COLUMBUS — Troy junior Leah Harnish was hoping for a second chance to run at Jesse Owens Stadium after finishing her heat in the 400-meter dash Friday after the opening day of the state track and field championships at Jesse Owens Stadium.

Harnish will get that chance.

She ran a 57.14 to finish fourth in her heat and has the sixth fastest time going to Saturday’s finals.

“I just hope I made finals,” Harnish said. “I was disappointed with my race. It really is incredible (running in Jesse Owens Stadium). It really is.”

Piqua’s Camilla Nicholas will find out if she is running in one or two races tomorrow morning.

Nicholas definitely advanced in the 200, tying for the eighth fastest time of 25.07.

In the 100, with nine girls advancing to the finals, she tied with Trinity Bibbs of Wayne for the ninth fastest time, 12.24.

Those two will have runoff Saturday after the D-III meet is completed to see who gets the spot in the finals Saturday night.

D-II

Milton-Union’s Blake Brumbaugh and Miami East’s Josh Amheiser both found the podium on the first day of the state track and field meet Friday at Jesse Owens Stadium.

Competing in the D-II long jump, Brumbaugh — a junior — came away with a seventh-place finish with a jump 21-3 3-4.

Brumbaugh at finished fifth at state a year ago.

“It was about a foot short of my PR,” Brumbaugh said. “It was that (his speed when he hit the board) and my jumping. It just wasn’t a good day for me jumping.”

Despite battling a injury all year, Brumbaugh found his way to the podium for the second straight year and got compete in Jesse Owens Stadium for the first time.

“That was pretty cool,” Brumbaugh said. “But, I wasn’t happy with the way I jumped.”

Which gives him something to prove next year.

“I am going to lift (weights) when I get home,” Brumbaugh said.

Amheiser and Milton-Union’s Carter Tinnerman were two of 10 vaulters to be clean through 14-6 in the pole vault.

Tinnerman went out at 14-10 and finished 10th.

Down to this third attempt at 14-10, Amheiser — a junior — cleared the bar on his final attempt, paving the way to an eighth-place finish and a spot on the podium.

“I knew that (clearing 14-10) gave me a good chance to get on the podium,” Amheiser said. “I could have solidified it I had made 15-2. But, I got a PR today, so I am pretty happy with it. Getting on the podium has always been a goal. It was a good experience vaulting over here.”

Miami East’s Annika Paton competed in the D-II discus and finished 13th with a throw of 112-7.

The Miami East boys 1,600 relay (Dylan Barnes, Clark Bennett, Kaden Weldy, Jayden Hatcher) failed to advance to Saturday’s finals, finishing 13th in 3:28.33

D-III

A year ago as a junior, Kiersten Franklin came home with a state title in the 200-meter dash.

She hopes to add to that title Saturday in the D-III finals and is well positioned after advancing in the finals in three events Saturday.

“I had enough time between the 400 and 200 today,” Franklin said. “I am hoping to have a little more of a break Saturday. Definitely, the goal is more than one state title.”

While defending state champion Kenna Stimmel of Margaretta is back in the 100, Franklin had a faster time than her Friday.

Franklin ran a 12.08 in the first heat for the fastest time of the day and Stimmel set up a battle for Saturday with a 12.09 in the second heat.

“Having her in the race just pushes me a little more,” Franklin said.

In the 400, Franklin was running in lane 8 after finishing fourth in the regional.

Despite that, she won her heat in 58.25 and only Sydnee Sinn of Wayne Track had a faster time, 56.58.

“That was tough running out there where you can’t see anybody,” Franklin said.

She finished her day in the 200, where she finished second in her heat to Leah Smith of Calvert in a time of 25.04 and has the third fastest time going to Saturday, where she will defend her title.

“I am really happy with how things went today,” Franklin said.

Lehman senior Michael McFarland finished his career on the podium with a fifth-place finish in the discus with a PR of 170-3.

“I had thrown a 165 out of nowhere earlier this season,” McFarland said. “I was hoping to get the school record, because my coach’s brother has the record. But, I didn’t get it out there quite far enough.”

He got into the finals with a throw of 167-2 in the prelims.

McFarland was in sixth place going to his final throw in the finals, but uncorked a 170-3 to move past Marion Local’s Jack Knapke into fifth place.

“We have gone back and forth all year, so it was nice to get in front of him,” McFarland said. “I have only been throwing for two years, so even getting to state — let alone ending up on the podium — was pretty amazing.”

The Lehman girls 400 relay (Ella Monnin, Caroline Wesner, Katie McFarland, Mara O’Leary) failed to advance to the finals.

They finished 13th in 51.47.

Lehman’s Daria Lee tied for 16th in the girls high jump, clearing 5-0.