Clyde-Green Springs sports enthusiasts can almost all cite some of the incredible athletes they have seen over the decades.
In the past 25-30 years, anybody who knows anything will recall the solid play and bone-crunching tackles of Chad Long, a three time first-team All Ohioan. They’ll also recall the dominance in wrestling of the gentle giant, Tim Anderson, who two consecutive state championships in wrestling with a 97-1 record over his junior and senior seasons.
Neither can they forget the wizardry and athletic prowess in all sports of Green Springs’ Alex Gillett. Most recently, Amanda Cahill, a two-time Miss Ohio High School Basketball, dazzled area fans with her basketball prowess and is now starring and starting for the past two seasons for the Hoosiers of Indiana University.
It’s time to welcome another Flier sports legend nearly done with her high school career: Paula Wollenslegl.
Wollenslegl won the ‘Most Valuable Female Performer at the Hendricks’ Invitational at Clyde High School over the weekend. Check this out for a performance: Wollenslegl, a two- time state high jump champion, won that event, the 100 meter hurdles in 16.61, won the 300 meter hurdles in 48.0 and was the critical anchor in her final race, the 4×400 meter relay with Hayley Robinett, Alicia Carter, and Olivia Hammons.
Her team won with a 4:15.2. On one of the most beautiful days ever for the annual invitational, Paula Wollenslegl gave the performance for a generation. Four events against seven other schools. FOUR event championships! She also joined her older brother, Ben, as a winner of the ‘Most Valuable Performer Award’, when he won the prestigious prize in 2012.
In the meet, both the Lady Fliers and the boys finished fourth in the eight team field. The girls scored 80 points behind Tiffin Columbian’s 103, runner-up Bellevue’s 104.75, and champion Fremont Ross’ 107 points.
Leading the girls were sophomore Robinett, who captured the 400 title in 1:00.6 and Wollenslegl. Hammons was third in the 3200 meter run with a 12:55 and a fourth in the 1600 behind Bellevue’s winner Lauren Turner. Hammons’ time was 5:52.4.
The Flier boys scored 77 behind Wynford’s 81, Fremont Ross’s 112, and the champion from Toledo St. Francis with 134. Leading the Fliers were first place efforts from Joe Bair in the 400 (51.2), Lucas Nicely in the high jump with a 6-foot-0-inch leap, and senior Brian Wilkerson in the shot put (46-foot-10.5-inches).
