Win in 200-meter dash makes her the first Hornets athlete in 33 years to win a state title.
COLUMBUS Malvern, you have a state champion.
Zoe Moser ended a 33-year title drought for her school Saturday when she won the Division III girls 200-meter dash at the OHSAA State Track and Field Championships. After falling just one one-hundredths of a second short of a win in the 100 earlier, the sophomore regrouped and took the 200 in 24.88 seconds.
"I'm speechless," Moser said.
Moser's rise to the top really comes as no surprise. She became a two-time All-Ohioan as a freshman when she finished fifth in the 100 and 200. She also had the top qualifying times both events going into this year's finals.
After winning the 110 hurdles, Alysse Wade of St. Peter's quickly returned and squeaked out a win over Moser in the 100. Wade finished in 12.13. Moser ran it in 12.14.
Moser had no time to dwell over the close call. She started fast in the 200 and beat Ft. Loramie's Kennedi Gephart by 41 hundredths of a second. Wade came in third.
"I didn't even think I was going to get first place," Moser said. "I'm so excited."
Moser's title and state runner-up finish highlighted a big win for her team. Thrower Kelsi Hulit, the only Malvern senior at the state meet, came in second in the discus and fifth in the shot put on Friday. Hulit, Moser, Jasmine Goldsworthy and Lauren Foster also ran in the finals of the 400 relay and finished ninth.
Moser appreciates them all.
"Kelsi and all the rest of the team have been so good to me," Moser said. "They believe in me. They encourage me and I encourage them."
Thanks to the top performances from Moser and Hulit, the Hornets finished third in the team standings with 30 points. Minster won the state title with 57 points and Covington was second with 32.
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