ST. MARYS, Ohio — West Liberty‑Salem and Benjamin Logan combined for dozens of scoring performances Friday at the St. Marys Rough Rider Express Invitational, highlighted by relay victories, sprint dominance and multiple podium finishes across running and field events.
West Liberty‑Salem claimed the boys team title with 163 points behind a deep, balanced effort. The Tigers opened strong in the boys 4x800 relay, finishing second in 8:44.52, then added points throughout the day in sprint relays and distance races. The Tigers’ 4x100 relay captured first place in 44.82, and the 4x400 relay closed the meet with a win in 3:32.82.
Individually, Sam Kidd led the West Liberty‑Salem sprint corps, winning the boys 100 meters in 11.30 and taking second in the 200 meters (22.91). In the middle distances, Asher Cole claimed the boys 1600 in 4:25.19, while Caleb Larson was dominant, winning the 800 meters (2:03.05) and placing second in the 1600. West Liberty‑Salem swept the top two places in the girls pole vault, with Tori Douthwaite winning at 11 feet and Elise Longshore finishing second.
Ava Poppe set the West Liberty-Salem school record in her first-place shot-put effort in the contest, picking up not only valuable points but a piece of school history to go with her efforts. The throw of 40’11’ beat the previous record (37’02’) set by Katie Burley in 2004.
Benjamin Logan finished third in the boys team standings and fifth on the girls side, powered by field event excellence and steady relay contributions. The Raiders placed third in both the boys 4x800 (9:01.02) and boys 4x200 (1:37.19), then added a strong second place in the boys 4x400 at 3:39.91.
The Benjamin Logan girls produced standout performances in the jumps. Abby Vance won the long jump with a leap of 17‑0 and added a runner‑up finish in the 200 meters. In the high jump, Madi Oakes cleared 4‑10 to place second, while Joplin Schneider scored additional points in sixth.
On the boys’ side, Roman Maxwell placed fourth in the high jump and fifth in the long jump, while Gus Bibart delivered in the throws, finishing fourth in the discus and third in the shot put. Benjamin Logan also picked up hurdle points from Cooper Buck, who placed fourth in both the 110 and 300 hurdles.
Distance points came from Greyson Butler and Luke Vesely, who scored in the 1600 and 3200, while Jordan Gavin and Tyler Shoopman finished third and fourth in the 800 meters.
Throughout the competition, both programs showcased depth and versatility, with West Liberty‑Salem’s consistency delivering a team title and Benjamin Logan’s field strength anchoring another strong invitational showing.
