Wingate wins! Norwayne's star runner wins first state title, Bobcats finish runner-up

COLUMBUS — As Norwayne's Jaylee Wingate crossed the finish line Saturday, she took a quick look over her left shoulder and then put both of her hands on her knees.

It might've been only a 1,600-meter run, but it was a race two years in the making.

Wingate captured her first individual state title, helping the team to a runner-up finish and highlighting a strong day for the Bobcats at the OHSAA Division III State Championships.

"It's relieving," Wingate said after finishing in 4:56.05. "For all my hard work, and all of my sacrifices that I've had the last few years, it's all worth it. It's a huge sense of accomplishment. Very satisfying seeing everything come to a close."

It was one of several highlights for a Norwayne team that finished 34 team points, good for second overall — the best team finish in program history. Woodmore took the team title with 37 points.

Wingate followed up her win in the 1,600 with a third-place showing in the 800 (2:17.19), making it three All-Ohio medals for the senior after she helped the Bobcats' 4x8 to runner-up on Friday.

Norwayne's 4x100 relay also was fourth in the state, clocking a 50.25, while the 4x2 placed eighth in 1:45.83. Those runs, combined with Allie Morlock placing seventh in both the shot put and discus on Friday, made for a special weekend.

"It's just so thrilling," said senior Lacy Hess, who ran on both sprint relays. "I'm so excited that we were able to get multiple relays down and not just one person.

"A lot of new girls this year and they were able to step it up and make the experience the same as it was last year."

The highlight of the day, however, was Wingate, as she followed the same blueprint that helped her to an undefeated season in the 1,600.

A Tennessee recruit, Wingate kept herself in position with the lead pack and, with 350 meters to go, surged past McDonald's Megan Hipple (4:56.05) in a final split of 1:08.31.

"I know that I'm a fast closer and can run from the 100 to the two-mile," Wingate said. "I have the endurance and the speed, so I tried to use that to my advantage."

She followed that up with a gutsy run in the 800, battling the increased temperatures later in the morning session at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium to place third overall.

And while she was hoping for a better time in that final race as a prep athlete, Wingate was pleased to end her high-school career with a gold, silver and bronze medals.

"It's always a good thing to end the season on a high, especially when you're going to (Tennessee) with the best atmosphere," she said. "I mean, I didn't even qualify for state my sophomore year; I was a sprinter, but I end up on the podium (this year) three times with a state championship title. The improvement over the years is incredible to me."

After running on a 4x2 team with Reece Urban, Sydney Emler and Shelby Vaughn that earned the final spot in the podium, Hess got back on the track with Vaughn, Emler and Kendra Berger to a top-four finish, earning the team crucial points midway through the Saturday running finals.

It's a position that Hess, who suffered a leg injury this past summer, didn't expect to be in, if it wasn't for physical therapy and support of her family, teammates and friends.

"They helped me get back and do something that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do this year with the injury," said Hess, referring to Wadsworth Family Physical Therapy. "Having their help, all of my teammates, and my family and friends help, it's just been able to get me mentally and physically able to be prepared to run down here."

Norwayne senior Annabel Stanley just missed a spot on the podium in the 3,200 run for the second straight season, placing 10th. Stanley finished the race in 11:35.57.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Girls Track and Field: Jaylee Wingate wins first state title