State meet not a new thing for several Van Wert County athletes

VAN WERT - For seven Van Wert County track and field athletes, competing at this weekend's state track and field meet at Ohio State will not be a new experience.

Van Wert senior Hannah Phlipot will try to improve on her already-impressive fourth-place finish in the shot put from a year ago, when she competes at the state meet this weekend.

Phlipot finished second at the Division II regional at Tiffin with a put of 39 feet, 2 ¾ inches.

Phlipot said she is looking forward to another opportunity to compete against the best in the state.

"I'm really excited to get back down there," Phlipot said. "I took second place here (Lexington) again and I am anxious to get back down there, and do better."

Van Wert girls coach Linda Benschneider said Phlipot could place high this weekend. She said, however, that Phlipot needs to crack the 40-feet mark in order to finish near the top.

"We looked at how she stacked up (in the state) and there are a few (throwers) over 40 feet," Benschneider said. "So, she'll probably need to get over that in order to finish in the top four."

The Lincolnview girls 800 relay will make a return trip to the state meet as well. The team of twin sisters Katie and Kylie Honigford,

Brittany Katalenas and Jordon Reynolds will attempt to improve on last year's 11th place finish (9:55.24).

The same team minus Katalenas comprised the 3,200 relay in 2006 that finished eighth (9:50.77). That year, Chelsea Honigford, the older sister of Katie and Kylie, was the anchor for the Lancers. In 2005, Chelsea was the state champion in the open 800.
In 2005, the two youngest Honigford's competed as freshmen on the 3,200 relay that finished fifth (9:39.50).

At this past weekend's D-III regional at Tiffin, the Lincolnview 3,200 relay finished third (9:46.61) to advance.

Katie Honigford was the regional champion in the 800, clocking an impressive time of 2:19.06.