Tigers look to follow up on district championship

Circleville Tigers Girls Track and Field
Coach: Brian Lennex
2022 finish: Third in Mid-State League Buckeye Division, Southeast District champions

Key Returnees: Faith Yancey, 100-400; Ellie Patrick, 400 and 800; Ellie Patrick, 400 and 800; Maddux Bigam, distance and Sydney Lattimer, jumps, sprints and hurdles; Payton Ford and Emma Groff, pole vault

Key Newcomers: Isabelle Perini, sprints and Ava Justice, distance

Expectations: Circleville returns several prominent athletes who were pivotal to last season’s district championship.

Faith Yancey was a major points producer in the sprints and placed seventh in the 200 during last season’s state championships.

The Tigers also return Ellie Patrick and Yancey from the state qualifying 1600 relay team.

Maddux Bigam was a regional qualifier in the 1600 and 3200. Payton Ford and Emma Groff advanced to regional in the pole vault, and Sydney Lattimer made the regional in the long jump.

“The team goals are to repeat as district champions and to be one of the top teams in our region,” coach Brian Lennex said. “Our number one goal is to have as many athletes become regional and state qualifiers, as possible.

“We are bringing back a majority of last year’s team and many of them will be back next season, as well. The biggest area I am looking at is the jumps/pole vault. We have two strong pole vaulters in Payton Ford and Emma Groff. Their growth in the vault and in other events will be a big help to the team. Sydney Lattimer as a freshman toward the end of the season seemed to find her place with the jumps and was a key contributor in the postseason. Her continued growth will be big for the team.”