NEW CONCORD — The Washington Blue Lions had a very nice showing at the Division II Regional track meet this past Thursday and Saturday at Muskingum University.

Recent graduate Mason Coffman, who will run for Marshall University, is leaving quite a legacy at Washington High School.

On Saturday, May 25, Coffman won the Regional title in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash for a rare double victory in the sprints.

Coffman won the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.87 Saturday after running 11.03 in the prelims on Thursday.

His fastest time thus far is the school record of 10.78, which he recorded at the District meet on his home track. That time also established a new District record.

Coffman won the 200-meter dash at Regionals with a time of 22.02. He ran a 22.25 in the prelims.

The previous week at the District meet, Coffman won in a new school record and District record time of 21.86.

Coffman anchored Washington’s 4 x 100-meter relay that advanced to the Regional finals. The quartet of Garrett Rickman, Gabe Perez, Andrew Young and Coffman placed sixth in 43.55.

Gallia Academy won in a time of 42.59.

South Point, Indian Valley and Coshocton rounded out the top four qualifiers going to State.

Rickman was 14th in the 200-meter dash in 23.54.

Young, a sophomore, was 10th in the high jump at 5’ 10”.

He was also 10th in the long jump with a leap of 19’ 4 1/2”.

“It’s a great opportunity to run here with my teammates,” Coffman said. “I’d like to thank my other teammates for pushing me throughout the season.

“Sometimes in sports, you don’t need just the physical push of being able to run faster, perform better,” Coffman said. “Having them next to me just gives you a reason to be out there at practice. When we’re doing those hard workouts and you don’t want to go to practice, it’s those guys that you do it for.

“Most importantly, I’d like to thank God for giving me the talent and the opportunity to run,” Coffman said. “Without Him, I wouldn’t even be here. For Him to bear my sins and give me the chance to live this life, I’d like to thank him.

“I’d like to thank my mom and dad,” Coffman said. “All my other supporters, my grandma and grandpa; maybe chasing (his four brothers) gets me a little faster.

“I’d like to thank the people who are in my circle,” Coffman said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be here.

“I just ran a lot last year and it hurt me in the finals (at Regionals) so I didn’t get to go to State,” Coffman said. “(I have) a lot of fire in me. I’m coming for that (number) one spot. I’m not going to let anyone take that from me.

“Just being able to (go) out there and compete (at State), I think I have as good a chance as anybody to win it,” Coffman said. “I’m going to (go) in with the mentality that I’m the guy to beat.”

“Mason is confident in what he does,” Washington head coach Louis Reid said. “It’s because of the training he has put in. He has worked extremely hard to get to this point in his career.”

Recent Washington High School graduate Kierstyn Mitchell was 12th in the 100-meter dash in 13.23. Mitchell was 11th in the 200-meter dash in 26.81.

“I can’t say enough about Kierstyn,” Reid said. “She’s ran at the Regional meet all four years. She’s been a Regional finalist all four years. She’s done an outstanding job for our Lady Lion track program. She’s been a great role model and she’s been a great student-athlete. She excelled on the track and in the classroom, just like Mason.

“It’s sad that she didn’t get to make it back to State,” Reid said. “She’s competed at the State meet the last two years on relays. She had a career best in the 200. She’s going to go on and do bigger and better things.”

Junior Aysha Haney was 16th in 27.41.

Mitchell, along with Haney, Jordyn Gray and Lydia Mootispaw, placed seventh in the 4 x 200-meter relay in 1:49.45.

“I’m really excited for those girls on the 4 x 2,” Reid said. “They ran a season-best. Their making the finals was great; getting that season-best in the finals was even better.”

Haney placed ninth in the long jump at the Regional meet with a distance covered of 16’ 1 1/2”.

“Aysha made the finals (at Regionals) for the second year in a row in the long jump,” Reid said. “Aysha returns (next year). She’s been on some of our relays that have been to State.

“Jordyn Gray is a sophomore and we got her some experience on that,” Reid said. “And Lydia Mootispaw is a sophomore. So, we have three of those legs coming back. We believe we can make a run next year and make it back to Regionals and the Regional finals and make it back to State with that relay.

“Andrew did a great job in both field events,” Reid said. “He cleared 5’ 10” and jumped a lot better this year. He’s just a sophomore. It’s his second time making it (to Regionals) in these events. We’re pretty excited to have him back. He finished the year strong.

“Our 4 x 1 was really close on the boys’ side,” Reid said. “We ended up sixth. We just missed out on that extra qualifying spot.” The top two fifth place times at the four Regionals receive a bid to State to put the field at 18.

“Gabe Perez is a junior, so he’ll be back,” Reid said. “Garrett Rickman’s a senior and we’re glad he came out. He did extremely well in helping our 4 x 1 get to that point, as well.

Washington sophomore Avah Ruggles was 15th in the high jump at 4’ 10”.

“Overall we were excited,” Reid said. “Getting our kids to the Regional level and having some Regional finalists. Getting someone to State is always our goal. We’re disappointed we didn’t get anyone (to State) on the girls’ side, but we saw a lot of growth and we believe we’ll get someone there next year.”

McClain is sending two relays to State.

