(Image courtesy of the Hawken Track and Field program)
A pair of long-standing Division II state records have been overtaken this week during OHSAA District round competition.
Both marks stood the test of time and date back to the previous century before being usurped Thursday in the Northeast Region.
At District Perry, the 4x100 meter team representing Hawken clocked a new all-time best mark of 41.70 in prelims action. While at District Orrville, Keystone junior Ryne Shackelford leaped 24-8 to establish the new divisional standard for the long jump event.
The Hawken quartet consisted of seniors Jordan Harrison, Andrew Bukovnik , Dom Johnson and junior classman Christian Anderson for the record-setting feat. Their effort led to a decisive win in Heat 2 over the hosts from Perry and placed them directly ahead of the top two teams from Heat 1, Glenville and Benedictine. All of those respective groups will share the track during Saturday's finals.
Pending ratification, the Hawks will replace the relay members of Ronald Bonner Jr., Brian Britton, Stefan Johnson and Lorenzo Payne from Dayton Jefferson Township in the OHSAA record book. Their mark of 41.79 had remained in tact since the 1981 campaign.
(Archived image courtesy of the Keystone Track and Field program)
For Ryne Shackelford, the journey to owning the state's long jump record seemed, of late, like it was going to be just a matter of time.
In his most recent competitive outing, prior to District's, he threatened the elusive 24-3.5 mark with a 24-foot even jump to claim the LC8 Conference Championships win.
With his work at Orrville he left no doubt by tacking 4.5 inches onto the former record holder Joe Craille's number, which was produced during the 1994 season on behalf of Sandy Valley High School. Similar to the aforementioned Hawken accolade, Shackelford's achievement is subject to OHSAA review and approval before being deemed official.
Shackelford, the 2022 Division II/III indoor state champion, will next suit up at Region 5 before presumably moving on to Jesse Owens Stadium in early June to attempt defense of the outdoor long jump state title he secured last year at Pickerington North.