The celebration begins mid-air as Olmsted Falls’ Katie Nageotte clears 12-8 during the Division I pole vault competition last Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The vault gave Nageotte a meet record and the state championship. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

THE FANTASTIC FOUR:
Chambers, Doughty,
Nageotte and Mags 3200 relay
win state crowns
By Jim Horvath
Sports
Published June 10, 2009

Total effort and preparation.

Total determination.

Total domination.

Four state champions.

That was the story last weekend at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium as athletes from the Westshore area brought back four state titles upon completion of the annual OHSAA Track And Field Championships in Columbus.

After falling behind during the first two legs of the 3200 relay, Magnificat rallied behind Kat Stultz and Madeline Chambers to win it last Friday with a time of 9:09.42. It was the Blue Streaks’ first state crown in that event since 1985,

On Saturday afternoon, Bay sophomore Bridget Doughty again settled for second in the 100 hurdles to begin the Division II competition. But later on, Doughty dominated a strong field to win the 300 hurdles going away with a career best time of 43.53.

Magnificat’s Madeline Chambers moves out to a commanding lead in last Saturday’s Division I 1600 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Chambers won the 1600 title and anchored the Blue Streaks’ winning 3200 relay on Friday.

In Saturday’s Division I competition, Chambers struck again for Magnificat in the 1600. She gradually separated from the rest of the pack in the first two laps, then left it in the dust in the final two as she won it easily with a time of 4:49.15.

Then senior Katie Nageotte of Olmsted Falls dominated nearly the same way in the pole vault to win the crown going away with a vault of 12-8. That performance was a new Division I meet record.

“It felt good. I really don’t know what to say right now,” said a smiling Doughty as she waited to receive her award.

“I definitely attacked it from the beginning,” said Doughty, who finished fourth in the 300s last year as a freshman. “Last year, I was scared to death, but this year all that fear went away. I proved my spot (first seed), and I don’t ever want to forget today. It was great.”

Earlier, Doughty finished second to fellow sophomore Jerica Sanders of Lake Catholic in the 100 hurdles. Doughty ran a career best 14.65, but it wasn’t quite enough to best Sanders’ 14.48.

It was a different story, however, in the 300 hurdles. And the young Rocket hurdler admitted she had a bit of help during that race.

“I was praying the whole time,” she said. “This was all for God. I was leaning on Him the whole time. He helped me stay calm and was with me the entire way. I like the 300 better because I have time to pray. The 100 is over with before you know it.”

Bay’s Bridget Doughty, shown here competing in the 100 hurdles, came back later in the day and won the state championship in the Division II 300 hurdles. (West Life photos by Larry Bennet)

Doughty went into last Saturday’s finals as the top seed in the event after running a 44.10 to win the second heat. Sanders ran a 45.45 after coming to Columbus with a season-best 44.07. In the finals, Doughty took control down the stretch as Sanders had to settle for the runner-up spot with a time of 44.24.

Doughty said she was looking forward to her newfound rivalry with Sanders the next two years.

“It’s good competition between us,” said Doughty. “It started last week at regionals. It’s nice to know there’s someone else out there, because that will definitely push me a lot. But today feels great. It’s a good start to the rest of my career.”

Chambers, the leader of Magnificat’s stellar distance crew, was never seriously threatened during the 1600.

The closest runner to Chambers was senior Tori Brink of Hilliard Davidson, who turned in a runner-up time of 4:55.12 in her final high school race. The third-place finisher, sophomore Michelle Thomas of Cincinnati Glen Este, also broke the five minute mark trying to catch Chambers with her 4:56.70.

Chambers’ teammate, sophomore Kat Stultz, came in fourth with a time of 4:58.38.

“That was really fun. It was a good race,” said Chambers, who took fifth in the race last year as a sophomore. “I tried to go out with the pack and keep pace the best I could. I wasn’t sure how close the people behind me were, so I just went with how my body felt and pushed it a bit more with each lap.

“I was excited to make it to state last year,” said Chambers, who later took fifth in the 800 with a time of 2:13.60. “This year, I just wanted to run well and improve. Right now it’s hard to describe. I’m excited,” she said before taking off to support teammates Clare and Abby Fischer in the 3200.

The previous day, Chambers anchored the winning 3200 relay to become a state champion for the first time. Erin Riley, Mary Whitmore, Stultz and Chambers were in ninth place after the first two legs, but Stultz ran a 2:12 split to put the Streaks in first.

Chambers ran a 2:12 as well, allowing the Magnificat crew to edge out Stow’s 9:11.71.

At the south side of the stadium Saturday, Nageotte waited before pursuing her dream of a state title. She went in at 11-0, but clipped the bar on her first attempt.

That proved to be no problem at all for the Bulldog senior, who already had tied the overall state record of 13-0 at the Amherst regional meet.

“That first attempt shook me a little,” admitted Nageotte. “I just said ‘OK, I’ve done this before this season.’ I just kept my mind on it and focused on the next vault.”

What happened after that had to be disheartening for the rest of the field.

Nageotte easily cleared 11-0 with a powerful vault on her second attempt, then cleared the bar in similar fashion the rest of the way. With the bar at 12-0, only four athletes remained: defending champion Kelsie Ahbe of Green, indoor champion Allie Wood of Worthington and Erica Kemp of Troy.

At 12-0, 12-4 and 12-8, Nageotte cleared the bar so easily that media members nearby just shook their heads, realizing the inevitable. She was fourth in the rotation, though, and had to wait while the other three made their attempts at 12-8.

First Abhe was eliminated, then Wood. When Kemp failed on her third attempt, that now-familiar smile came to Nageotte’s face.

“It’s wonderful,” said Nageotte after the awards ceremony. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. I can’t even describe how I feel right now.

“Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous before today,” said Nageotte. “I was more nervous at the regional meet, because I wanted to make sure I made it back here. I kept telling myself ‘you’re going to do this, you’re going to do this.’

“Once I got here, I was a little bit nervous. But after I made my first vault I was fine. After that, it was ‘OK, let’s have some fun.’ It was awesome. I just felt it today. After I cleared 12-8, I just couldn’t sit still,” she said.

Nageotte tried to set a new overall state record with three attempts at 13-1. While she didn’t set that record, she did walk away with a new meet record, breaking the old mark of 12-4 set last year by Ahbe. Nageotte also had a 12-4 last year, but slipped to the runner up spot on misses.

Now, it’s on to the University of Dayton, where she’ll continue her pole vaulting career.

“My coach was here, and he brought a couple of my teammates that I’ll have next year,” said Nageotte. “That made this even more special. It’s been such a great experience. I don’t think it’s all sunk in yet.

“Right now, though, I think we’ll go get some food and go swimming,” she said, that trademark smile saying it all.