By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS - Two Bluffton athletes and a 4 x 400 relay foursome competed in day one of the Div. III track and field state meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus on Friday.

In the 300 hurdles, Pirate Xavier Dunifon qualified out of the preliminary heats Friday into the finals Saturday. He took second in his heat and was fourth overall in a field of 18 with a time of 40.13.

Anthony Tyler of Africentric took first in the 300 hurdle heats at 39.08.

Top nine finishers in each event advance to the finals Saturday, where the 300 hurdles final will be run at approximately 10:40 a.m.

Bluffton's Baylor Garmatter finished 13th out of 18 in the 400 meter prelims with a time of 51.34. Garrett Walker came in first in the heats in 49.34.

The quartet of Garmatter, Schriner, Young and Antrim ended up 14th out of 18 teams in the 4 x 400 relay prelims. They finished in a time of 3:31.62 Friday afternoon. Fort Recovery won the 4 x 400 relay heats in 3:24.97.

Dunifon did not start in the 110 hurdle prelims he qualified for, won by Mogadore's Connor Kerr in 14.91.

Pirate Jackson Steinmetz runs in the boys 3200-meter finals Saturday at 11:30 a.m. There were no preliminary heats for the 3200 Friday.