Ridgewood relay takes second at state

At day two of the state track and field meet Ridgewood recorded one of the best relay performances in school history as the Generals earned a spot on the podium in the Division IV 4×400-meter relay.

The Ridgewood Girls 4x400m relay team of Molly Maple, Javyn Gress, Lorryn Wentz, and Kenzie Bice placed second in the state with a time of 4:01.02.

Coach Jamie McCrea said the state runner-up finish was the result of months of commitment and the strong bond shared between each person who contributed to this relay team.

“It means that these ladies are rewarded for their hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to pushing themselves through uncomfortable situations. It demonstrates that we are much better as a team, and that they could count on each other to achieve their goal,” McCrea said.

For senior Bice, the Generals’ success on the state stage was especially meaningful after overcoming a season filled with challenges. Bice said the team’s perseverance, determination, and pride in representing a small community made the accomplishment even more rewarding.

“It meant a lot to me, especially after the ups and downs we have had with injuries this season," Bice said. "It shows how hard work pays off and if you really want it you can do it. From a small school with not a lot of girls it means even more because we went out there and represented our school and town very good and proved our hard work and dedication to everyone.”

For senior Wentz, the state meet was the culmination of years of dedication, hard work, and friendships built through Ridgewood track program. Reflecting on her final high school race, Wentz said sharing the experience with her teammates made the accomplishment even more special.

“It felt like such a blessing to finally get where we wanted to be,” Wentz said. “Track was more than just a sport for all of us, and being able to represent West Lafayette with one last hoorah was so much fun. We were hungry for it and put in the work to get where we did. Getting to compete against Ohio’s top athletes is a surreal feeling, realizing that we are some of those top athletes now.”

While the medals and accolades were rewarding, Wentz said the opportunity to compete one last time alongside her teammates was what she will remember most.

“Being a senior is hard, especially with all of the other girls on the team being underclassmen besides me and Kenzie. But getting to do what we love and leave it all out on the track with my favorite people was special. We could not have asked for a better team or coaching staff to end our high school careers,” Wentz said.

McCrea said watching the Generals achieve their goals on the state’s biggest stage was rewarding, but saying goodbye to a special group of athletes will be difficult.

“Personally, I am very glad that they got to achieve their goals, but I am disappointed that I will not be coaching this group as a whole any more. They are a talented, respectful, and fun group of people. I am very happy for them and their families.”

The silver-medal finish in the 4×400 relay and fourth-place finish in the 4×200 relay capped a historic season for the Generals. With a pair of state podium finishes and memories that will last a lifetime, Ridgewood’s seniors leave behind a legacy of hard work, perseverance, and success while setting the standard for future Generals track and field teams.

Four-time state qualifier Cody Croy also placed fourth for Ridgewood in the seated shot put with a throw of 19-4.25.

Ridgewood's girls 4x200m relay team of Gress, Wentz, Bice, and Kylee Bice placed fourth in the state with a season-best time of 1:44.30.

Kenzie Bice placed eighth in the state in the 400m dash with a time of 1:00.75.

For River View, the boys 4x200m relay team of C. Hammersley, N. D’Ostroph, K. Billman, and P. Andrews placed 13th in prelims with a time of 1:29.68. The boys 4x400m relay team of C. Hammersley, K. Summers, K. Billman, and P. Andrews placed 13th in prelims with a time of 3:25.87.