The 4 x 400-meter relay team placed third with a time of 4:07.28. Those relay team members are sophomore Becca Bergstrom, junior Brenna Wright, senior Kaitlyn Jett and freshman Larah Henson.

McClain’s 4 x 100-meter relay was second in the finals at the Regional in a time of 50.14, just two one-hundredths of a second behind the inning team from South Point.

The McClain 4 x 100-meter relay was comprised of Luca Matesic, Wright, junior Katie Cook and Jett.

For Hillsboro, Austin Bledsoe, a junior, placed eighth in the pole vault at 12’ 8”.

Recent Hillsboro graduate Ayden Clemons placed 15th in the shot put with a throw of 42’ 2”.

Recent McClain graduate Jackson Crago was 11th at the Regional in the pole vault at 12’ 0”.

Another recent McClain graduate, Luca Matesic, was 14th in the 100-meter dash in 13.33.

Bergstrom was 14th in the pole vault at 9’ 0”.

Recent McClain graduate Lily Barnes is going to State after placing fourth in the discus with a throw of 127’ 1”.

Barnes was eighth in the shot put at 36’ 4 1/4”.

The Hillsboro girls were 14th in the 4 x 800-meter relay in 10:37.99. That relay was composed of recent graduates Bree Bailey and Ramsey Haines and sophomores Taylor Thoroman and Jailyn Williams.

Hillsboro’s girls were seventh in the 4 x 100-meter relay in 52.13. Those team members were sophomore Meredith Dietrick, freshman Chanel Captain and recent graduates Kelsey Gilkison and Allison Browning.

Hillsboro was 12th in the 4 x 200-meter relay in 1:52.65. Those team members were sophomores Alizeh Hudson, Kobie Miles and Olivia Covault and freshman Chanel Captain.

Covault was 16th in the 400-meter dash in 1:03.53.

Miles was seventh in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.52.

McClain’s Brenna Wright was 11th in the 300-meter hurdles in 49.64.

Wright qualified to State in the 100-meter hurdles, placing third with a time of 15.63.

Recent Jackson High School graduate Rylie Kilgour was eighth in 16.85.

Hillsboro sophomore Jailyn Williams was fifth in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:20.87.

Hillsboro junior Corbin Winkle was seventh in the 3200-meter run in 9:58.96.

Hillsboro freshman Rason Brunck was 16th in 11:35.48.

McClain junior T.D. Matesic was 13th in the 400-meter dash in 52.81.

Hillsboro sophomore Cooper Swope was 14th in 52.86.

Recent Jackson High School graduate Mikey Parana was 14th in the long jump at 18’ 7 3/4”.

The Hillsboro boys 4 x 800-meter relay team was fifth in a time of 8:12.03. Those runners were Winkle, juniors Chris Sowders and Tate Davis and sophomore Ryan Howland.

Davis placed 10th in the 800-meter run in 2:00.78.

The Hillsboro boys 4 x 400-meter relay placed 14th in 3:36.89. That relay was made up of Bledsoe, Davis, Howland sophomore Cooper Swope.

“We’re fortunate to have a great group of kids that work really hard,” McClain girls coach Drew Hamilton said. “Some of their goals were to make it to the State meet. It’s good to see them achieve those goals.

“The 4 x 4 was kind of a surprise,” Hamilton said. “They took over seven seconds off since Districts. It was really great to see them have that desire to push through.”

Two Tigers have vacations scheduled and won’t be attending the State meet: Brenna Wright and Katie Cook, according to Hamilton.

“We have some girls stepping up as alternates this week,” Hamilton said. Becca Bergstrom and Mylie Lovett will fill in on the 4 x 1 relay, Hamilton said.

“Luca and Kaitlyn have been really great leaders for us,” Hamilton said. “It’s great to have alternates that are able to fill in. We also have Anna Eikenberry who is with us this week. We have a spot to fill in on the 4 x 4. I don’t know exactly, but it’ll either be Luca and Anna.

“Lily Barnes broke her own school record on her very last throw (in the discus),” Hamilton said. “Lily won the FAC (Frontier Athletic Conference) in the shot and disc all four years. She’s just had a really great career. We wish her the best as she’s going to move on.” Barnes will continue her education and her throwing career at Ohio University.

“She trusted the process,” Hamilton said of Barnes. “Each throw had to be better and each throw was better. She just really went up there and competed.”

Freshman Adalynn Snyder is another alternate for State, Hamilton said.

“To be able to run with the competition that’s going to be at the State, that’s a privilege in itself,” Hamilton said. “We’re really happy to have the girls go up there.

Hillsboro freshman Collin Swackhammer was 13th in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.70.

Jackson’s boys were 10th in the 4 x 200-meter relay in 1:32.76. That relay consisted of freshman Christian Gillum and a trio of juniors — J.T. Hammons, Ryan Stewart and Josh Hutchinson.

Jackson was 12th in the 4 x 400-meter relay in 3:35.78. Those runners were Stewart, juniors Joey Springer and Joel Cashmore and Gillum.

Jackson sophomore Blake Bender was 14th in the 300-meter hurdles in 43.81.

Hutchinson was 13th in the 200-meter dash in 23.50.

Jackson junior Matthew Gibson was seventh in the 1600-meter run in 4:39.64.

The Division II State track meet begins at 9 a.m. Friday at Dayton’s Welcome Stadium.