OH s Osborne places twice; Genoa s Riffle 4th

6/6/2004

COLUMBUS - Jeanne Osborne didn t want this year s state track meet to play out for her as it had in previous seasons.

The Oak Harbor senior had been involved in past state meets only to come up short of at least finishing among the top eight in any of her events.

Osborne delivered on her promise to place at the state meet by running fifth in the 300-meter hurdles and sixth in the 100 hurdles yesterday in Division II.

Osborne posted a personal-best time of 46.13 in the 300 hurdles and came through with a 15.14 in the 100 hurdles.

“I was here looking to be one of the top eight, she said. “I love running at this track. This place is awesome.

Also in the Division II girls, Port Clinton s Kari Kreutzfeld, Ashley Taylor, Kelly Logsdon and Shari Kreutzfeld came together in the 400 relay to earn a second-place finish (49.41).

“All of our handoffs were really good and we couldn t be any happier,” Logsdon said.

Kari Kreutzfeld, Shari Kreutzfeld, Taylor and Tonya Tigner came through for third place in the 800 relay (1:45.04).

Kari also placed sixth in the 200 (25.67).

Among the boys, Genoa s Kyle Riffle raced to fourth place in the 400 with a time of 50.12.

The senior who once spent most of his time in track running distance events placed at the state meet for the first time.

“That was my goal to get down to state and I m happy to get a medal,” said Riffle, who also qualified in the 100 but did not make the finals. “This is the greatest feeling I ve ever had in my life.

Bellevue s Greg Keys had won every 110-meter hurdles race he ran this season. The same held true for every 300 hurdles. The unblemished record even included defeating defending state champion Shelby s Austin Wechter four times this season.

For the first 100 meters of the 110 hurdles Keys appeared on his way. But he banged a knee into the final hurdle. The late miscalculation allowed Wechter to beat him to the finish line in a winning time of 14.04. Keys was second (14.16).

Keys later placed fourth in the 300 hurdles as Wechter repeated as state champion in 36.97.

Archbold s Nick Cameron placed sixth (39.36).

Eastwood s James O Brien took sixth in the 1600 with a season-best time of 4:24.52.

Ottawa-Glandorf s Jordan Pothast, Ryan Schollmeier, Quentin Shafer and Nate Pothast ran fourth in the 1600 relay (3:25.28).

Wauseon s Jake Schlosser placed seventh in the 800 (1:57.18).