Greenville pole vaulters make their mark on day 1 of district track and field meet

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HUBER HEIGHTS – When you are among the smallest teams in Division I, you have to work hard to make yourself heard.

The Greenville track and field has an uphill battle going against much larger schools such as Wayne, Northmont and Springfield to name a few powerhouse schools in their Ohio High School Athletic Association district. But still Greenville managed to hang tough and on day one the Wave have athletes qualifying to the regionals.

At the end of the day the Greenville boys were in second place and the Greenville girls were in third place – an impressive start to the district meet.

The first day was capstoned by the performance of the Greenville pole vaulters – who passed on the early vaults and did not start vaulting until four other competitors were left at their opening height. AJ Frens won with a vault of 15 feet 7 inches, and teammate Ryan Trick was second with a vault of 14 feet 8 inches. Third place was 13 feet so they easily surpassed their competition.

It was not easy as there were gusty winds throughout the evening. The Springfield tent was sent rolling by a vigorous gust – sending athletes sprawling out of the way as it tumbled, and the same gust of wind threw one of the pole vault mats onto the track while a 400 meter race was in progress – it was retrieved just before the runners rounded the curve. So the vaulters had to overcome some treacherous winds to earn their hardware.

Also scoring for Greenville the girls 3,200 meter relay team of Brooke Perreira, Mikayla Miller, Haley Maher and Grace Coakley finished sixth. Freshman Emma Klosterman was sixth in the girls high jump.

The Greenville coach was asked to comment on the first day of the D1 district meet,

“When you talk about disappointments, we thought that Emma Klosterman could qualify for regions in the high jump, but she finished sixth,” Greenville coach Bill Plessinger said. “But on the flip side she made the finals in the hurdles. So she turned a disappointment into a positive when she did so well in the hurdles. She is the first girl from Greenville to make the hurdles in district – so that is a good thing.

“Yes, we are the smallest team here, but it is what is it is. You just come with the best of what you have. For our athletes to get to regionals, it is a huge deal. It’s a tough district, but you just do the best you can. Emma Klosterman had a personal best in the hurdles, and Addison Ernst had a personal best at discus with a throw of 123 feet 3 inches. We’ve had some decent times – it is just that when you go against these big schools it is difficult.

“It is a challenge for us, we want to take a bus to regionals – we don’t want to take van. That is what it is all about – who can we get to the next level. And ultimately we want to get them to Columbus.”

https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_DSC_3156.jpgJ. C. Tilton | For The Daily Advocate

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Greenville’s AJ Frens clears the bar during the boys pole vault at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I track and field meet on Wednesday at Wayne.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_AJ-Frens-WEB-1-3.jpgGreenville’s AJ Frens clears the bar during the boys pole vault at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I track and field meet on Wednesday at Wayne. J. C. Tilton | For The Daily Advocate

By J. C. Tilton

For The Daily Advocate

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