Consecutive title streaks the main theme at Firelands Conference track meet

ASHLAND − South Central girls and Crestview boys won team titles at Friday's Firelands Conference track meet but the main storyline centered around multiple title consecutive streaks in individual events that a couple of senior athletes extended.

New London's Reese Landis did serious damage in the 3200 meters (11:26.97) on Friday, as she distanced herself from her opponents and ran away with her fourth straight Firelands Conference title in the eight-lap event.

More: Ashland's Jayden Goings, Braydon Martin stand side-by-side, clearing one hurdle at a time

"That has been one of my goals since I won it my freshman year," said Landis, who was just five seconds off of her own conference meet record of 11:21.47 she set in her sophomore season in 2022. "Once you win it freshman year, you want to hold that standard for yourself. I just need to win it every year and that means a lot. It just shows that you've been working every year. I got to finish my senior year winning four years in a row. I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to lower any of my records but I did it in other years."

To go along with the winning four Firelands Conference titles in the 3200, Landis won back-to-back titles in the 1600, which was her first race of the day. She almost clinched the trifecta of long distance events by winning the 800, but finished third. Landis has been so good in the 3200 and 1600 that she incorporated the 800 in to see if she can get pushed to the level she's seeking. For a long distance runner to take part in all three individual distance events at one track meet is pretty foreign but Landis knows she's more than capable of handling it.

"Yeah, I know physically I'm up for it even when I'm not at my best and that's OK," Landis said. "The mile (1600) I made sure I had enough ground to stay in first. That made me feel good. The 800, the idea was to push but my legs were not going. I ran even splits in that race and at least I got third."

Let's move right along to South Central's Angela Williams, who overwhelmed the field in all four individual events she competed in. Not only did Williams sweep the 100 (12.81), 200 (27.16) and 400 (59.83) meters for the second consecutive year at the Firelands Conference meet, but she four-peated in the 200 and won the 100 for the third time in four years (2nd in 2022).

For that performance, she was named the Most Valuable Runner of the meet.

"After the 400, my legs were pretty tired," said Williams, who set a personal record in the 400 at 59.83. "I just prayed to God that he would give me the strength and he did. Being here again is a great opportunity with my team, coaches and God. It's just really special to come out and compete and do the very best we can."

Taking four in a row in the 200 and three out of four in the 100 sounds like plenty, right? Nah. There's more. Williams also won the long jump for the third time in four years (2nd in 2023) with a PR jump of 18-feet-2. She was all smiles about it.

"I was a little nervous and excited in that one today," said Williams. "My first jump wasn't the best. My coaches are always reminding me to extend my feet. I jumped and that was my first 18-foot jump."

Williams' teammate Grace Lamoreaux had a streak of her own to extend and she did just that in her victory in the 100 hurdles (15.30), which was her fourth straight title in the event.

"It's been a great four years," said Lamoreaux, who finished a close second in the 300 hurdles, an event she's also won twice (2022, 2023) before. "From freshman year to senior year, it's been fun to grow each year. Coaches have really helped me. I was much stronger in the 100. I PR'd too."

You can also add Mapleton's Isaik Schoch to list of runners who won consecutive titles in an event. That would be the 1600 (4:33.65), which Schoch repeated in.

"I ran about the way I wanted to run in that," Schoch said, who attempted to repeat in the 3200 but finished as runner-up. "I tried not to drain myself too much because I had the 3200 pretty soon."

The runner that prohibited Schoch from winning the 3200 for a second straight year didn't have a streak to keep going but he had his mind set on jumping out fast and that was New London's Jalen Randleman, who was victorious in the event for the first time.

"I know Isaik is a great runner so the goal was to start out fast and that's what I did," said Randleman, who ran a 10:04.45 to Schoch's 10:18.59. "I felt in the middle of the race I created some distance and in the last 2-3 laps I pulled away."

Other Firelands Conference winners and high placers from Ashland County:

Cardey Cook, South Central, first in 110 and 300 hurdles

Logan Friges, Crestview, first in 400

Madison Smith, New London, first in 300 hurdles

Cooper Brockway, Crestview, first in 800

Kelsey Pauley, New London, first in discus and shot put

Wade Bolin, Crestview, first in discus and shot put

Scotty Hickey, Mapleton, first in high jump

Falynn Schumacher, South Central, first in pole vault

Liam Kuhn, Crestview, first in pole vault

jsimpson@gannett.com

Twitter/X:@JamesSimpsonII

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Consecutive title streaks main talking point at FC track meet