Gahring, Immel close careers on podium

COLUMBUS — Elliot Gahring had been dealt a bad hand. The Norwalk senior and 17 other sprinters in the 400-meter dash were moments away from running their respective semifinal heat on Saturday at the Division II OHSAA state track and field championships when weather got in the way. A lengthy delay then led to the race being postponed to Sunday. Instead of a pair of semifinals, the two heats ran back-to-back as scheduled, then the top eight overall finishers earned a spot on the All-Ohio podium. As a result, Gahring found himself in Lane 7 on a hot, fast track. "It was very rough with the heat and knowing who was in my race," Gahring said. Still, the recent graduate didn't let it bother him. Gahring just missed his PR time of 48.7 seconds from May 29 and instead was clocked in at 48.9 seconds. However, that also moved him up one spot from his seed, and he placed fifth overall at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Gahring, also an All-Ohioan during the indoor season, had some peak competition. Columbus Beechcroft's Nehemiah Mills won in 46.41 seconds, while Cleveland John Hay's Khalil Bryant was in second at 46.44 seconds. Both those times were new stadium and Division II meet records. "Elliot was locked in again, and by the time he took the track, we were in the low 90s with the temperature," NHS head coach Phil Oglesby said. "He gave it his all. Coming down the home stretch, he dug deep and pulled it out. "He was in an outside lane, and that's not a spot he likes because it's a tougher lane to run in with evenly matched competition," he added. "He could barely stand afterward, but he said it was worth it." Gahring, who said he is taking a much-needed vacation before continuing his academics and athletics at NCAA Div. II Ashland University was thankful afterward. "I'm going to miss Norwalk athletics," he said. "But I thank everyone with the athletics for everything I've been able to accomplish. I'm glad that I could get a podium finish for both myself and the school." Gahring wasn't the only decorated senior to finish a career off on the podium Sunday. Competing in the 800 run, Xavi Immel also moved up a spot despite coming up just a tick short of her program record time of 2:14.74 from Lexington. Immel was in eighth place after the first lap but moved past two runners to cross the line in 2:15.07 to finish in sixth place, up from her No. 7 seed entering the event. "Right when I started I felt it in my legs and was like, 'oh no,'" Imml said of the hot conditions. "By the time I got to the 400, in my head, I was saying they were going to pass me, but I quickly tried to snap myself out of it because I had to remind myself I was still in it and needed to push through what I could in the conditions." Oglesby said Immel is not the best hot weather runner by her own admission. "I know that was on her mind, but then the whole field was a little sluggish on that first lap, and it was a tight pack," he said. "She's had one of the best careers you can have, and checking off All-Ohio in track was the last thing on her bucket list. It's very well deserved." Immel, who will also run at AU next year, said she couldn't have asked for a better way to end her high school career. She was also relieved when the race was over. "I was fortunate enough to compete at state as a freshman and as a senior, and this time I thankfully got a better outcome," she said. Also for Norwalk, sophomore Adyson Lepley matched her PR in the pole vault, which came up one spot shy of the podium. She tied with four others in ninth place at 11 feet. The final placement height was 11 feet, 6 inches, which is a previously stated goal height for Lepley to reach moving forward. "Adyson got off to a good start," Oglesby said. "She was jumping very well in some tough conditions. It was hot and humid, and with the weather last night, things were still a little damp in the morning. "It was very muggy. But Adyson approached everything with the right attitude, and she was very happy with her performance." Junior Kinleigh Lesch threw 107 feet, 9 inches, to place 15th in the discus throw. "Kinleigh was very nervous going in and didn't have the day she wanted, I'm sure," Oglesby said. "Today just wasn't her day. Her first two throws were identical, then she fouled on her third. "But she was able to put it in perspective, and I know she's happy she reached her goal of competing at state. She has high hopes of coming back next year." This year was the first time track and field expanded from three divisions to five. Norwalk has often been at or near the cutoff from Div. I and Div. II over the past 15 years, but are firmly in Div. II under the new format. "Extremely happy with the season, and we're already chomping at the bit for next year," Oglesby said. "We had a lot of kids get close. I'm hopeful we can push it a little further next year." On Saturday, Willard's Jonas Tackett competed in the Div. III high jump. He cleared 6 feet, 2 inches to place 10th overall. He entered the event as the No. 11 seed.