Findlay - The Columbian boys track and field team battled through a highly competitive field at the Cooper Tire Invitational on Friday night, finishing the meet with 23 points. Competing at Findlay High School against a deep lineup of area talent, the Tornadoes relied on strong individual performances in the sprints and throws to secure their place on the leaderboard.

Jeremiah Dickerson led the charge for Columbian on the track, proving to be one of the fastest athletes at the meet. Dickerson secured a podium spot in the 200m dash, surging to a third-place finish with a time of 22.97. He doubled back with another scoring performance in the 100m, taking fifth place in a swift 11.38 seconds. Dashwawn Russell added to the team's sprint success, earning a fifth-place finish in the 400m dash with a time of 52.44.

In the field events, Draven Steele provided the biggest highlight of the night for the Tornadoes. Steele launched a dominant throw of 141-2 in the discus, earning third place and cementing himself as a top contender in the region. On the vertical side, Drew Newman cleared 9-6 in the pole vault to secure a seventh-place finish, adding vital points to the team total.

The distance crew also contributed to the effort, with the 4x800m relay team of Nathan Gaietto, Kale Dom, Landon Hinke, and Brock Arebaugh battling through a tough field to post a time of 10:15.10.

While the team finished ninth overall, the Invitational provided a valuable measuring stick against some of the area's top Division I talent. The Boys now begin their postseason starting with next weeks SBC Championships.