ASHER LONG TAKES FIFTH AT STATE

  • Post category:TRACK
Asher Long placed 5th at state in the 3200 meter run. ©Ben Robinson/Color Green Photo

COLUMBUS – Covington junior Asher Long capped off a great season by taking fifth at state in the 3200 meter run on Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.

Long finished in a time of 9:34.01 to become the third Buccaneer athlete to place at state in the 3200 – joining Ryan Stover, who finished second in 1980, and Carly Shell, who finished sixth in 2013.

Finishing with a state medal caps a historic junior season for Asher. Earlier in the year Long ran a personal and school’s best time of 9:21.76 in the 3200, which broke Ryan Stover’s school record set 35 years ago in 1988.

Long also won several events throughout the year, including district championships in the 1600 and 3200, as well as sweeping the 800, 1600 and 3200 in the Three Rivers Conference Championships where he was chosen as the Athlete of the Year in Boys Track & Field.

Also representing Covington at state was junior Carlie Besecker, who became the second Lady Bucc in school history to compete at state in the 400 meter dash – joining Rayna Horner, who ran in the 400 at state twice, finishing sixth in 2017 and third in 2018.

Besecker came up short of advancing to the finals as she finished fifth in her heat in the prelims with a time of 1:00.32, which was 12th overall in the prelims.

Carlie Besecker competed at state in the 400 meter dash. ©Ben Robinson/Color Green Photo