (1:00.22) as did Emma Ray in the pole vault (10-0) for the Wildcats.
In the boys meet, Granville’s Nolan Cheney won the 400 (50.63). Bode Shoaps added a runner-up finish in the 100 (11.20), and he joined Cohen Fisher, Garrett Hannahs and Liam Duffey on the runner-up 400 relay (43.49).
Also taking runner-up for the Blue Aces were Callum Sproul in the 800 (1:59.44), Logan Miller in the 3,200 (9:39.77) and Cade Roberts in the high jump (6-2). Benjamin Rose added a third-place finish in the 1,600 (4:28.45).
Newark’s Roy Price Jr won the 110 hurdles (14.68), and Loughman, Jacob Buell, Camden Booker and Noah Jackson won the 400 relay (43.47). Brechbill added a third-place finish in the 400 (50.97).
Heights sweeps
Both the Licking Heights boys and girls teams won their Hornet Invitational championship as the boys finished ahead of Briggs 141-54 and the girls ahead of Briggs 151-33.
The Heights boys had seven different individual champions – Samolu Cooper in the 100-meter dash (11.22 seconds), Cayden Cross in the 200 (23.05), Ayuub Abdullam in the 400 (51.36), Ayden Greenlee in the 800 (2:09.88), Zachary Huey in the 3,200 (12:19.59), Shiloh Cunningham in the shot put (38 feet, 8 inches) and Abel McGowan in the long jump (20-5½).
The Heights girls had five athletes each win two individual titles – Sabrina Bauer in the 100 hurdles (16.90) and 300 hurdles (49.66), Katherine Banks in the 1,600 (6:18.58) and 3,200 (15:24.10), Phoebe Sayre in the shot put (35-4) and discus (99-7), Kennedy Rutledge in the 400 (1:01.51) and long jump (16-5) and Morgan Watkins in the 800 (2:43.99) and high jump (4-6).
BASEBALL
NC wins in eighth
Hal Gillespie singled and scored on an error in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifting Newark Catholic to an 8-7 victory against visiting Utica in Licking County League-Cardinal Division play.
NC won its second consecutive game in the eighth after Dayne Scott struck out two and allowed two hits in 4⅔ scoreless innings of relief. Cash Fluharty led the Green Wave (7-3, 4-2) with a double and a single, a run and three RBIs, and Kane Stephey added three hits, including a double, and an RBI, Gillespie two hits and two runs and Owen Przymierski two hits, a run and an RBI.
Elijah Bland led Utica (4-8, 2-4) with three hits, including a double, and an RBI, and Aaron Hays and Jaxson Riggs added two hits and a run apiece, combining for three RBIs and Tucker McElroy a hit and two runs. Hays also struck out four and allowed one run in four innings of relief.
Heath wins at Northridge
Quentin Sunkle struck out five and allowed just one unearned runs in a four-hitter, pitching Heath to a 3-1 victory at Northridge in LCL-Cardinal play.
Camden Stephens recorded two hits and a run for the Bulldogs (6-3, 4-2), who moved into a first-place tie with the Vikings (7-3, 4-2) and Newark Catholic. Trevor Enders and Macksen Matthews added a hit and a run apiece and Jamison Walsh a hit and an RBI.
Kash Reeves and Collin Matheson combined for six strikeouts and allowed two hits apiece without an earned run, but the Vikings committed three costly errors. Gus Cermak notched a hit and a run and Reeves a hit and an RBI.
Watkins rallies at home
Ben Coffman’s squeeze bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Jax Dotson, lifting Watkins Memorial to a 6-5 victory against visiting Granville in LCL-Buckeye play.
Coffman and Dylan Gray totaled two hits, a run and an RBI apiece, and Dotson added a hit and two RBIs and Cam Burt a hit and a run for the Warriors (7-3, 5-1), who trailed 4-0 in the fifth inning and 5-4 in the seventh and host first-place Licking Valley on April 20. Logan Grezlik allowed five hits and four unearned runs in six innings.
Wilson Wells led the Blue Aces (3-3, 3-3) with three hits, including a double, and three runs. Jackson McMillan added a double, a run and two RBIs and Luke Bosse two hits and an RBI.
Marohl slugs for Johnstown
Erik Marohl hit a grand slam and also an RBI single, powering Johnstown to a 5-4 victory at Lakewood in LCL-Cardinal play.
Braeden Archibald added a double and a single and two runs and Luke Carter a hit and a run for the Johnnies (6-4, 3-3). Landon Larason struck out two and allowed two earned runs in six innings, and Archibald got the final out by strikeout.
Carson Pound was a perfect 3 for 3 with a run and an RBI for the Lancers (2-7, 1-5), who scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Evan Moore added two hits, a run and an RBI and Grayson Ullman a double and a single and an RBI. Jaxson Marlo struck out four and allowed one unearned run in 3⅔ innings of relief.
