Jumps
The Big Names
Prater returns for the 2019 indoor season with the top long jump and triple jump among 2018 contestants. Her 17-7.25 long jump last March helped her secure the state title in the event and her 34-2.5 triple jump was good for runner-up.
Outside, though, Prater was even better in 2018 with an 18-1.25 leap for second in Division 3. While she didn't contest the triple jump in the outdoor season - instead opting for more sprint races - Prater could still look to add a triple jump gold to her cabinet this winter with that #1 preseason ranking.
Watch out for her in the sprints and hurdles, too, though, as she owns 8.49 and 9.22 bests in the 60 dash and hurdles respectively, and a respectable 28.79 200 best indoor (26.78 outdoor).
It was an up and down 2018 for Leipsic's Carlee Siefker, but that won't take away from her ranking as the 3rd best returning long jumper and 2nd best triple jumper in the division. Siefker long jump 17-2 at last season's Northwest District Invite, but that was her only 17-0 clearance of 2018 (indoor or outdoor). Her 34-0 clearance in the triple jump was her only mark at 34-0 or better, although she did grab 4th place at the state meet.
Watch for a bounce back from Siefker as she eyes more hardware after coming up empty in outdoor. She should be a top-5 lock in both events with top-3 potential.
Arguably the most prolific jumper in the D2/3 ranks, Kassidy Betzing has the resume that makes her dangerous at any meet she attends.
Boasting an outdoor long jump best of 18-9.25 and indoor best of 17-2.5, it would appear that Betzing has yet to hit her stride inside just yet. She cleared 17-0 eight times in 2018, though, and that kind of consistency will easily put her in the double state champ conversation. She'll be looking to improve on an eighth place finish in the indoor long jump, her main event, but could make some noise in the triple jump if she decides to go for it in 2019.
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Nine girls cleared 12-0 in the indoor pole vault last season, but only two of them remain as Erin Bogard and Shawnee Springfield's Jace Mitchem lead the way in the event this season.
Bogard placed second at the indoor state meet with her 12-0 clearance and got some experience competing at the New Balance Indoor National meet before heading outdoors. She competed 14 times, clearing 11-6 eight times and improving her lifetime best to 12-4.
Bogard will do battle with Mitchem, whose 12-0 clearance earned her 3rd place last year on jumps. Her outdoor season was not as fruitful as Bogard's, but both girls appear to be the front runners for the indoor state title this March.
The high jump is really anyone's guess (as noted below), but Kerrigan Myers could play as the slight favorite this March.
Her 5-4 lifetime best came outdoor and makes her the only one among the indoor returners to have ever cleared such a height, but her 5-2 indoor best has her sitting in a group of six girls who cleared that height or better last indoor season.
The Up-and-Comers (Sophomores to Watch)
Alexis Rickenbacher - Liberty-Benton
As noted above, the pole vault has two front-runners in Erin Bogard and Jace Mitchem, but there are a slew of girls behind them at 11-0 or better. One of them is sophomore Alexis Rickenbacker.
The Libery-Benton vaulter cleared 11-9 in middle school at her home outdoor meet, but was unable to go higher than 11-3 in her freshman campaign. When the outdoor season hit, though, she climbed to 11-8 and took 3rd in the Division 3 ranks. With a lifetime best only a few inches behind the top competitors, watch for Rickenbacher to rise to the occasion this winter.
Shaelyn Stefancik's triple jump of 30-9.25 ranks 7th among returners in D2/3. She improved her indoor best high jump to 4-10 during the outdoor season and has a 15-1 long jump from this outdoor season. There's a lot of potential in Stefancik's game.
Zedaker high jumped 5-0 in the indoor season and then went 5-2 outdoor. In a highly competitive high jump field, Zendaker will be another sophomore to watch in the event.
Event To Watch
Pole Vault
We have seen a surge in the pole vault talent levels across the country and Ohio is hardly an exception to this trend. Seven girls return with marks over 11-0, led by Erin Bogard and Jace Mitchem. These two will probably duke it out for the individual title, but Alexis Rickenbacker, Morgan England (11-9), Emily Hornberger (11-3), and Karlie Lax (11-3) should all have something to say about that. It will absolutely be a hotly contested pole vault campaign.