Marion-area sending 47 field event qualifiers to track regionals

All across central Ohio, Marion-area athletes competed in field event district finals from May 19 to 21. There were 47 who qualified for regionals by placing in the top four. Of those athletes, 11 were champions.

Here's a closer look at how the field event athletes fared at districts. Division II at Hillard Darby Marion Harding's Theo Collins won the boys pole vault with a finish of 11 feet, 4 inches. He will now compete at the D-II Lexington regional.

Division III at Hillard Darby Winning district championships were Highland's Kynzie Green n the girls shot put at 38-8 1/2 and discus at 130-2, Highland's Hudson Howell in the boys high jump at 5-10 and River Valley's Finley Blevins in the girls pole vault at 11-6. Others advancing to the Muskingum regional are RV's Jackson Kloha (second, boys discus, 144-9), Highland's Jett Black (second, boys pole vault, 14-0), RV's Colt Craig (third, boys pole vault, 13-4), RV's Ben Isler (fourth, boys pole vault, 12-6), RV's Madalynn Gwinner (third, girls shot put, 35-10 1/2, second, discus, 119-4), RV's Averie Strine (second, girls high jump, 4-9) and Highland's Ava Fichtner (third, girls pole vault, 8-6). Softball tournament roundup: River Valley, Cardington heading to district finals in softball More softball tourney action: Northmor, North Union softball teams fall in district titles Division IV District A at Granville Northmor's Riley Cooper and North Union's Gabby Lindsey each won district titles.

Cooper took the girls high jump in 4-11 and Lindsey earned the girls long jump at 16-3 1/4. The regional will be held at Harding Stadium in Marion. Those earning runner-up spots were North Union's Collin Welch in the boys pole vault at 11-6, NU's Xavier Gruber in the boys high jump at 6-1, NU's Griffin Osborne in the boys long jump at 20-2 and Northmor's Macie Witherall in the girls long jump at 14-5 1/4.