FREMONT – Ashanti Elkins did exactly as she was asked.
Running the anchor leg of the 4×400 relay, the final event of the day at the Little Giant Track and Field Invitational, girls head track coach Travis Bates told Elkins and her relay teammates, they needed to run in high gear. Trailing Springfield by three points in the overall standings, Bates told his team they needed to finish higher than the Blue Devils to win the team competition.
Madalyn Metcalf, Jazzele Lindsey and Kimora Rapp kept Ross in striking distance of Springfield in the relay. Finally, in the last 100 meters of her fourth leg, Elkins caught and passed Springfield’s Taiya Miller, beating her by 0.16 seconds across the finish line.
The only problem being, Ross trailed Springfield by three points and Elkins’ sprint to the finish made up just two points for the Lady Giants, as Springfield clung to the championship by a point, 113-112, out of the nine teams competing.
The day, which provided gorgeous weather – a rare occurrence for the track teams this spring – saw a number of stellar performances by Ross’ athletes in their final tune-up before the championship season gets under way next weekend at the TRAC league meet in Findlay.
GIRLS
Team results: 1. Springfield 113; 2. Fremont Ross 112; 3. Tiffin Columbian 88.5; 4. Norwalk 63; 5. St. Joseph Central Catholic 58; 6. Toledo Start 48; 7. Old Fort 36; 8. Toledo Bowsher 35.5; 9. Toledo Scott 1.
4×800 Relay: 2. Ashanti Elkins; McKela Elder; Madalyn Metcalf; Mara Brown; 10:33.95
4×1600 Relay: 4. Lauren Zimmerman; Grace Egbert; Kayla Glotzbecker; Bryanna Schermerhorn; 26:52.31
100 Hurdles: 3. Janna Sutton, 17.10
100 Dash: 5. Jazzele Lindsey, 13.08
4×200 Relay: 2. Janna Sutton; Ashanti Elkins; Kimora Rapp; Jazzele Lindsey; 1:48.96
1600 Run: 2. McKela Elder, 5:39.50; 6. Mara Brown, 6:35.41
4×100 Relay: 3. Janna Sutton; Ashanti Elkins; Alexis Prenzlin; Jazzele Lindsey; 52.43
400 Dash: 2. Kimora Rapp, 1:02.24
300 Hurdles: No place
800 Run: 1. McKela Elder, 2:26.91 (17 seconds faster than 2nd); 3. Hayley Wilson, 2:43.96
200 Dash: No place
3200 Run: No place
4×400 Relay: 2. Madalyn Metcalf; Jazzele Lindsey; Kimora Rapp; Ashanti Elkins; 4:24.31 (0.16 seconds ahead of Springfield)
Long Jump: 5. Alexis Prenzlin, 14-01.25
High Jump: 1. Olivia DeRodes, 5-04.00; 4. Sarah Watson, 4-10.00
Shot Put: 3. Olivia Baptista, 32-06.00
Discus: 5. Marissa Overmyer, 100-09
Pole Vault: 1. AnneMarie Moses, 11-06.00; 4. Faith Zimmerman, 7-06.00
BOYS
Team results: 1. Bedford-Temperance 103; 2. Fremont Ross 91; 3. Tiffin Columbian 85; 4. Norwalk 76; 5. Springfield 73; 6. Toledo Bowsher 47; 7. Toledo Start 42; 8. Old Fort 15; 9. Toledo Scott 14; 10. St. Joseph Central Catholic 12.
4×800 Relay: 4. Evan Starkweather; Ethan McClory; Ka’Von Martin; Jayden Scott; 8:53.07
4×1600 Relay: 4. Zach Edmunds; Isaias Ortiz; Noah Egbert; Brayden Darr; 20:21.89
110 Hurdles: 2. Devyn Jagodzinski, 15.94
100 Dash: No place
4×200 Relay: 1. Matt Kuyken; Bryce McKinstry; Ivan Starkweather; Oliver Ellis; 1:32.90
1600 Run: 2. Ethan McClory, 4:41.32
4×100 Relay: 5. Maliek Johnson; Hayden Lehmann; Kamyron Jones; Devyn Jagodzinski; 45.87
400 Dash: 5. Ivan Starkweather, 53.33; 6. Ka’Von Martin, 53.54
300 Hurdles: 6. Devyn Jagodzinksi, 46.34
800 Run: 1. Matt Kuyken, 1:58.31; 6. Evan Starkweather, 2:11.25
200 Dash: 1. Oliver Ellis, 22.92
3200 Run: 3. Ethan McClory, 10:16.82
4×400 Relay: No place
Long Jump: 5. Nathan Willis, 19-02.00; 6. Kamyron Jones, 18-07.75
High Jump: 3. Bryce McKinstry, 5-10.00; 6. Hayden Lehmann, 5-08.00
Shot Put: 4. Dontrez Brown, 42-05.00
Discus: 5. Mike Thomas, 123-09
Pole Vault: 2. Keaton Jordan, 13-06.00