COLUMBUS — Draven Stodgel completed his personal double dip at the 2019 OHSAA State Track and Field Championships on Saturday when he competed in his second event the Division II Boys Discus Throw, Stodgel took home eighth place in the Discus Throw with a throw of 158 feet and two inches.
Stodgel entered the D II Boys Discus Throw Semi-Finals coming off of a Muskingum D II Regional Championship where he claimed the Regional Title with a throw of 169 feet and slotted him as a the third highest qualifier.
The Hillsboro High School Junior started well with a throw of 154 feet and five inches on his first attempt of the day but fouled on his second attempt and the pressure ratcheted up for his final throw of the semi-finals.
Stodgel stepped up for his third throw of the day and unleashed his best throw of the day at 158 feet and two inches to solidify his spot in the Finals.
Along with Stodgel eight other athletes, Erik Fertig of East Wood, Noah Koch of Genoa Area, Korbin Spencer and Blake Jamison of Springfield Northwestern, Haden Karshner of Logan Elm, Evan Kaminski of Brooksville, Zachary Jenney of Johnstown-Monroe and Noah Smith of Amanda-Clearcreek advanced to the D II Finals.
Stodgel completed all three of his throws in the Final without a foul and recorded throws of 142 feet, 153 feet and one inch and 154 feet and two inches.
All three throws from Stodgel in the final heat were unable to top his final throw in the Semi-Finals of 158 feet and two inches and the throw would stand as his best of the day and earn him a spot on the D II Boys Discus podium in eighth place.
Smith finished in ninth place in the State with a distance of 154 feet and eight inches.
Jenney was seventh with a throw of 159 feet and five inches while Kaminski was sixth with a throw of 160 feet.
Karshner was fifth with a throw of 161 feet and ten inches that came on his second throw of the Semi-Finals on Saturday.
Teammates Spencer and Jamison took third and fourth place medals home together with throws of 166 feet and eight inches and 163 feet and seven inches respectively.
Koch finished in second place Saturday with a throw of 170 feet and one inch while Fertig took the State Championship back to Eastwood with a throw of 173 feet and six inches on his second throw of the final heat.
As previously reported by The Times-Gazette Stodgel and Deon Burns traveled to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Friday and took part in the 2019 OHSAA Division II State Track and Field Championships in the Boys Shot Put event. Stodgel finished in ninth place and Burns was 11th.
Stodgel, who competed in flight two of the Semi-Final round, fouled on his first two attempts but rebounded on his final throw of the semi-finals with a throw of 52 feet three and three-fourths inches.
Stodgel advanced to the Finals in the boys Shot Put event and was the first participant to throw in the Finals and uncorked a throw of 52 feet four inches.
However with fouls on his next two throws, each of which easily eclipsed his first throw of the finals, Stodgel was unable to improve his Finals standing and finished two and one-fourth inches shy of a position on the D II podium.
Burns also competed in flight two of the Semi-Final round and had his best throw of the day on his first attempt when he threw for a distance of 51 feet two and one-half inches.
The second throw of the Semi-Finals for Burns went a distance of 49 feet eight inches and his third throw was 47 feet eight inches.
Burns missed making the Finals in the event and finished in 11th place overall.
Stodgel and Burns each capped spectacular season’s in the boys Shot Put event that saw them finish at or near the top in every meet they competed in.
Ryan Applegate is the Sports Editor for The Times-Gazette. Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
