Wheelersburg sophomore Ison Emnett in the Division II boys shot put

Paul Boggs | Daily Times

DAYTON — The first two days at the recent state track and field meet featured first-timers from Wheelersburg and Valley —although neither of the Valley junior boys or Wheelersburg trio qualified for the finals in their respective events.

On Day 1, Valley’s Dane Smith and Aidan Waughtel competed just 15 minutes apart, as part of the Division III boys competition —as the 2024 state meet took place at Dayton’s Welcome Stadium.

Smith finished 16th out of 18 competitors in the boys shot put —with his three preliminary throws going distances of 46 feet and three and three-fourths inches, 48 feet and nine inches and 48 feet and 11 and three-fourths inches.

Valley junior Dane Smith in the Division III boys shot put

Courtesy of Ruth Boll

Waughtel was 13th out of 17 starting runners in the one-lap 400m dash semifinals —with a 50.62 seconds clocking.

Valley junior Aidan Waughtel in the Division III boys 400m dash

Courtesy of Ruth Boll

For field events at the state meet, the top nine of three preliminary throws apiece all advance to the finals.

In running events involving distances less than 800 meters, the top three finishers from each of three semifinal heats —and the next two fastest times —qualified for the next day’s finals.

On Day 2, Wheelersburg was represented by senior Cody Risner in the Division II boys discus, sophomore Ison Emnett in the boys shot put, and freshman Ella Hochstetler in the girls discus, shot put and 300m hurdles.

Risner, the lone graduate of the group of Scioto County qualifiers which also included all-Ohioans Peyton Caudill from Minford (Division III boys 100m and 200m dashes) and Tate Ratliff from Green (boys seated 100m, 400m and 800m dashes), threw on Friday morning —and fouled twice before his final throw of 150 feet and six inches.

Risner placed 14th out of 18, as unfortunately Emnett in the shot put fouled on all three of his preliminary throws.

Wheelersburg senior Cody Risner in the Division II boys discus throw

Courtesy of Ruth Boll

For Hochstetler, she was 11th in the shot put — with throws of 38 feet and three and three-fourths inches, 34 feet and 10 inches and finally a foul.

Wheelersburg freshman Ella Hochstetler in the Division II girls shot put

Paul Boggs | Daily Times

In the afternoon discus throw, she was 16th out of 18 —with a third-throw foul which followed prelim landing tosses of 107 feet and nine inches and 109 feet and three inches.

Wheelersburg freshman Ella Hochstetler in the Division II girls discus throw

Courtesy of Ruth Boll

In between, Hochstetler ran the 300m hurdles, and finished 18th out of 18 in the semifinals in 51.12 seconds.

Wheelersburg freshman Ella Hochstetler in the Division II girls 300m hurdles

Paul Boggs | Daily Times

Emnett, Ratliff and Caudill have two more seasons at attempts at state meet returns, while Hochstetler has three —and the two Valley boys being one.

Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at [email protected], or on X @paulboggssports © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved