Ladyn Hines Reflects on Freshman Year for Barnesville Athletics
BARNESVILLE — Ladyn Hines’ freshman year at Barnesville High School resulted in a terrific showcase of effort for excellence in wrestling and track and field.
For the former, Hines made history for Barnesville by becoming the school’s first female wrestler to win a state championship. At 115 pounds, she took the crown defeating former champion Kaylee Vera of Little Miami High School.
Her list of accomplishments for wrestling doesn’t end there. She also won the OVAC Ron Mauck Championship at 120 pounds, along with a district tournament title that secured her spot at the state tournament.
At the end of the season, Hines finished with a stellar record of 39-4, cementing her as one of Barnesville High School’s superb freshman athletes.
“I’ve been wrestling since I was 4 years old,” Hines said. “I just can’t live without it now given what I have done.”
In terms of the latter, Hines made it all the way to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Jesse Owens Track and Field State Tournament. She placed 17th in the state for the Division IV pole vault competition.
There, she recorded a clear 2.74 meters (9 feet). Her personal best for the season was 9 feet, 6 inches, ranking first on the Shamrocks’ roster.
“My mom used to do pole vault,” Hines said. “So then I wanted to do it.”
She also recorded personal bests of 13.95 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 29.65 seconds in the 200-meter dash. Hines also helped on the girls’ varsity 4×100-meter and 4×200-meter relay teams.
Sports have always been a part of not only Hines’ life but also other members of her family. As mentioned, her mother, Lacy Hines, also competed in the pole vault.
Hines’ father, David “Bud” Hines, is one of Barnesville’s best athletes when it comes to football and wrestling.
During his senior year, Bud was a powerhouse running back in 2005. He rushed for 1,945 yards on 351 carries. This ranked him among the top statistical leaders in the state at the time. In back-to-back seasons, he placed in the state wrestling tournament.
Bud and Lacy and the rest of Hines’ family have been supporting her for her whole life. That kind of support can lead an athlete to the highest of highs.
“They just kept pushing me,” Hines said. “Nobody has put me down, and that’s what helped me win the state championship.”
Pictures of her after the victory can be seen online. The amount of emotion she expressed isn’t something she’s used to.
“I didn’t know that I just won state,” Hines said. “I don’t usually smile on the mat, but that was the first time that I did once I realized.”
Making it all the way to the state tournament for pole vault wasn’t something Hines anticipated.
“I didn’t do my best at district, so it was a surprise to even make it to Columbus,” Hines said.
Her coaches and teammates have provided so much support that Hines feeds off of it when she competes in either sport.
“They were all cheering me on,” Hines said. “Whenever they ran past me, they were saying, ‘Go Ladyn’ and stuff like that.”
Hines has three more years of high school. Right now, her mindset is on next year’s seasons for wrestling and track and field. She has been looking for colleges that include programs for women’s wrestling. Until then, Hines will be performing for Barnesville.
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