COLUMBUS — Anna’s Justin Richards finished first in the boys 100-meter dash preliminary while Minster’s girls 4×800 relay finished first in that event’s final on Friday at Jesse Owens Stadium.

It was the first day of the state track and field meet, and Division III races started the day off.

The 4×800 relays were the only track finals held Friday morning. All other track events were preliminary races; those finals will be held Saturday morning.

Field finals are scheduled to be held Friday afternoon.

The top eight finishers in each final earn a podium spot.

Minster’s girls 4×800 relay finished first by about 20 seconds, while Fort Loramie and Botkins earned podium spots.

Minster’s relay of Margaret Hemmelgarn, Annie Hemmelgarn, Maria Niekamp and Taylor Roth finished first in 9:19, 19 seconds ahead of second-place Norwayne.

Fort Loramie’s relay of Camille Borchers, Colleen Borchers, Lauren Moore and Mylee Shatto finished fourth in 9:39. Botkins’ relay of Alaina Mann, Addison Blindaurer, Grace Gutman and Brittany Arnold finished sixth in 9:46.40.

Richards finished first in the boys 100 dash preliminaries in 10.84. He also was on Anna’s 4×200 and 4×100 relays, which advanced to Saturday finals.

The 4×100 relay Chase Murray, Xavier McEldowney, Ben McDermott and Richards finished second in 1:30.70. The 4×200 relay of Grant Carity, Murray, McDermott and Richards finished fifth in 43.57.

Boys advance to finals

Other area boys earned spots in Division III track finals.

Fort Loramie’s 4×400 relay of Caleb Maurer, Adam Ballas, Ryan Hoelscher and Frank Rethman finished sixth in 3:28.

Versailles’ Colton Reese finished third in the 110 hurdles preliminary in 14.92 and sixth in the 300 hurdles in 40.01.

Girls advance to finals

Other area boys earned spots in Division III track finals.

Fort Loramie’s Ariel Heitkamp finished fourth in the 300 hurdles preliminary in 46.70.

Fairlawn’s Addison Swearingen finished fifth in the 400 dash in 58.73 and ninth in the 100 dash in 12.42.

Minster’s 4×200 relay of Kylie Williams, Anna Larger, Cameo Cedarleaf and Keri Heckman finished fifth in 1:45.59. The 4×400 relay of Heckman, Margaret Hemmelgarn, Ava Stammen and Roth finished second in 4:00.

Non-podium finishes/non-finals qualifiers

Some area athletes competed on Friday and did not advance to Saturday’s finals or earn a podium finish.

Minster’s boys 4×800 relay of Ryan Halpin, Will Knapke, Nick Prenger and Jack Grieshop finished 15th out of 18 participants in 8:17 while Botkins’ 4×800 relay of Carter Pleiman, Keaton Schnippel, Carson Brown and Collin Doseck finished 17th in 8:19.

Versailles’ boys 4×200 relay of Tyler Barga, Conner Gibson, Keegan Gibson and Reese finished 12th out of 18 participants in 1:32.54. The 4×400 relay of Barga, Conner Gibson, Keegan Gibson and Reese finished 11th in 3:29.66.

Fort Loramie’s girls 4×200 relay of Ariel Heitkamp, Taylor Schmitmeyer, Izzy Meyer and Sunni Voisard finished 16th out of 18 participants in 1:47.83. Anna’s 4×200 relay of Ava Reed, Chelsea McEldowney, Victoria Heitkamp and Brooke Metzler finished 18th in 1:49.

Fort Loramie’s girls 4×100 relay of Voisard, Audrey Wrasman, Schmitmeyer and Meyer finished 11th out of 17 participants in 50.90. Lehman Catholic’s 4×100 relay of Mara O’Leary, Caroline Wesner, Kailee Rank and Katie McFarland finished 13th in 51.06. Minster’s 4×100 relay of Kylie Williams, Anna Larger, Anna Kohne and Keri Heckman finished 16th in 51.51.

Fort Loramie’s 4×400 relay of Harley Eilerman, Ella Boerger, Mylee Shatto and Schmitmeyer finished 17th out of 18 schools in 4:14.31.

Swearingen finished 13th in the 200 dash in 26.23. Cedarleaf finished 16th in the 400 dash in 1:00.98.

Distance finals, D-I boys pole vault to be held Saturday

Among other track finals scheduled for Saturday, Jackson Center and Botkins distance runners look to be competing for top finishes.

Jackson Center’s Kellen Reichert has ranks in the top four seed-wise in both the boys 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. Fort Loramie’s Frank Rethman is in contention to earn a podium finish in the 800 run.

Botkins’ Alaina Mann ranks in the top five seed-wise in both the girls 1,600 and 3,200 runs.

In addition, Division I field events are scheduled to start at noon on Saturday. Among participants is Sidney’s Garrett Guinther in boys pole vault. He is the number three seed entering Saturday’s final.

Contact Bryant Billing at (937) 538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.