Kamppi dominant for Liberty
Dawson Kamppi struck out 20 against just one walk, firing a one-hit shutout in Liberty Christian’s 7-0 victory at Northside Christian in Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League play.
Drew Fye doubled and singled and knocked in three runs for the Eagles (2-4, 1-2). Jacob Widmer added a double and a single and a run, Jackson Cecil two runs and Max LaPorte two RBIs.
SOFTBALL
Northridge slips past Heath
Khloe Angus drove in the tying run on a fielder’s choice and scored the winning run on an error in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving Northridge an 11-10 victory against visiting Heath in LCL-Cardinal play.
Kadance Adkins and Ashlynn Mauger recorded three hits apiece, combining for three runs and three RBIs to lead the Vikings (6-8, 1-6), who matched the Bulldogs’ three-run sixth and two-run seventh innings. Ellie Reese added a hit, two runs and three RBIs and Nya Van Ostran two hits, including a double to lead off the seventh.
Lexi Purington doubled as part of a four-hit day and scored two runs and knocked in four for the Bulldogs (2-8, 1-6), who overcame an early 4-1 deficit. Leighton O’Reilly added two hits and four runs, Kate Zarins two hits, a run and two RBIs and Emma Foote two hits and a run.
Johnstown wins at Lakewood
Lucia Kuhn struck out 11 and scattered six hits, pitching Johnstown to an 8-2 victory at Lakewood in LCL-Cardinal play.
Emma McGeehan led the Johnnies (9-3-1, 4-3) with three hits and three runs. Riley Stefanick added two hits and two runs and Jenna Hochanadel and Addy Zak a double and a run apiece, combining for five RBIs.
Averie Adams hit a solo home run to lead the Lancers (10-5, 5-2). Jaycie Montie added a hit and a run and Riley Williams a hit and an RBI.
NC edges Utica
Brooklyn Kurtz Merricks doubled twice, scored a run and drove in one for Newark Catholic in a 5-4 victory against visiting Utica in LCL-Cardinal play.
Joanna Bailey added two hits, a run and an RBI, Jahni Whitney a double, a run and an RBI and Avery Sullivan and Veronica Bailey a hit and a run apiece for the Green Wave (9-3, 5-2), who moved into a first-place tie with Lakewood and visit Johnstown on April 20. Aly Rothweiler struck out five and allowed eight hits and three earned runs in a complete game.
Makena Wilson hit a solo home run for Utica (7-6, 3-4), and Kiersten Hull added a double, a run and an RBI and Emily Meyers a double and a single. Hull also struck out four and allowed seven hits and three earned runs.
Watkins beats Granville
Hannah Chapman hit a three-run home run in a seven-run fifth inning after earlier hitting a two-run home run, shooting Watkins Memorial to a 10-6 victory against visiting Granville in LCL-Buckeye play.
Alli Langwasser added two doubles, a run and an RBI, Gracie Gerhardt two hits, a run and an RBI and Emma Jellison and Bryna Davis a hit and two runs apiece for the Warriors (11-4, 5-2). Morgan Gerhardt struck out four and allowed two runs in three innings of relief.
Aubrey Lackey hit a three-run home run for the Blue Aces (5-9, 1-6). Bella Metcalf and Sydney Cottrill added two hits, a run and an RBI apiece and Hailey Dehnel a hit, a run and an RBI.
Liberty wins on road
Viv Neuhart racked up two hits, including a double, two runs and three RBIs, fueling Liberty Christian in an 18-7 victory at Foxfire.
Kayla Feeney added two hits, two runs and two RBIs, Macyn Looney and Madison Looney a hit, a run and three RBIs apiece, Brecken Wigtil a hit, two runs and two RBIs and Alissa Windle four runs for the Eagles (2-6). Katelyn Nestor struck out nine.
Heights blanks Watterson
Lily Reich and Emma Sagle each tripled, combining for four runs and five RBIs, sparking Licking Heights in a 10-0 victory against visiting Bishop Watterson.
Jadyn Ribbing and Hayley Stout added two hits and a run apiece and Avery Potts and Hailey Anderson a hit and two runs apiece for the Hornets (10-5). Natalie Mahoney struck out seven in four one-hit innings.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Newark falls at home
Miles Drake piled up six kills, 11 assists and five aces as Newark dropped three tight sets, 25-19, 25-22, 26-24, to visiting Pickerington Central.
Koby Watson added six kills and 10 assists, Zalyn Hanzey 12 kills and five aces and Dominic Williamson four blocks and seven digs for the Wildcats.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Roundup: Granville’s McCracken sets Division II pole vault mark
Reporting by Kurt Snyder, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
