Jumps
The Big Names
Lucca Passarelli 6-6 very early on last December, but hasn't touched that height since. Regardless, he is tied atop the rankings for returners in the high jump and should challenge for the state title this March. Passarelli has moved to exclusively jumping over things over the past year as he has started to specialize in the high jump and hurdles.
Rhodes could probably be on the returning sprinters list as well as he enters the 2019 indoor season with the 10th fastest 60 dash time among returners and finished second in the Division 2 100 dash outdoor, running sub-11 in four of his final five races.
But we include him here on the jumps list because he comes in nearly a foot ahead of the next closest long jumper. Rhodes threw down his 21-8.25 personal best at the indoor state meet and was the only non-senior in the top 8, finishing second by 2 1/2 feet. He will be a tough nut to crack this season and should be the clear favorite in the long jump. He also comes in as the fourth best returner in the triple jump (40-10) and finished sixth in the event last season.
Robie Glass - Shawnee Springfield
On the other side of the two-way tie for first among returners in Robie Glass.
He also comes back for the 2019 season with a 6-6 clearance, but was able to clear it three more times during the outdoor season as well, elevating to 6-8 in early May before finishing third at the Division 2 state meet.
He only competed indoor once last winter, but could be one to watch if he adds more competitions to his plate this season.
Shellhaas returns as the only D2/3 boy over 15-0 after having cleared it at the UK High School Invitational last February. The next closest returner sits at 14-6, but Shellhaas should be considered a heavy favorite seeing as he cleared 14-6 six other times during the indoor season (doing so both at the state meet and New Balance Nationals Indoor) and five more times outdoor.
Shellhaas has been sitting at 15-0 since 2017 indoor so he will be hungry for newer heights this indoor season. Watch for the Ansonia senior to move up the national rankings this winter as he goes for his first Ohio state title.
There's another significant gap between the top and next closest returner in the triple jump as Justin Riley's 43-6.5 personal best sits nearly a foot and a half ahead of reigning state champion Mykal Comminey (Ponitz). Comminey will surely be looking to defend his state title, but Riley will be making a comeback after competing only once during outdoor season and should make a strong case to bring home the triple jump himself.
Riley also has a top three long jump with his 20-6.75 personal best. He was the second non-senior at state last winter so Riley could score some significant points for Utica in March.
The Up-and-Comers
Jones cleared 6-2 as a freshman last season and is tied for third among returners with Ontario's Keandre Marlow and Kenton Ridge's Justin Peterman. He is the only Class of 2021 athlete on the top 10 returners list and should be one of the top names in the state in the high jump over the next few years.
Liberty-Union's Jimmy Rhoads cleared 12-10 last winter - finishing as a top 10 freshman in the entire country - and used that success to propel himself to a 13-3 clearance during the outdoor season.
Rhoads has already made his presence felt this indoor season with a 13-6 personal best at the first Tiffin meet and is absolutely one to watch as we move through this indoor season.
Seth Carman - Colonel Crawford
Carman didn't have many performances in the indoor season last year, and didn't clear 20-0 until outdoor, but after capping off his freshman campaign with a 20-2.75 personal best - a mark that would be fourth among indoor returners - Carman could be ready to make some noise in 2019.
Event to Watch
Pole Vault
We wrote about Brock Shellhaas's pole vault success above, but he has been stuck at 15-0 for two years now. This could leave the door open for the myriad 14-0+ boys behind him.
From Newcomerstown, the Garretson brothers, Hunter and Dylan, will be hot on the trail after finishing their outdoor seasons at 15-1 and 14-0 respectively. Blaine Brokschmidt (Miami East) cleared 15-0 outdoor as well and returns as the second best indoor vaulter with a 14-4 clearance in 2018. One athlete to watch is Fairfield Union's Jeffrey Kovatch who, after topping out at 12-6 during the indoor season, jumped up to 13-8 outdoor, could be ready for a major breakout.
The pole vault will be hotly contested this season with at least six boys in the mix.