Connersville won the boys track and field sectional title Thursday, May 18 for the third consecutive year, but it was by the slimmest of margins. The Spartans scored 144 points, a scant two more than Richmond, who finished second with 142. The Red Devils won the 4×400 relay in the last race of the meet, but it was not quite enough to catch the Spartans.
Several athletes for Wayne County schools were blue-ribbon winners, and a large contingent of athletes from Wayne County schools qualified to move on to the Greenfield Central regional on Thursday, May 25.
Kaden Young (Hagerstown) won the 800-meter run. Alex Orihuela (Richmond) won the 1,600-meter run. Chase Cates (Northeastern) won the 3,200-meter run. Mason Burkhardt (Seton Catholic) won the 300-meter hurdles. Richmond won the 4×400-meter relay with the team of Austin Rohe, Ethan Newton, Antonio West, and Ivan Orihuela. Gunner Kovach (Richmond) won the high jump. Javon Vecera (Richmond) won the long jump.
The Top 3 finishers in each event qualified to advance to the regional, qualifiers by school follow.
Austin Rohe (Richmond) qualified in the 200-meter, but later scratched from the event and will be replaced in the regional by Mason Romack (Hagerstown). Gunner Kovach (Richmond) qualified in the long jump and later scratched from regional competition.
Regional qualifiers by school
Centerville: Kyle Sheard (3,200-meter)
Hagerstown: Mason Romack (200-meter, long jump), Kaden Young (800-meter, 1,600-meter), Lowell Berger 110-meter hurdles, Gary Lehman (high jump), Mason Bowlin (shot put), Landon Lawson (discus)
Northeastern: Chase Cates (1,600-meter, 3,200-meter), 4×800-meter relay team
Richmond: Antonio West (100-meter, 400-meter), Ivan Orihuela (400-meter), Alex Orihuela (1,600-meter), Xavier Ogle (1,600-meter), Ethan Miller (3,200-meter), Gunner Kovach (high jump) Javon Vecera (long jump), Kenny Cunningham (shot put), Masson Heiny (discus), 4×100-meter relay team, 400-meter relay team, 4×800-meter relay team
Seton Catholic: Connor Kitchin (800-meter), Mason Burkhardt (300-meter hurdles), 4×100-meter relay team, 4×400-meter relay team
Final team standings: Connersville 144, Richmond 142, Hagerstown 89, Rushville 75, Northeastern 47, Seton Catholic 46, Tri High 27, Cambridge City Lincoln 20, Centerville 16, Union County 8.
A version of this article appeared in the May 24 2023 print edition of the Western Wayne News.