Hilliard Davidson senior Celia Schulte held up three fingers on her right hand as she approached the finish line in the 3,200-meter relay June 6 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
For the third consecutive season, Davidson won the event in the Division I state track and field meet. The Wildcats finished in 9 minutes, 4.29 seconds, almost 7 seconds ahead of runner-up Avon (9:11.24).
“Crossing the line for three years in a row as a state champ on the [3,200 relay] is special,” Schulte said. “It’s kind of unheard of as well. You don’t really hear of teams going three years in a row. Doing it once is hard enough, and to back it up a second time and a third is even harder, so I’m really proud of all the girls.
“We’ve had a lot of pressure going into the last couple of weeks wanting to be on top again, so I’m proud that we followed through with it.”
The win helped the Wildcats get out to a strong start as they look to defend their team title, which was the program’s first. The Division I meet concludes June 7.
Erica Kaulen opened the 3,200 relay for Davidson and was followed by Mackenzie Kline. Laken Wenclewicz ran the third leg and gave her team the lead for good while providing Schulte a sizable advantage.
The pressure might be mounting to repeat as team state champions, but Schulte said the Wildcats use it as motivation.
“That’s been a goal of ours the entire year,” Schulte said of defending the team title. “We’re all very elite athletes on Hilliard Davidson and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. That’s something we’ve been dealing with, so the amount of hard work we put in and the dedication that we all have for the sport, I’m sure we’re all looking forward to the end goal of the state title as a team.”
Dublin Jerome’s Natalie Fouts, Ella Watson, Ella Wynk and Abbie McBearty finished fourth (9:14.21) in the 3,200 relay.
In the boys 3,200 relay, Jerome’s Graham Tyler, Ethan Ishida, Carter Hutchinson and Hunter Coakley won the title (7:40.79) with former runners from the program watching from the stands.
“We’re all best friends,” said Tyler, who ran the anchor leg. “Running with each other is so easy every day. We have the best coaches in the state year after year. That’s all you really need.”
Lancaster’s Gabe McNeil, JJ Notestine, Charlie Cooperrider and Brock Jarrett finished fifth (7:44.71). Gahanna Lincoln’s Gavin Swain, Ethan LaCross, Liam Irvin and Beckett Anderson were sixth (7:45.95).
The meet was delayed for about two hours, starting around 11:30 a.m., because of a thunderstorm.
Olentangy Liberty’s Aldrink earns second 3,200 state title
After winning the Division I state title in the 3,200 as a sophomore but failing to qualify last season, Liberty senior Elena Aldrink was determined to run the race this spring.
Her task was made more difficult by finishing fifth at the Huber Heights Wayne regional. The top four finishers automatically advanced to state, but Aldrink earned one of two at-large berths based on regional times statewide.
At state June 6, Aldrink pulled away in the latter stages to win (10:26.89) ahead of Fouts (10:33.42) and Olentangy Orange’s Brooke Chapman (10:40.92). Kaulen was fifth (10:41.47), Kline was eighth (10:51.46) and Upper Arlington’s Beth Baker finished ninth (10:54.62).
“I hoped to get back here, and I barely made it,” said Aldrink, whose junior season was hampered by a leg injury and iron issue. “I got fifth at regional. I was a wild card. It’s a dream come true. I’m so thankful.”
Chapman was the early leader. Aldrink, a University of Washington signee who won the Division I cross-country state title last fall, took the lead for good at the midway point.
“Going into this season and having my hopes being brought down because of some iron issues that I have, it really took a toll on my mental health again,” Aldrink said. “Being able to come out on top in the end, it shows that you have to wait for accomplishments to come. They just don’t come straight to you; you have to work hard and just believe in God and trust him.”
In the Division I boys 3,200, New Albany’s Austin Benedict was third (9:15.87) and Westerville North’s Casey Carlos finished fifth (9:19.76).
This story will be updated.
High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at @DispatchFrank on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Which central Ohio athletes won titles on Day 3 of OHSAA state track?
Reporting by Frank DiRenna, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Frank DiRenna, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
