Kate Coy, center, takes the baton from Kinley Green, left, during a leg of the Division III 4×800 meter relay at the state track meet. Coy and Green are two of the athletes who helped the Lady Panthers to another standout season.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Rachael Hoover of Fairbanks displays her All-Ohio award for the Division III 800 meter run. Hoover placed sixth in the state during the event.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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The curtain recently fell on another successful season for the Fairbanks High School girls track and field squad.
The Lady Panthers claimed high honors on the conference, district and regional levels.
They captured a Division III district title for the second consecutive year and earned a pair of Ohio Heritage Conference runner-up finishes during that time span.
Fairbanks just missed winning a 2022 regional championship and finished in second place.
FHS was third in its regional a year ago.
The 2022 campaign concluded this past weekend with Lady Panther athletes qualifying for the state meet in nine events.
The meet was highlighted by sophomore Rachael Hoover’s sixth-place finish in the 800 meter run.
Head coach Patrick Cotter really wasn’t surprised by what the team accomplished this spring.
“We realized at the conclusion of last year that this season could be very special,” he said. “We’ve got a team of phenomenal girls who worked very hard and showed the ability to overcome adversity.”
Fairbanks faced some adversity before the state meet when senior Kate Ruff was not able to compete during a leg of the 4×800 relay.
Ruff tore a ligament in her foot during the regional meet and was substituted for by Claire Baker during the state.
Baker helped the relay team place 10th, just two spots out of a position on the awards podium.
“The girls also dealt very well with the fact we beefed up our schedule,” said Cotter. “We added meets against bigger programs and strong teams from Marysville, Highland, Granville and St. Mary’s.
“They accepted the challenge and did a great job against top level competition.
“All of our girls did an amazing job during the state meet and the entire girls team has a very bright future ahead of them,” he said. “I’m so proud of Rachael and our entire girls team.”
Cotter feels the squad can build upon its 2022 success.
“These girls just feed off each other,” he said. “While they worked very hard, they had fun with it.
“It wasn’t just a grind all the time for them.”
The team has lost five seniors to graduation, including Ruff, Katelynn Vollrath, Carly Fitzwater, Alondra Bosworth and Ally Gerty.
“Katelynn was our leader in the throwing (shot put and discus) events, while Kate was the same for our distance runners,” said Cotter.
The seniors will be missed, but state meet veterans such as Hoover, Macy Miller, Kinley Green, Addie Thrush, Baker, Ally Gearhart and Kate Coy will return to the program next spring.
Although the spring season is over, the work toward the 2023 campaign will begin very soon.
“I’ve told some of the girls to take some time off,” said Cotter. “We’ll then get back into the weight room at the end of June and work to get stronger.”
Cotter also knows the girls will put in road work during the off-season in order to prepare for the next spring campaign.
“During the summer and into the winter, the girls will compete against themselves,” he said. “We have the opportunity to win the OHC championship and do well in the district and regional meets.
“The girls know they have to put in the work in order to do that.”