Numerous locals punch tickets to next weekend’s D-II regional

BYESVILLE − Cambridge High senior Owen Feldner led a strong contingent of local athletes, who secured spots in next week’s regional meet during the Division II East District meet at Meadowbrook High School, which concluded on Saturday under some rainy conditions.

The top four placers in each event qualified for next week’s Division II regional meet on Thursday and Saturday at Muskingum University.

Feldner, who last year qualified for state in the 4X200 relay as a junior, felt his performance a year ago suffered due to an lingering football injury entering the track season. He made sure to close out his Bobcat track career with a bang, advancing in a total of four events to next week’s regional action.

“I’m super excited to get back to the regionals, and I’m still processing today’s finals and can’t believe that I made it in all four events,” Feldner explained. “It is an honor to represent Cambridge at the regionals, and I’m excited for the opportunity for my self and my team members participating on Thursday.

“Last year my season was cut short because of an injury from football. I didn’t get to start participating until the middle of April, so I didn’t feel like I was really in my top notch form by tournament time,” Feldner added. “This year, I really focused on being prepared and ready for the outdoor season. My goals were just to compete every meet and push for PRs. My coach and several of my teammates participated in indoor track this year to help us get ready for this time of the season as well.”

Feldner finished second in the 100-meter dash with a 11.22, followed by a third-place slot in the 200 in 22.86 to advance to regionals in a pair of individual events.

Feldner then joined teammates Xander Caldwell, Reed Johnson, and Eli Edwards to qualify for regionals in both the 4X100 relay (44.44) and 4X200 relay (1:30.87).

“It would mean everything to get back to the state meet, every year our goal is making the state meet,” Feldner offered. “The atmosphere of Jesse Owens is by far the one of the best experiences I have ever had, so to make State my senior year would be an honor and experience I will never forget.”

Edwards (20-11.75) also advanced in the long jump with a second-place finish, while senior Beau Stottsberry took fourth in the pole vault (12-06) to reach the regionals.

Representing the Lady Bobcats at the regional meet will be sophomore Madie Beadle with a fourth-place finish with a 4-10 effort in the high jump, and senior Zoey Caldwell with fourth in the long jump (15-06.75).

The John Glenn girls captured another district title with 145 points with Steubenville second at 79.5. Meadowbrook came in fourth (66), and Cambridge 10th (29).

St. Clairsville won the boys title with 124, as the Muskies took fourth (64.5), the Bobcats were fifth (59) and the Colts sixth (58).

Jessica Church cruised to a win in the 400 with a time of 59.55, finished with thirds in the 100 (12.8) and 200 (26.27), and was on the second-place 4×400 (4:17.63) to highlight the John Glenn effort.

“I tried to get ahead early then kicked it into gear down the stretch,” Church said about her 400 race.

Chelsea Sotherden took first in the discus (120-1) and fourth in the shot (36-7 1/2), Kira Kaiser won the 1,600 (5:33) and was fourth in the 800 (2:30.45), Kara Fields was the runner-up in the 100 hurdles (15.42) and 300 hurdles (48.3), Raya Taylor (4-10) and Ava Hoffman (4-10) tied for second in the high jump, Brayden Snider won the pole vault (11-0) with Brooklyn Valentine second (9-6), the 4×100 of Fields, Marina Nicolozakes, Mya Warner and Ava Hoffman was third (52.25), the 4×800 of Breonna Cosgrove, Alaina Sigman, Grace Lawrence and Laurie Baughman finished third (10:28), and the 4×200 of Charlie Ford, Nicolozakes, Rebecca Spohn and Warner came in fourth (1:52.81) to round out the Muskies’ qualifiers.

“We have a good team because we have a bunch of good runners and athletes,” Church added. “We all have fun together and push each other. We each do our part to help the team.”

John Glenn’s Caiden Lake placed first in the 1,600 (4:34) and second in the 800 (2:03.24), Nick Biddinger was third in the 400 (52.15), Cash Smith came in third in the 110 hurdles (15.36), Biddinger, Lake, Cameron House and Will Nicolozakes placed third in the 4×400 (3:31.83) and Tanner Caudill, Kody Clendenning, Ian Davis and Lake were third in the 4×800 (8:40), while Philo’s Aidan Mahon placed second in the long jump (21-6 1/2) and fourth in the high jump (5-10) and Ryan Morris took fourth in the 3,200 (10:51) to also advance.

Veteran Meadowbrook head coach John Epperson was pleased with his squad’s performance despite the rainy conditions to start the day.

“The weather wasn’t very cooperative to start the day but it didn’t seem to affect our kids ” Epperson explained. “We are just really excited for our kids, the girls finished 4th as a team, a big improvement over last season despite losing some quality girls.”

Meadowbrook district champions included senior Camden Black (5-05) in the high jump and Karrah Singleton (12:42.12) in the 3200-meter run.

Singleton (5:37.69) also moved on in the 1600-meter run with a third-place slot, and the Lady Colts shined in distance runs with Marabelle Thornberry taking second in the 1600-meter run (5:36.87) and Taylor Forbes runner-up in the 3200 (12:35.52).

Kendell West advanced in both the 1600-meter run (4:38.58) and the 3200-meter run (10:21.73) with second-place finishes, while Ethan Furbee (5-10) captured second place in the high jump.

Both the Meadowbrook 4X800 relay teams moved on to regional action with the boys team of Max Epperson, Jacob Banister, Dane Devillez and West finishing fourth (8:46.35), and taking second was the Lady Colts’ combination of Singleton, Grace Kackley, Forbes and Thornberry (10:27.05).

The girls 4×100 of Aayliah Berger, Kaylee Minney, Avery Black and Jostalyn Hunt also moved on in fourth, while Bailey Khune took third in the discus (137-8) and fourth in the shot (42-11.25) and Talon Cannon took third in the shot (45-11.25) to round out the Colts’ qualifiers.