The Bobcats performed placed in the top 10 in 20 events and got dual victories over 15 schools.
Ohio’s indoor track and field team stepped up its game this past weekend at the Youngstown State National Invitational with 20 finishes in the top 10 and dual victories win over 15 schools.
Those schools included Canisius (NY), California (PA), Bloomsburg, Cleveland State, Virginia Military Institute, Saint Vincent, Wheeling Jesuit, Ursuline, Slippery Rock, Oakland, Seton Hill, Duquesne, Detroit, Lock Haven and Hagerstown Community College.
The jumpers led the way with strong performances from sophomores Taylor Smith, Olivia Mayfield and Tajah Smith.
Taylor took first place high jump at 1.65 meters while Mayfield and Tajah placed third and eighth respectively in the long jump with distances of 5.61 meters and 5.39 meters.
Throwers also had strong performances with four Bobcats placing in the top nine spots.
Senior Janiece Rose threw 17.22 meters, which gave her the first place win. Fellow senior Donyelle Brown followed up in fourth with 16.62 meters. Not too far behind in seventh and ninth place were sophomore Emma Ryan and freshman Jordan Porter who threw 14.51 and 14.47 meters, respectively.
In shot put, Rose fell to fourth with a 13.15-meter throw, as did Porter who fell to 10th at 12.24 meters.
On the track, sophomore Mackenzie Rankin represented the Bobcats in the pentathlon placing sixth overall with 2,992 points. Rankin took second in the 800-meter run (2:29.56), fifth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.46), and sixth in long jump (5.01 meters).
Also on the track, junior Tessa Weigand took third in 1,000-meter run (3:00.28) and seventh in the mile with 5:15.50. Junior Hayley Stegemiller was able to grab fifth in the 500-meter dash with a time of 1:18.45 and ninth in the 800-meter run at 2:19.89.
Junior Kristin Winkel placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles at 9.13 while sophomore Tara Tollett finished eighth in the 3,000-meter run with 10:10.80.
For the third time this season, the team will head back to Huntington, West Virginia, for a meet at Marshall next weekend.
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