Regional runners-up Fowler, Sotak compete at state

During the Division III regional track meet at Tiffin Columbian’s Frost-Kalnow Stadium, Northwood senior Trinity Fowler and Woodmore junior Cole Sotak had runner-up finishes and were competing for a state title over the weekend.
        Fowler finished second in the 1600, crossing the line in 5:16, just under five seconds behind Holgate’s Raena Willett, who won in 5:11.12. Woodmore sophomore Ava Beam crossed in 5:16.3 to place third and she also qualified for state.
        Fowler also qualified in the 800 after placing fourth at regional in 2:17.54, less than a second behind Gwynne Riley, the champion from Archbold (2:16.63).
        Besides Beam, Woodmore had two other qualifiers — junior Claire Rothert in the 300 hurdles and sophomore Olivia Thatcher in the 3200.
        Rothert placed fourth in her hurdles event, crossing in 47.39, just over a second behind Old Fort’s Jenna Clouse, who won in 44.7.
        Thatcher was fifth in the 3200, finishing in 11:45.52, just over 20 seconds behind Alyssa Ellerbrock, the champion from Columbus Grove (11:25.21). This is the second straight year Thatcher qualified for state in the 3200.
Genoa had two relay teams, the 4x100 and 4x200, place at regional and compete at the state meet.
Genoa’s 4x200 team, senior Reaghan Pietrowski, junior Rylee Frederickson, sophomore Taylor Simmons and freshman Lacy Frias placed fourth at the regional. They crossed the finish line in 1:47.84, just over two seconds behind the championship team from Archbold.
The 4x100 team, Pietrowski, Simmons, sophomore Sara Partin and Frederickson, placed third at the regional in a time of 50.47, less than a second behind the champions from Margaretta (49.79).
In the boys regional meet, Sotak’s pole vault of 14 feet was just as good as the first place vaulter, Colonel Crawford’s Alex Mutchler, but Mutchler won the regional championship on a tiebreaker.
Northwood senior Joey Heise qualified for state after finishing third at the regionals in the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.21, less than two seconds behind Xavier Dunifon, the champion from Bluffton (39.23).
The Gibsonburg 4x100 relay team, seniors Brady Jason and Bradley Mendoza and juniors Jon Auld and Theo Hernandez, finished in fourth at the regional, crossing in 44.43, less than a second behind the championship team from Ottawa Hills (43.53).