WEST ALEXANDRIA – It was Friday the 13th on the calendar, but after a rough spring – this Friday instead brought good luck for the athletes with temperatures well into the 70s and bright sunshine – a welcome change from the rain and snow that has plagued the area.
There was a stiff breeze, which gave the pole vaulters some grief, but overall it was a welcome day after the horrendous weather that teams have had to deal with this season. The good weather brought out the fans as well as the bleachers were well filled and folks lined up along the fences for the meet.
The athletes responded to this change and there were some good performances. The top finishing local teams were the Arcanum Trojans boys team, which finished in fourth place, as did the Ansonia girls team. Host Twin Valley South finished first with both its boys and girls teams.
Among other Darke County girls teams, Arcanum was seventh, Franklin Monroe was 10th, and Tri-Village was 12th. For the boys Ansonia was sixth, Tri-Village was seventh, and Franklin Monroe was eighth.
Tanner Delk of Arcanum had a great day with the distance events. He anchored the winning 4x400m relay team. Then he won the 1,600 meter run and the 3,200 meter run. He must have been exhausted by the end of the day, but he went home with three first place awards.
Austin Bruner from Tri-Village also brought home some hardware. He won the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash and 400 meter dash. He was also part of the Patriots’ 4x400m relay team that finished in fourth place.
In the pole vault, Ansonia put in an impressive performance despite the windy conditions. Brock Shellhaas was first and Matthew Shook second. They had no challengers but each other. They vaulted 14 feet and 13 feet respectively. Third place was a distant 10 feet 6 inches.
Top performances were the Arcanum boys 4×800 meter relay team of Chance Klipstine, Landen Kreusch, Justin Vanatta and Tanner Delk in first place. In the 110 meter hurdles Brock Shellhaas of Ansonia took first.In the girls 300 meter hurdles Aidan O’Brien of Arcanum was victorious. Arcanum’s Chance Klipstine won the boys 800 meter run. Tara Goubeaux from Franklin Monroe won the girls discus. Franklin Monroe’s Selene Weaver won the girls long jump and pole vault.
The Arcanum coaching staff was asked for comment, and it was sort of a round robin affair as they chimed in, “Our boys distance has had a good night. Tanner Delk and Chance Klipstine both had a good meet. Josh Wright placed in the hurdles. He was fifth in the 110 meter hurdles and fourth in the 300 meter hurdles; both times were personal bests.
“The girls side is young, but Rachel Wright had a personal best in the 800 meter run. It was a first for her in running distance. She has never done a sport before, and this is all new to her. But she is excited to be at a meet like this. Mara Wetzel placed fourth in the 1,600 meter run. Aidan O’Brien was second in the 100 meter hurdles and first in the 300 meter hurdles – she is just a freshman.
“We have had meets canceled, but we have not missed a day of practice. Whatever the weather, we have been working out.”
Those workouts seem to have paid dividends as the Arcanum teams did well.
