Girls Division 2 Central Ohio Preview

While our coverage of Division 2 indoor track will be less extensive, we still wanted to provide a Central Ohio preview for this weekend’s meet. The OATCCC recently changed the number of indoor divisions from two to four, effectively splitting the previous Division 1 into the new Divisions 1 and 2. The strength of competition in these top two divisions is fairly similar, though Division 2 is slightly weaker. However, since these divisions are based on school population sizes—and Central Ohio schools tend to have larger enrollments—most of the top Division 1 competitors from the OHSAA-sanctioned outdoor season have remained in that division. While Division 2 primarily consists of schools from outside Central Ohio, a few notable local athletes will be key factors in the outdoor season's Division 1 races.

4x800m Central Ohio Qualifiers: Bishop Watterson

The only Central Ohio team in this race is the Bishop Watterson Eagles, who have run 10:13 this season. With just one individual qualifier, most of their athletes will be racing on fresh legs—an advantage that just might be enough to propel this squad to All-Ohio honors on Saturday.

1600m Central Ohio Qualifiers: Lucy Rush

Lucy Rush of Mount Vernon is our sole qualifier here. The junior is currently undefeated this indoor season, having won three races—all in either the 3200 meters or 1600 meters. She holds a seed time of 5:20, which ranks her 12th overall heading into the meet.

800m Central Ohio Qualifiers: Leighton Coey

Big Walnut sophomore Leighton Coey is the lone qualifier in this event. Coey has run 2:25 this season, which, after flat-track conversion, ranks her 11th among all entered competitors. It’s worth noting that she has picked up four wins across various distances this season. While an upset win isn’t likely this weekend, consistency is always a good sign in my book.

3200m Central Ohio Qualifiers: Lucy Rush, Kaitlyn Van Zandt, Elsa Tonnessen

We already mentioned Lucy Rush, but two other qualifiers join her in this event: Elsa Tonnessen of Granville and Kaitlyn Van Zandt of Bishop Watterson. Tonnessen is the faster of the two, as the freshman has run 11:30 this indoor season, good for 8th overall in this field.

Van Zandt took full advantage of the last-chance meet hosted by Kent State a couple of weeks ago, securing her ticket to the state meet with an 11:55 clocking. While I don’t expect much from her this year due to her youth, I’m confident this experience will pay dividends down the line.

While Division Two athletes don’t always get the spotlight in our coverage, these competitors have proven they can hold their own against top talent. With Lucy Rush's undefeated streak, Elsa Tonnessen's top-eight seed, and Bishop Watterson's relay squad looking to make a statement, there’s plenty to watch for this weekend. Whether it's gaining experience or chasing podium finishes, these athletes have a chance to leave their mark at the state meet.