A preview, event by event of the Boys D1 State meet.
OHSAA Link for Participants, Heat/flight Assignments
4x800 Meter Relay
The top 4 seeds all come out of the Amherst Region. Toledo St. John's Jesuit comes in with an OH #1 7:43.89. The Jesuit boys are all seniors; Benjamin Clark. Dominic Bier, Vamsi Chodisetty, and Jake Barnes. St. Ignatius is #2 with a 7:46.26. Berea-Midpark is #3 with a 7:47.93. #4 is Wadsworth with a 7:48.16. I don't think the State record of 7:36.33 is in jeopardy, but St. John's s anchored by OH #3 in the 800m. Jake Barnes (1:52.11) and Ignatius is anchored by OH #2 Colin Kruchan with a 1:51.57. Dublin Coffman (7:49.32) and Glen Oak (7:49.82) are the other two teams under 7:50. Coffman's Simon Alford is OH #8 with a 1:52.99. It will come down to the anchor leg.
110 Meter Hurdles
Sr. Malik Beverly Cinicnnatti Northwest has the fastest time of 14.02. Marlington Jr. Lane Knoch has a 14.05 but it was wind aided (3.5). Beverly had a tremendous indoor season and if he runs what he is capable of, this should be his race to win.
100 Meter Dash
Sr. Matt Blamble of Wadsworth has the fastest time in the State this season with a 10.46. He was 3rd in the Amherst Region with a 10.78. So. Zion Cross of Lorain won the Region with a time of 10.57. Bowling Green's Noah Cook was 2nd in 10.66 and St. Ignatius Sr. James Norris was 4th in 10.80. Norris, Cross and Cook are the only returners from last year. Norris was 4th in 10.87, Cross was 5th in 10.90 and Cook was 9th in 11.05. Sr. Tony Woods of Nordonia won the Youngstown Region with a 10.70. Whos the fastest? Who will win? There is just .98 seconds difference between all of the qualifiers. My pick is Cross.
4x200 Meter Relay
This year, the current OH #1, 2 and 3 all come out of the Pickerington Regional. Pickerington Central ran 1:26.62, Reynoldsburg 1:26.90 and Gahanna Lincoln 1:27.32. Three other teams qualified with times under 1:28. Lima Senior ran 1:27.64, Sycamore 1:17.57 and Freemont Ross 1:27.82. With clean exchanges, Pickerington Central can go even faster. Expect them to take the top spot on the podium. The Pickerington Central sqaud is: So. Zach Robinson, Jr. Zavien Parker, Fr. Terry Simuel and Sr. Devahn Jackson.
1,600 Meter Run
This will be one of the highlight event of this year's State Championships. Ten runners qualified with times under 4:20. The D1 ranked 1-3 runners have all qualified; Sr. Andrew Jordan of Watkins Memorial, Sr. Gavin Gaynor of Hudson and Sr. Luke Wagner of St. Ignatius. Forget the Regional qualifying times. Not important in this one. The question is will Andrew Jordan run the 1,600? If he does, it will be one of the most anticipated 1,600 of all time. Wagner is the only runner who will have run the day before in the 4x800. Gaynor and Jordan have split 4:05's in relays this year. Bob Kennedy's 1988 State record of 4:05.13 may be in jeopardy as both Jordan and Gaynor are ready to go after it and are capable of running that fast or faster. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate temperature wise. If Jordan ops to only go in the 3,200, Gaynor is still expected to go after the record. Certainly not slighting any of the competitors, as it is a great field of very talented runners, but all eyes will be on Jordan and Gaynor after the half. Expect a 2:02 or faster. Gaynor made a mistake earlier this year in letting Jordan jump to an 30m lead in the Eastern 3,200 where they ran 8:46 and 8:50. He won't let that happen again. Who will win - ???? Both are very deserving.
4x100 Meter Relay
This one is all about the exchanges and the final 100. OH #1, the Pickerington Regional winner, is Reynoldsburg with a time 41.78. OH #3 is the Youngstown Regional winner, Cleveland Heights. They won in a time of 41.95. These are the only two teams with times under 42. There are only 1.35 seconds between all of the qualifiers. Anything can happen. The Reynoldsburg boys are Sr. Danzel Moore, Jr. Travis Marx, Jr. Sterling Smith and Sr. Johnny Carter.
400 Meter Dash
OH D1 #2,3 & 4 were all run in the Pickerington Regional where Watkins Memorial Sr. Desmond Melson out leaned Westerville South Jr. Dominic Long. They ran 47.96 and 47.97. Jayvonta Tolliver of Pickerington North was 3rd in 48.11. Melson was 6th last year in 48.86. Also qualifying were three additional finalists from last year: Sr. Rico Stafford of Lima Senior with a time of 48.73, Sr. Brian Tillman of Euclid with a time of 49.12 and Jr. Zion Wynn of Loveland in 48.54. Stafford was 5th last year in 48.73, Tillman 7th in 48.94 and Wynn 8th in 49.29. The State final will be exciting and the Pickerington Regional may just have been an preview of what we will see in the finals.
