All-Daily Record 2023-24: Kaitlyn Carr runs her way to Girls Track Athlete of the Year

It was a record-setting season for area girls track.

Led by Smithville rewriting its school record book en route to capturing the program's first Division III state championship, a host of local individuals and relay teams posted impressive marks throughout the spring.

Behind individual state titles from distance runners Kaitlyn Carr and Maryn Erdman, along with their 4x800-meter relay team winning, the Smithies had a dominant finish to the season at the OHSAA State Championships, while Rittman's 4x8 was runner-up — both groups breaking the previous area-best time in the event.

Athlete of the Year: Kaitlyn Carr, Smithville

Any athlete will tell you that consistency leads to success. It's also the hardest thing to obtain.

Not for Carr as the sophomore was downright dominant all season long but seemed to take her already-high level up another notch when the postseason started. The result was a weekend to remember at the D-III state meet, where she anchored the 4x8 relay to the championship — thanks to sprinter-like finish over the final 100 meters. That came before a second-day performance unlike any other as she won the 1,600 run in 4:50.56 and was runner-up in the 3,200 in 10:49.91 — both times were school records and were more than enough to help the Smithies win the state team title.

Carr didn't lose a 1,600 race all season and was equally as dominant in the 3,200 as she became just the fourth runner in area history to break the 11-minute mark.

Seeing Green: Carr, Erdman lead Smithville to OHSAA Div. III state track title

Coach of the Year: Kirstie Mahas, Smithville

Coming into the postseason, the Smithies had just dethroned Norwayne and ended its reign as the top team in the Wayne County Athletic League.

Smithville didn't slow down from there as it dominated the district and regional meet title before capturing the D-III state championship — the first-ever title in the sport for the school.

Sure, the Smithies had a dominant 1-2 distance combo in Kaitlyn Carr and Maryn Erdman, and an accomplished sprinter in Maddy Lengacher that would rack up points in meets, but Mahas pushed all the right buttons with both the 4x4 and 4x8 relay teams in record-breaking finishes to the season.

Adding the likes of sprinter Claire Haas to the 4x8 unit in the final weeks played a key role in the group winning the title in an area-best 9:20.23, while the 4x4 group was third as Mahas had a deep roster of 5-6 girls that each played a role in the team's dominance throughout the spring.

THE ALL-DAILY RECORD TEAM

Haley Bittinger, Norwayne, so.

All-Ohioan. ... Made the most of her D-III state debut as she placed fifth overall in shot put with mark of 40-3. ... Also qualified for state in discus, placing 11th. ... Had career-best toss of 40-11 1/2 in shot at regionals and personal-record 129-8 at WCAL Championships. ... WCAL champ in both shot and discus.

Brooke Bowlby, Rittman, so.

All-Ohioan. ... Played pivotal role in helping Indians 4x8 relay team to runner-up finish at D-III state meet. ... Group shattered school record with second-best time in area history, clocking 9:20.53. ... Also was regional qualifier in high jump and 4x4. ... Among local leaders in the 3,200.

Nayeli Cruz, Waynedale, jr.

State qualifier. ... Member of Golden Bears' 4x1 and 4x2 relay teams that each advanced to D-III state meet. ... Anchored both sprint relays to school-record times, the 4x1 clocking a 50.49 and 4x2 registering 1:45.92. ... Had second-fastest time in open 100 and 200, along with being among leaders in 400.

Maryn Erdman, Smithville, fr.

State champion. ... Captured D-III state championship in 800 run after school-record 2:13.17. ... Brought home another state gold in helping Smithies 4x8 relay to state crown in area-record time of 9:20.23 as school won first-ever team championship. ... Also ran on 4x4 relay that was third overall at state in program-best 3:59.14.

Kaylee Graham, Norwayne, so.

State qualifier. ... Advanced to first career D-III state meet after personal-record run of 46.25 in 300 hurdles at Norwayne Regional to earn final automatic state berth. ... Time was fastest among area hurdlers. ... Also was WCAL champ in event. ... Was member of regional-qualifying 4x2 team, along with running 100 hurdles and other sprints.

Claire Haas, Smithville, jr.

State champion. ... After being added to 4x800 relay late in season, brought added speed to distance relay that captured D-III state title in area-record 9:20.23. ... Also earned All-Ohio medal in 4x4 relay, which placed third overall. ... Had second-fasted open 400 time, third-best 200 time and helped 4x2 team to regional appearance.

