Oak Hill High School

The OHTF Golden Eagles competed for the 2nd straight weekend in the Hoosier State Relays Indoor State Series. This weekend they went back to back competing at Taylor University Friday night and Indiana Wesleyan Saturday. The two events served as the last time for the Golden Eagles to potentially qualify for the HSR Indoor State Championships. The events featured 10+ teams on Friday and 25+ teams on Saturday. In all the Golden Eagles had 14 Top 10 overall finishes, 5 Top 2 overall finishes, 4 event wins, and set 12 new program indoor program Top 10 marks. The HSR series serves as the Indoor State Track & Field qualifying series each year with the meets throughout March serving to fill the HSR State Finals March 29th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. While the HSR State Finals are “classed” based on football class with 1a-2a-3a being Small School and 4a-5a-6a being Large School, the qualifying meets are not “classed” and everyone competes against each other posting state rankings in attempt to earn a spot in the Indoor State Championships. Sophomore Jalen Scott got the weekend started off fast on Friday at Taylor winning the 60 Meter Dash in a new personal best 7.05 a mark that break the program record he shared with Tahj Johnson at 7.14 he set last week. Scott also anchored the 4x200 Meter Relay team that took 10th overall at IWU Saturday in a deep field clocking a Top 4 all time program mark. Joining Scott were Seniors Morshown Cotton, Seth David, and Reese Hernandez. Other event winners on the weekend were Sophomore Kyle Brower in the Pole Vault at Taylor winning in 12 feet 6 inches. Not a personal best for Brower who tied the program record 13-3 a week ago but still a Top 4 all time height. OHTF newcomer and Sophomore Luke Elzinga won in his first ever competition winning the Long Jump at Taylor with a leap of 19-9. Elzinga's jump was good for 4th all time trailing only Sammy Sommers, Tahj Johnson, and Corey Aughinbaugh indoors. The Distance Medley Relay of Seniors Drew Elzinga and Lance Wyrick along with Juniors Caden Myers and Corban Tippey grabbed the only relay win on the weekend at Taylor Friday night. Their time ranks them 6th in program history. Wyrick, Myers, and Tippey joined by Junior Eli Leak ran the 6th fastest time in program history in the 4x800 Meter Relay at IWU good enough to win their heat and take 6th overall. Not done yet Wyrick, Myers, and Tippey combined forces with Brower at IWU as well to take 9th overall in the 4x400 Meter Relay were clocked a time that ranks 5th all time. The older Elzinga, Drew took 2nd in the 60 Meter Hurdles at Taylor in a near personal best 8.94. Elzinga ran the program's 2nd best time ever last week. He also managed a Top 10 overall 6th at IWU. Junior Thane Jones shined in the throws on the weekend earning a Top 10 overall with a 4th at Taylor in 44-9.75. A new personal best indoors for Jones a 6th best toss in program history. Additional Top 10 finishes on the weekend were Hernandez in the 60 Meter Dash at Taylor in 8th clocking a Top 5 program time and Freshman Jesse Zwirn taking 8th in the High Jump. Two relays also grabbed Top 10 overall finishes on Friday at Taylor with the 4x400 Meter Relay of Leak, Cotton, along with Freshmen Christian Smiley and Noah Wagner were 7th while the 4x800 Meter Relay of Leak along with Freshmen Braylon Carey, Bret Hueston, and Noah Wagner were 8th. With a single week of additional meets being run throughout the state the Golden Eagles now wait to see if their marks stand up for a Top 24 Class 1a-2a-3a State Ranking and a HSR State Birth. Presently the Golden Eagles have Scott, Brower, and both Elzinga's looking to earn individual HSR State Finals births while Wyrick, Tippey, and Myers all sit to potentially qualify in 3 different relays together. The Golden Eagles currently are in a position to have all 4 relays earn a spot. In fact if standings stick it will be the 1st time in OHTF Program History all 8 girls and boys relays qualify for the HSR Finals in the same year. The rankings and state qualifications are made final on arch 24th.