In 2011, OHRunners  had the opportunity to interview some of Ohio’s and the Nation’s best Cross Country and Track & Field athletes.  Several of the athletes that we interviewed were underclassman and subsequent to our interview went on to not only win State championships, but Regional and National Championships.  Many are ranked Nationally in their respective events.  Many improved their PR’s.  Some faltered.  Following is an update on each of these underclassmen since our interview with them, including links to our interviews.   Watch for them this Indoor and Outdoor season!

 

Destinee Gause,   Reynoldsburg  2012

 

As a Freshman and a Sophomore at Reynoldsburg High School, she estalished herself as Ohio’s premier female sprinter.   As a Freshman, she won the D1 Girls 200m title and ran on Reynoldsburg’s 4x100 and 4x400 state champion relay teams.  She was also a member of the 2009 2nd place 4 x 200 team.  In 2009, the 4x400 team set a new D1 State record. The Reynoldsburg girls were also the D1 State champions.  In 2010, as a Sophomore, she repeated as the D1 Girls 200m champion and she also lead the Reynoldsburg girls to repeat first place finishes in the 4x100 and 4x400.  The Reynoldsburg girls also repeated as the D1 team champions. In 2011 she was the state’s 100m champion in 11.82 and became a three time 200m champion in 23.84.  She also ran a strong anchor on the 2^nd place 4 x 400.  She is ranked 3^rd nationally among returners in the 200m with her 23.50 time, 10^th in the 100m with an 11.63 and 13^th in the 400 with a 54.44.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/58985

 

 

Maddie Morrow,  North Canton, Hoover 2012

 

Maddie is a very accomplished high school jumper and for the past two indoor and outdoor seasons, she has been not only one of Ohio’s premier jumpers, but one of the nations.  She was second to Taylor Burke of Medina, at the 2010 Indoor and Outdoor Championships and the 2011 New Balance Indoor Championship. She was 1^st in the OATCCC 2011 Indoor Championships with a jump of 5-11.  In the D1 State outdoor championships she was 2^nd again to Burke with a 5-11. She returns this year as Ohio’s leading jumper and the Nation’s #2 jumper behind Junior Kendell Williams of Kell HS in Marietta, Ga. who was one of two 6’ jumpers in the nation.  The other was Ohio’s Taylor Burke who led the nation with her State meet jump of 6-1.25.   http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/66047

 

 

Donovan Robertson,  Berea 2012

 

Donovan is the States two time defending 300m Hurdle Champion. His 2011 winning time was 36.90.  He also took home the 110 championship with a 13.70 and was 2^nd in the 200 with a time of 21.63.  At the 2011 OATCCC Ohio State Indoor Championships, he placed 2nd in the 60m Hurdles in a time of 8.04 and 3rd in the 400 with a time of 49.70.  He is a versatile sprinter, an Ohio State signee and has his sights set on defending his titles. He is the Nations  #3 ranked returning  110m hurdler and  the #4 ranked 300m hurdler. http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/67614

 

 

Tammy Berger,   Versailles 2012

 

Tammy is the two time, defending, D3 3,200m champion. Winning in both 2010 (11:08.21) and 2011 (11:19.30).  She was 2^nd in 2009 (11:11.73).  She is a three time state 1600 medalist, placing 3^rd in 2009 (5:08.17) and 2010 (5:04.62) and 2^nd in 2011 (5:06.39).  She is a two time D3 State XC champion, winning in 2009 and 2010 and finishing 5^th last Fall.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/53481

 

 

 

Brannon Kidder, Lancaster 2012

 

Brannon, as a sophmore finished 3rd in the D1 1,600 in a time of 4:15.86.  He is the defending 2011 State Indoor 800m champion with a time of 1:54.04 and the defending State Outdoor 1,600m champion with a time of 4:09.32.   He has a PR in the 800 of 1:51.09.  He is the Midwest Distance Gala Mile champion with a time of 4:06.73.    Nationally, for returning athletes, his 1:51.09 800m ranks him 5^th   and his 4:05.30 1,600 ranks him 3^rd. http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/68759

 

 

 

Brittany Atkinson,   Liberty Center 2015

 

Brittany  won the D3 Girls State CC Championships in 18:27.51, As a Freshman she is expected to compete in the 1,600 and the 3,200 this Spring. http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/73113

 

 

 

Tsehaye Hiluff,  Reynoldsburg 2012

 

Tsehaye, is the current OATCCC Indoor 3200m champion, setting a new meet record of  9:10.32. He is also the current OHSAA 3200m outdoor champion with a time of 9:17.09.  He won the 2011 D1 State CC title with a time of 15:21.52.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/72289

 

 

 

 

Amanda Hotaling,   North Baltimore 2012 

 

As a D3 vaulter, she finished just ahead  of her rival and friend, Ellie Braidic of Pandora-Gilboa, winning the State D3 Championship in her freshman season with a vault of 11-08.  As a sophmore, she vaulted 12-03 finishing 2nd to Braidic.   In the 2011 OATCCC Indoor Championships she vaulted 11-6, edging Braidic for first.  She was 2^nd in the D3 Outdoor championships with 12-00 vault.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/65026

 

 

 

Ellie Braidic,   Pandora-Gilboa 2012

 

Ellie was 2010 D3 girl’s State vault champion with a vault of 12’-03. She vaulted 12’ in the 2011 Indoor season and placed second to Amanda Hotaling in the OATCCC Indoor State meet.  In the outdoor state meet she was 5^th with a vault of 11-04.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/63885

 

 

 

 

Steve Weaver,   Napoleon 2012

 

Napoleon's Steve Weaver is this year’s D2 State CC Champion in 15:25.09 and the defending D2 State 1,600m champion with a time of 4:16.48.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/73953

 

 

 

Hannah Hartzell,   Olentangy Orange 2013

 

Hanna was out with injuries in 2011 and did not qualify for the State meet.  She had a very strong Fall CC season and is expected to be a strong contender in the D1 girls distance events this Spring.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/74523

 

 

 

 

Sam Prakel, Versailles 2012

 

Sam is this year’s D3 State CC Champion setting the new National Trails boys course record of 15:19.34.   He was 4^th in the D2 State 1,600 last Spring with a time of 4:19.76.  He was recently named the Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year.  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/76622

 

 

 

Nick Vogele,   Cin. Princeton 2012

 

Nick had an outstanding CC season, finishing 7th in the D1 meet in a time of 15:41.12. http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/71973

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Heinbach,  Indian Hill 2012

 

Elizbeth is one of the State’s prominent D2 distance runners, as well as a dedicated distance swimmer.  She was 7^th at National Trails in the D2 race with a time of 18:32.41.  She was 2^nd in the 2010 State 3,200 with an 11:08.08  http://oh.milesplit.com/articles/72740