Junior high athletes break records and shine at state

The Milford School District celebrated a successful spring junior high sports season during a recent government meeting, highlighting achievements in softball, tennis, and track and field. With nearly 150 athletes participating in track alone, the program has seen numerous state participants, league champions, and broken school records.

The meeting recognized the contributions of junior high track coaches, including Joe Dumont and Marie Owen, who were present, along with several others who could not attend. Notably, the junior high track team tied a long-standing school record in a relay event, originally set in 1992, with a time of 53.56 seconds. The athletes involved in this achievement were Skyler Paddiel, Katie Nelson Muir, Piper McCormick, and Sofia Pappas.

Katie Nelson Muir also made headlines by setting a new junior high school record in the long jump at 16 feet 6 inches and placing 13th in the state in the 100-meter hurdles. Maren Barnett qualified for the state meet in the 800 meters, finishing 18th in Ohio, while Anna Jordan set a new high jump record of 5 feet 1 inch, placing 7th in the state.

The meeting transitioned to high school sports, where Mr. Zupka acknowledged standout athletes and coaches. He emphasized the importance of recognizing spring sports, which often receive less attention due to their timing at the end of the school year. Among those recognized were Daniel Walker, a junior thrower who qualified for the state meet, and Caitlin Evans, a dual-sport athlete excelling in both soccer and track, who set multiple school records in jumping events.

The meeting concluded with a call for public participation, which yielded no responses, and moved on to board reports, starting with the treasurer's financial updates. The recognition of student-athletes and coaches underscored the district's commitment to celebrating academic and athletic excellence within the community.