D1 Distance
Event to Watch: 800 Meter Run
Top 5 Athletes:
Gia Napoleon - Thomas Worthington 2:09.12
Carina Napoleon - Thomas Worthington 2:10.25
Madison Martinez - Gahanna Lincoln 2:11.94
Maddie Ullom - Mason 2:12.25
Jodie Pierce - Beavercreek 2:14.10
The state of the 800 in the state of Ohio is insane at the moment, and the two fastest girls in the state currently live under the same roof.
Gia and Carina Napoleon pack an incredible 1-2 punch in the half-mile and will be scary in this event on Saturday. The Thomas Worthington sisters finished 3-4 at the MileSplit SPIRE Showcase with the elder Gia running a US No. 7 and the younger Carina going US No. 12. Not only are they poised to go 1-2 on Saturday, but they should key the Cardinals to a title in the 4x800.
If you're watching any race on Saturday, it has to be this one. With the Napoleon sisters leading the way, Gahanna Lincoln's Madison Martinez is looking to break up the party as she enters with a 2:11.94 season best and boasts a 2:08.89 best on the outdoor track and has the chops to improve upon her runner-up finish from 2018. Maddie Ullom has been a 200/400 specialist in her career, but after dropping 4 seconds in outdor and another 4 seconds this indoor season, Ullom may be emerging as an 800 star. She adds even more firepower to the event. Beavercreek's other superstar Jodie Pierce enters with a respectable 2:14.10 and should not be slept on one bit either.
Bold Prediction
Taylor Ewert Runs At Least One US Top 3 Mark En Route to 1600/3200 Double
No state preview article would be complete without a Taylor Ewert discussion. While the Beavercreek senior has still been setting the state on fire and breaking national records this season, she still sits outside of the top 10 in the US rankings in the 1600/Mile and 3200 (she is No. 3 in the 2 Mile).
No longer.
On Saturday, Ewert will pull off the 1600/3200 double in impressive fashion by either dipping under 4:49 or 10:04, or both, to knock some of the top runners in the country down a peg. 10:04 is a really bold prediction, and will probably be tough to run solo, especially considering she won't have to do it, but the 4:49 1600 will not be difficult to do by her standards. After all, she has run 4:51 in the full mile before.
D2/3 Distance
Event to Watch: 3200 Meters
Top 5 Athletes:
Audrey DeSantis - Shawnee Springfield 11:20.71
Olivia Warax - Shawnee Springfield 11:28.98
Addison Ciecierski - Beaumont School 11:32.02
Alyssa Ellerbrock - Columbus Grove 11:35.70
Sydney Jenko - Padua Franciscan 11:36.69
Audrey DeSantis? Who's that? In her first season of competition, the Shawnee Springfield freshman has posted the top 3200 in the D2/3 ranks by 8 seconds over her teammate Olivia Warax.
The teammates have a shot to go 1-2 in this one, a common theme in some of these races to watch across our previews, but Beaumont's Addison Ciecierski could play spoiler on that front. DeSantis should roll to the victory - she has won both of her 3200 this winter - but the field will be battling for the silver medal.
Bold Prediction
Shelby's Heimlich Pulls Off Impressive 800/1600 Double
In keeping with another common theme, Makenna Heimlich enters the state championships as a candidate to pull off her own double in the D2/3 800 and 1600.
She has the fastest 800 seed by an unreal 5.8 seconds and should cruise to victory in the half mile. In the metric mile, she will have to overcome Peebles senior Jenny Seas, whose only race of the winter - a 5:10.52 full mile at the UK Indoor Invitational - has earned her her top billing with a 5:08.72 conversion. Heimlich sits second with a 5:16.55 season best, but should be a thorn in Seas's side as she seeks out the 800/1600 double.