KENT CITY – It was a great day for Whiteford at the Division 3 state track and field meet Saturday as three relays and two individuals earned podium finishes and All-State honors.

“What a day the bobcats had at the state meet,” Whiteford coach Jay Yockey said. “I love seeing the hard work these athletes pay off. To go in on the boys side and make podium in four out of five events is an amazing accomplishment. The girls had a fantastic showing as well, and we got a 4×400 team back on the podium for the first time since 2021.”

The Bobcat boys placed 12th as a team.

The Bobcats day was highlighted record-setting performances.

Brek Ruddy broke his own school record in the pole vault and place third in the state. Jess Saylor placed seventh in the 400.

Two boys relay teams broke records and earned All-State honors by placing fourth including the 4×100 of Drew Ruddy, Antonio Nachtrab, Brody Hillard and Nate Andrews) and the 4×400 of Andrews, Brek Ruddy, Hillard and Saylor.

For the girls, the 4×400 Relay of Brielle White, Braelynn Chiotti, Sierra DeBarr and Briar Wing broke the school record (4:13.48) and placed eighth.

In other performances, the 4×200 of Drew Ruddy, Nachtrab, Hillard and Andrews placed 14th.  Nina Bauman

The girls 4×800 Relay team of Briar Wing, Breslin Wing, DeBarr and Chiotti was 18th (10:39.08). Nina Bauman was 13th in the discus (107-4). Brielle White, who qualified in two events, was 14th in the 400.

“The four seniors that competed today have contributed so much to the program the last four years and all their hard work showed today,” Yockey said. “This has been a cultural shift of moving from the mindset of, ‘just making it to state,’ to actually competing and placing at state.”