300 Meter Hurdles
The only returning from last year's finals is Sr. Jared Davis of Copley. Davis was 7th last year in 38.77 and comes in with a #2 seed of 37.84. Marlington Jr. Lane Knoch is the only other qualifier under 38. with a time of 37.67. The two are OH #1 & 2. 12 other runners are all under 39. This should be close and will come down to the last hurdle and the sprint to the finish.
800 Meter Run
This is another highlight event. Seven runners have qualified with times under 1:53, including Sylvania Southview Sr. Frank Hayes with a 1:49.31. Haye's time is OH #2 All-Time and is just .38 seconds off of the State record of 1:48.93 by Mark Sylvester of St. Ignatius set in 2001. Hays is the defending champion, winning in 1:51.56. Findlay Sr. Isaiah Gaines (1:52.39) and Olentangy Liberty Sr. Mitchell Towne (1:52.57) join Hayes as the only returners from last year. Gaines was 9th and Towne 13th.This is probably the fastest field in years. Expect a first 400 around 53 and a new State record!
200 Meter Dash
3,200 Meter Run
All eyes will be on Sr. Andrew Jordan of Watkins Memorial in this one. Jordan is US #2 in this event and Tsehay Hiluf's 2012 record of 8:55.04 is definitely in jeopardy. The question is will Jordan be fresh or will he be coming off a 1,600. He doubled at Regionals in the heat running 4:13.25 and 9:05.36. The runs looked easy. Two scenarios: if he is fresh, the record falls easily and we just may see him go for Andrew Hunter's US #1 time of 8:43.18. If he has run a fast 1,600 and the weather is cooperative, it will certainly be more difficult, but he will still go after Hiluf's record. The regional times, just as in the 1,600 mean nothing in this one. It's a great field, with three under 9:10: Sr. Zak Kirk of Maumee (9:03.93), Sr. Stephen Jones of Troy (9:09.14) and So. Dustin Horter of Lakota East (9:09.15) and three more under 9:15: Jr. C.J. Ambosio of St. Ignatius (9:12.56), So. Matt Scrape of Pickerington Central (9:13.42) and Sr. Brad Davis of Dublin Jerome (9:13.63). They will all be running fresh, no the race will be fast and are all looking to challenge Jordan.
4x400 Meter Relay
Five teams ran under 3:20 in Regionals. Withrow won the Dayton Region in 3:16.12. The Withrow boys are: So. Amir Wilis, Sr. Rashaun O'Neal, Sr. Aaron Shannon and Sr. Jamarion Scott. Pickerington Central won the Pickerington Central Regional in 3:16.53. The Pickerington boys are: So. Zach Robinson, Sr. Devahn Jackson, Fr. Terry Simuel and Jr. Zavien Parker. Fremont Ross won the Amherst Regional in 3:17.53 with Sylvania Southview just behind them in 3:17.53. Pickerington North was 2nd in the Pickerington Regional with a 3:19.09. Canton McKinley has gone 3:19.03 and GlenOak has gone 3:19.12. Anything can happen in the 4x4, but expect Withrow and Pickerington Central to battle down the last 50 meters for the title.
Discus
High Jump
OH #1 is Jr. Albert Kalala of Withrow with a leap of 6-10. He was 5th last year with a 6-06. He won the Dayton Regional with a jump of 6-08. Sr. Jacob Ross of Hilliard Davidson went 6-08 in winning the Pickerinton Regional and is the defending champion. Ross went 6-10 to win his title. Kalala and Ross were the only two in Regionals at 6-08. Hilliard Darby Jr. Cannon Riddle of Hilliard Darby and Sr. Brett Swinnerton of Berea-Midpark have also both gone over 6-08 this year. This one could come down to fewer misses, but expect 6-10 to win.
Long Jump
Three went over 60' in Regionals: Sr. Nik Curtiss of Lancaster won the Pickerington Regional with a throw of 65-08.75. He is OH #1 with a 66-7.25. He was 8th last year with a 58-04.50. Sandusky Sr. Chance Ehrbsberger won the Amherst Region with a throw of 62-5. He is OH #2 with a throw of 63-11.50. Solon Sr. Ben Peterson won the Youngstown Regional with a 61-5. He is OH #3 with a 63-4.75. He was 2nd last year with a throw of 66-09. They are the only three over 63' this year. This is Nik Curtiss's competition to win.
Pole Vault
There are five vaulters in the State with vaults over 16'. Elder Sr. Robbie Oswald won the Dayton Region with a vault of 16-9. His 16-9 is OH #1. Jr. Matt Peare of Canton Hoover won the Youngstown Region with an OH #2 vault of 16-08.50. Massilon-Perry Sr. Lucas Kelly is OH #3 with a 16-08. Jr. AJ Frens of Greenville and Sr. Christian Champen of Northmont are tied for $3 with vaults of 16-0. Matt Peare is the defending champion going 16-04 last year. Lucas Kelly was runner-up with a vault of 16-0. Expect these three to go at it. Who ever is on wins and we just may see a 17-0. vault.