Westerville Central’s Olivia Pace leads the 2024 Dispatch All-Metro girls track and field team.
Pace was announced as Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year at the Central Ohio High School Sports Awards on June 20 at the Mershon Auditorium . The show, which was produced with the support of Middlefield Bank and Ohio Athletic Performance, honored athletes from 30 sports .
Girls Track Coach of the Year: Get to know Westerville Central's David Mentlow
Here are the girls track honorees:
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Elena Aldrink, Olentangy Liberty
The sophomore closed a strong season by winning the 3,200 meters (program-record 10:35.34) at the Division I state meet . She was also part of the 10th-place 3,200 relay (9:24.13). Aldrink also won the 3,200 at the regional (10:53.23), district (10:59.69) and OCC-Central (11:10.06) meets.
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Brooke Chapman, Olentangy Orange
A sophomore, Chapman won the 1,600 (program-record 4:55.08) and was 11th in the 800 (2:17.66) at the Division I state meet. She also ran on the fourth-place 3,200 relay (9:13.69). Chapman won the 1,600 at the regional (4:57.22), district (5:05.7) and OCC-Central (4:58.17) meets and finished fourth at regional (program-record 2:13.42) and second at district (2:18.63) in the 800. She also made cross country All-Metro in the fall .
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Isabel Evans, Northridge
Evans won the 100 hurdles (14.47) and finished second in the 300 hurdles (program-record 43.12) at the Division II state meet. The junior also won the 100 hurdles (program-record 14.18) and 300 hurdles (43.42) at regional and took first in the 100 hurdles (14.55) and 300 hurdles (43.71) at district. She also won the 100 hurdles (14.8) and 300 hurdles (45.67) at the Licking County League meet.
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Kylie Feeney, Dublin Coffman
The top middle-distance runner for Coffman closed her prep career by finishing second in the 800 (2:09.83) at the Division I state meet. The senior won the 800 at regional (program-record 2:08.93), district (2:11.32) and at the OCC-Central meet (2:12.49). She also established a program record in the 400 , breaking a mark held by Abby Steiner. Feeney will run at Tennessee.
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Olivia Pace, Westerville Central
The senior won the 100 (11.65), finished second in the 200 (23.98) , placed fourth in the long jump (18 feet, 2 ¼ inches) and was a member of the fifth-place 400 relay (47.23) at the Division I state meet. A week earlier, she won the 100 (11.67), 200 (23.99) and long jump (18-7) and ran on the first-place 400 relay (program-record 46.67), helping the Warhawks capture their first regional title . She also swept top honors in all three individual events at the district and OCC-Ohio meets. Pace will compete at Southern California.
Jameson Pillifant, Columbus School for Girls
The senior finished second in the 300 hurdles (program-record 43.44) and ninth in the long jump (16-7) at the Division III state meet. At regional, she was second in the 300 hurdles (46.02) and long jump (program-record 17-11 ½) after winning the 300 hurdles (45.43) and long jump (17-2 ¼) at district. The Dayton commit finished first in the 300 hurdles (46.23) and third in the long jump (17-1) at the Central Buckeye League meet.
Elizabeth Poling, Upper Arlington
The sophomore helped lead the 1,600 relay (program-record 3:50.02) to a Division I state title. She also was fifth in the 400 (46.51). At regional, she was part of the first-place 1,600 relay (3:51.5) and fourth in the 400 (program-record 56.23). Poling won the 400 (56.48) and ran on the first-place 1,600 relay (3:52.12) at district after winning the 400 (58.13) and 1,600 relay (4:03.74) at the OCC-Central meet.
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Chayla Rankin, Olentangy
The junior leaped to success at the Division I state meet, winning the high jump (program-record 5-8). She won the event at district (5-7) and in the OCC-Cardinal meet (5-2) and finished third at regional (5-4). She won the 100 hurdles (program-record 15.14) at district and the 100 hurdles (15.7) and 300 hurdles (47.16) at the league meet.
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Keena Sanders, Gahanna Lincoln
The senior finished third in the 400 (55.62) and ran on the sixth-place 800 relay (1:40.42) at the Division I state meet. At regional, Sanders won the 400 (program-record 55.18) and was a member of the second-place 800 relay (1:40.39). The Miami University commit finished second in the 400 at the district (56.89) and OCC-Ohio (56.66) meets.
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Celia Schulte, Hilliard Davidson
The sophomore had a strong Division I state meet, helping the 3,200 relay finish first (program-record 9:03.67) and taking third in the 800 (2:10.58) as Davidson placed fourth – the highest finish for a central Ohio team. At regional, Schulte was a member of the first-place 3,200 relay (9:17.33) and was second in the 800 (2:10.32). She won the 800 at district (program-record 2:08.97) and was second in the OCC-Central meet (2:20.03). She also made cross country All-Metro in the fall.
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Anna Wile, Hilliard Davidson
The sophomore finished second in the 100 hurdles (14.66) and fifth in the 300 hurdles (43.74) at state. She won the 300 hurdles (program-record 43.54) and was fourth in the 100 hurdles (14.82) at regional after winning the 300 hurdles (44.54) and finishing second in the 100 hurdles (program-record 14.66) at district. Wile won the 100 hurdles (14.68) and 300 hurdles (45.3) at the OCC-Central meet.
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Ashtan Winfrey, Africentric
Winfrey wrapped up a memorable senior year by winning the long jump (program-record 19-6) at the Division II state meet. The Eastern Michigan commit won the event at district (19-4 ¼) and at the City League meet (18-11) and finished second at regional (18-4). In the winter, she helped Africentric's girls basketball team win its second consecutive Division III state title .
fdirenna@dispatch.com
@DispatchFrank
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2024 Dispatch All-Metro: Who are the best girls track and field athletes in central Ohio?
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