Grace Kostohryz, Wooster, sr.

State qualifier. ... Earned first-ever D-I appearance after third-place finish at Austintown Regional with mark of 38-6. ... Went on to place 15th at state meet. ... OCC champ in event. ... Also was among area leaders in discus after personal-best 106-11 at Nikki Reynolds Invite.

Maddy Lengacher, Smithville, sr.

All-Ohioan. ... Capped off impressive prep career with school-record 56.82 to place third overall at D-III state meet. ... Added another all-state medal to her collection in helping 4x4 relay to third-place finish in 3:59.14 as Smithies won first-ever state championship in the sport. ... Had area-best time in 100, 200 and 400.

Skye Morris, Waynedale, sr.

State qualifier. ... Ran of area-best 4x1 and 4x2 relays and lead groups to D-III state appearances. ... Both sprint groups registered school-record times in postseason run, with 4x1 running 50.49 and 4x2 in 1:45.92. ... Lone area hurdler to break 16-second mark in 100 hurdles, clocking 15.99, making regional appearance in both hurdle events.

Anna Pittman, Waynedale, so.

State qualifier. ... Helped both 4x1 and 4x2 relays to D-III state meet trips and program-record times. ... Ran on 4x1 group that ran school-best 50.49 and 4x2 that clocked 1:45.92. ... Also was state qualifier in pole vault, placing 14th, after winning titles at the WCAL, district and regional meets. ... Lone local to break 11-feet mark, clearing 11-2.

Tess Shultz, Loudonville, jr.

All-Ohioan. ... Earned pair of all-state medals in second straight appearance at D-III state meet, finishing fourth in 1,600 in 5:00.82 and fifth in 3,200 after personal-record 10:58.60. ... Advanced to state in 1,600 after career-best 4:59.43 at regional meet. ... Won Mid-Buckeye Conference titles in 800 and 1,600.

Annabelle Snyder, Rittman, fr.

All-Ohioan. ... Ran on 4x8 relay team that shattered school record and finished runner-up at D-III state meet in 9:20.53. ... Also was state placer in open 800, clocking personal-best 2:17.46 to place seventh overall. ... Just missed state berth in 1,600 after fifth-place run, a week after clocking third-fastest time (5:04.08) in area.

Jule Stoller, Northwestern, jr.

All-Ohioan. ... Was area standard all season long in high jump, capped off by seventh-place finish after mark of 5-3 at D-III state meet. ... Broke school-record in winning WCAL championship, clearing 5-6¼. ... Also was district champ and runner-up at regionals. ... Came up just short of regional berth in 100 hurdles.

Emily Thompson, Northwestern, jr.

All-Ohioan. ... In second straight D-III state appearance, earned first medal in shot put after eighth-place finish with 38-7¼. ... Posted second-best mark in area earlier in season at Triway Invite with 40-4. ... Was regional qualifier in discus, placing eighth. ... Had personal-record mark of 117-3 in season-opening meet at Smithville.

Reece Urban, Norwayne, so.

Regional qualifier. ... Has area-best mark in long jump after clearing 16-5 1/4 to win Norwayne D-III District and earn second straight regional appearance. ... WCAL champ in long jump. ... Also helped Bobcats' 4x1 and 4x2 relay teams to regionals. ... Was among local leaders in both open 100 and 200 dashes.

Kaitlyn Carr, Smithville, so.

HONORABLE MENTION

Chloe Albrecht, Orrville

Mattie Dunlap, Wooster

Ashley Eberhardt, Tuslaw

Adyson Fosen, Rittman

Ava Gaffey, Triway

Katherine Kaster, West Holmes

Cierra Kemary, Triway

Paige Marthey, Tuslaw

Casey Ogi, West Holmes

Catrina Race, Orrville

Zaylie Shultz, West Holmes

Abi Strand-Fox, Wooster

Clara Sundberg, Waynedale

Mackenna Thiel, Dalton

Adalyn Tipton, Hillsdale

Callie Wolfe, Waynedale

Hailey Wood, Tuslaw

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: All-Daily Record 2023-24: Kaitlyn Carr runs her way to Girls Track Athlete of the Year