May 21, 2000

St. Wendelin boys track wins second championship

By Matt Steiner
Sports Writer

PEMBERVILLE &emdash; The St. Wendelin boys track team won their second championship in as many weeks Saturday. Last week the Mohawks' took the MAL crown and this week they added a district championship to the trophy case.

Along the way, the team scored 104 points and grabbed 11 slots in next week's regional meet at Fostoria.

"We had a lot of events where we placed two in and that's what we had to do if we wanted to win it," St. Wendelin coach Brian Rosendale said.

Matt Smith led the way with two individual regional berths, taking second in both the 1600 (4:44.7) and 800 (2:01.8). Matt's twin brother Mike will join him in the mile. He won the event Saturday (4:30.6) setting a meet record.

Jacob Frankart took first in the discus for St. Wendelin with a throw of 153-7. Jerod Guillen barely outran Matt Smith in the 800 (2:01.20).

The other first place finish for the Mohawks came from the 4 x 800 relay team of Guillen, the Smiths and Dominic Krupp. (8:18.7).

Krupp placed fourth in the 3200, giving him an individual qualifier. Charlie Frankart and Aaron Lininger had second place finishes in the pole vault (12-0) and 400 (52.4) respectively. The 4 x 100 team of Ryan Johnson, Dustin Faeth, Lininger and Brandon Schreiner also grabbed a berth after taking third (45.5).

Mohawk managed a sixth place finish with 45 points. The Warriors had three individual qualifiers for the regional and another from the 4 x 100 relay team of Kyle Roush, Tyler Beckley, John Stansbery and Kevin Kingseed for placing second (45.0).

Beckley and Kingseed won slots for next week, taking second (23.2) and third (23.3) respectively in the 200. Stansbery got the other individual berth with a long jump of 19-8 1/2 to take third.

Three first place finishes led Old Fort to a seventh place team finish with 43 points.

"Hopefully we can continue that right on in to regionals," Stockader coach Tony Miller said.

Tyler Pence won the high jump (6-4) and David Myers took first in the 110 hurdles (15.4). And Jeremy Riehm set a personal best in winning the 3200 (9:39). Riehm's time was just three seconds short of the school record. All three finishes set meet records.

"They've got good shots at (a state qualifier) and they've been running strong all year long," Miller said.

Calvert took eighth place at the meet with 41 points. Two individuals and one relay team move on for the Senecas.

Marc Baugher and Ryan Schumm each took fourth in an event. Baugher grabbed his berth in the 100 (11.7) while Schumm took his in the 400 (53.1).

The 4 x 400 team of Baugher, Schumm, Nick Schank and Phillip Smith took fourth as well with a time of 3:38.9.

"This was ideal running today weather wise," Calvert coach Stewart Behm said. "If we get the right attitude and the right frame of mind the boys 4 x 400 might have a shot (at regionals). They're going to have to run their best, definitely."

Tenth place went to Bettsville, finishing with 23 points. Nate Weyant was the star of the show for the Bobcats, grabbing regional berths in three events and setting a meet record in the 300 hurdles (39.8).

Weyant tied for second in the 100, finishing in 11.5. He also placed fourth in the 110 hurdles (15.8).

Hopewell-Loudon's boys finished 11th with 16 points behind a first place finish in the shot put from Andy Hiser (48-1 1/2). David Clouse just missed a regional spot with his personal best and fifth place finish in the pole vault (11-0).

New Riegel ended the meet in 13th place with 10 points. No Blue Jacket earned a single regional berth. However, their 4 x 400 team of Brent Reinhart, Scott Hohman, Brandon Reinhart and Aaron Reinhart and 4 x 800 team of Aaron Reinhart, Jason Staib, Justin Depinet and Bryan Beckley just missed as both had fifth place finishes.

The final event put a damper on the SW victory as Dustin Faeth pulled a hamstring running the second leg of the race for the Mohawks, causing St. Wendelin to finish last.

"I was a little disappointed in the end when Dustin got hurt," Rosendale said. "That kind of took the starch out of everything. I'm more concerned about him more than anything else.

The top four finishers advanced to regionals, but the top eight in each event scored points.

Fifth place finishes included Calvert's Tommy Smathers (high jump, 5-8), Phillip Smith (400, 53.2), Anthony Smith (300 hurdles, 43.1) and Dan Snyder (long jump, 19-3 1/4), Mohawk's Derek Weaver (800, 2:05.8) and St. Wendelin's Mike Smith (3200, 10:14.3).

Taking sixths were Calvert's Andy Elchert (high jump, 5-8) and Marc Baugher (200, 24.2), St. Wendelin's Tony Vanderkhoff (pole vault, 10-6) and Matt Peck (300 hurdles, 43.5), Mohawk's 4 x 800 relay team of Weaver, Thomas, Aaron Roush and Chad Acton (8:57.1) and 4 x 400 relay of KIngseed, Weaver, John Stansbery and Tyler Beckley (3:40.0).

Recording sevenths were SW's Frankart (shot, 41-9 1/2) and Josh Souder (400, 54.1), H-L's Siebenaller (110 hurdles, 16.2), Mohawk's Stansbery (100 (11.8), New Riegel's Brandon Reinhart (300 hurdles, 44.2), Bettsville's Weyant (200, 24.4).

Eighth place finishes included St. Wendelin's Dustin Faeth (long jump, 18-3) and the 4 x 400 team of Guillen, Faeth, Lininger and Matt Smith (4:00), Calvert's Ryan Schumm (200, 24.7) and the 4 x 800 team of Matt Pastorella, Smathers, Shane Ardner and Zack Firestone (9:18.5), New Riegel's Reinhart (110 hurdles, no time), Old Fort's 4 x 100 team of Myers, Brian Ryman, Brian Kistler and Matt Ranker (47.7), Mohawk's Roush (800 (2:08.9)