Youthfule Shawnee boys set CBC relay record


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Reporter Dave Jablonski has covered sports in Clark and Champaign counties since 2001.

Alex McCrory watched his Shawnee teammates run the 4x200-meter relay with intense interest. He knew what was at stake.

“If Dusty gets a good leg, this might be the record,” he said.

Sophomore Dusty Seelig, on his way to winning the most outstanding athlete award in the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division, pushed the pace on the final leg and got that meet and school record Friday in the CBC championships at Bellefontaine High School. Sophomore Jalen Nelson, freshman David Barnett and sophomore Andy Elliott teamed with Seelig for a time of 1 minute, 31.01 seconds.

“We came out here super pumped and ready to break it,” Seelig said.

The group broke Indian Lake’s 2009 record by .05 seconds and the school record by .06, and the win helped carry Shawnee to the overall CBC title two weeks after it won the Clark County crown.

“It’s a group of young guys that are just starting to come together,” Shawnee coach Mike Garberich said. “The nice thing about that group is it’s all underclassmen. They’re really excited now because that’s a time that can get us to Columbus.”

Seelig also won the 400 (50.64), finished second in the 200 (23.57) and ran for the 4x800 relay (8:10.09) that placed second on Tuesday. Nelson also starred with a win in the 100 (11.44) and with the 4x100 relay (44.6).

Shawnee scored 135 points. Tippecanoe (90), Tecumseh (82.5), Benjamin Logan (59) and Stebbins (47.5) rounded out the top five.

Two other area athletes won most outstanding athlete awards.

Greenon’s Rachel Stute was named the top athlete in the Mad River Division and led the Knights to the Mad River title. She finished third in the 100 (13.52), second in the 400 (1:00.28) and third in the 200 (27.15). She also ran the final leg for the winning 4x400 relay (4:13.78).

Tecumseh’s Kaitlin Ritter was named the top athlete in the Kenton Trail. She placed second in the 1,600 (5:27.60), second in the 800 (2:28.69) and sixth in the 3,200 (13:22.01). She also ran for the 4x800 relay that placed fourth (10:35.77) on Tuesday.

Bellefontaine was the overall winner in the girls meet with 121 points. Tippecanoe (88.5), Greenon (71.5), Tecumseh (69) and Urbana (66) rounded out the top five.

Among the other top performers from the area were:

• Tecumseh’s Kody Pritt won the 200 (23.28) and finished second in the long jump (19-7).

• Kenton Ridge’s Iman Salhieh won the 100 (13.19) and finished second in the 200 (26.31).

• Urbana’s Christy Finney won the 400 (59.23) and placed second in the high jump (5-0).

• Greenon’s Lianne Masquelier won the 800 (2:27.32) and ran for the winning 4x400 relay (4:13.78).

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