The Marysville High School girls 4×800 meter relay team placed during the recent state indoor meet. Runners are from left, Bryn Hothem, Jenna Rioch, Leanne Eichorn and Jacquelyn Witt. (Photo submitted)
The 2020 high school outdoor track and field season remains in question due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Several Marysville High School athletes, however, honed their skills with a successful indoor campaign this past winter.
“We had an outstanding year of indoor track and field at Marysville High School,” said Monarch head coach Luke Sundermeier. “We held workouts each week to prepare for the spring season and competed in several meets held at local colleges throughout the winter.”
The top 24 in each meet (per event) qualified for the Division I indoor state championships, which were held at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva earlier this month.
A number of Monarchs achieved honors during the meet.
Jenna Rioch earned All-Ohio accolades with a seventh-place finish in the 800 meter run. She finished with a time of 2:18.78.
“Jenna’s 800 race was wild from the start,” said Sundermeier. “A competitor fell and the race was recalled and restarted.
“After the restart, Jenna got out hard (31 seconds at 200 meters) to get in position,” he said. “She held her place well, stayed focused on positioning and closed well in the final 150 meters to secure All-Ohio honors.”
Rioch also qualified for the state meet in the 1600 meter run. However, she chose to only compete in the 800 race.
Tristan Karnes and Haley Cook both earned 14th-place finishes respectively in the 3200 run and long jump.
Karnes toured the track with a new lifetime best and indoor school record of 9:36.81.
“Tristan ran another excellent tactical race,” said Sundermeier. “He ran a quick first lap for position, then settled into his rhythm.
“After running a 4:46 first-mile split, he hung on and really emptied the tank, closing fast on a big group of guys.
“This was Tristan’s first winter of running and he continued developing after an outstanding fall season of cross country.”
Sundermeier said Monarch athletes, like those from throughout the state, are hoping to be able to compete during a spring season.
That, however, will depend on whether schools throughout the state are permitted to reopen after the three-week hiatus that was ordered by Governor Mike DeWine.
If the school closure is lifted, classes would resume on April 6.
Jenna Rioch of MHS displays her All-Ohio certificate from the recent high school state indoor track and field meet. (Photo submitted)
Marysville’s Tristan Karnes placed during the recent Division I state indoor track and field meet in the 3200 meter run. (Photo submitted)
Lady Monarch Haley Cook is all “thumbs-up” after her efforts in the long jump and triple jump at the state indoor track and field meet. (Photo submitted)
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