This year’s Wayne Invitational will bring out some of the best talent statewide in track and field.  Individual state champions as well as former team champions are recognizable when you see the teams competing.

 

Boys Preview

Headlining the meet are a pair of individual state champions: Zach Wills and Justin Welch

 

Junior Zach Wills of Mason High School, the two time defending Division 1 state champion in the 3200 meter run, will make his outdoor debut in the 3200 meter race.  As a sophomore, Wills was a state champion in the 3200, running an impressive 9:02.90.  The meet record of 9:24.98 set by Walter Luttrell in 2007 from Dayton Christian is definitely in jeopardy. 

 

Senior Pemberville Eastwood’s Justin Welch, a University of Georgia signee, is the state leader in the hammer throw (243-2) – discus (202) – and 3^rd best shot put (59-8.75).  The meet record of 175 feet 5 inches in the discus, set by Jimmy Pacifico in 2007, is likely to fall.

 

With 13 conferences being represented, as well as 37 schools (some full, some partial), this meet will have talent from all over the state of Ohio showcasing their talents on the track.

 

Here’s a look at possible match-ups:

 

Sprints:

Lebanon’s Chase Cochran, Wayne’s Demoye Bogle (an Ohio State Buckeye signee), two of the GWOC and state’s best sprinter, will go head’s up in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.  Cochran has run 10.68 to Bogle’s 10.78.  They’ve met once this year on a windy day at the Tipp City Invite, with Bogle edging Cochran.  Others under 11.0 are Cody Quinn of Middletown (10.83) and Cochran’s Lebanon teammate Trey Bonny (10.90).

 

Miamisburg’s Jacob Wiley has the fastest 400 time entered, 48.83, but will be challenged by a tough field that consist of Chris Lehman and Alex Hamm of Mason (49.68 and 49.89, respectively), Mike Archbold of St. Xavier (50.05) and b of Greenville (50.14).  However, the 200 meter dash race will pit Cochran (21.63), Bogle (21.71), Wiley (22.34) and William Sherman of St. Xavier (22.42).  It’s anyone’s race, but no doubt be an exciting one.

 

 

Hurdles:

Bogle of Wayne and Luke Norris of Lebanon will attempt to break the current meet record of 37.9 (hand time) in the 300 hurdles, held by Wayne’s Jason Hodges in 2002.  Bogle owns a pr of 38.77, while Norris has gone 38.14.  Don’t forget about St. Xavier’s Cory Och, a 2009 state qualifier in the event, as well as Jon Overstreet of Centerville, both sub 40 this year. 

In the 110 hurdles, Bogle (14.49), Taylor Celestin of Mason (14.54), Dwayne Taylor of Wayne (14.96) and Centerville’s Mike Melchor (14.85) will definitely make this a must watch race.

 

Distance:

Wills presence in the 3200 will add to an already stacked field.  Vandalia Butler’s Doug Norris (9:24.35),  Eric Gruenbacher of St. Xavier (9:33.86), Matt Kahl of Mason (9:42.66), Steve Foreman of Carroll (9:45), Sam Wharton and Kevin Fink of Tipp City (9:53.67 and 9:53.12, respectively), Mike Melko of Miamisburg (9:57.08) round out the sub 10 minute 3200 runners.  No question, the meet record of 9:24.98 could be broken by a few athletes.
 

The 1600 meter run has a great field too.  Aaron Dinzeo of Sidney (4:22),  Chad Kiggins of Carroll (4:23.67), Peter Hix of Oakwood (4:28.0), Jordan Redd of Fairborn (4:34.8), Donnie Whyte of Miamisburg (4:38.75), Tyler Feitshans of Tipp City (4:39.12), Eric Gruenbacher of St. Xavier (4:39.2) round out the athletes entered that are sub 4:40 in the 1600. 

The 800 meter run is anyone’s race.  Piqua’s Kurt Grove has the fastest entered time of 1:57.76.  Brandon O’Malley of Fairmont (1:58), Kiggins of Fairmont (1:58), Lebanon’s Richard Patterson (1:58.7), Centerville’s Andy Woddell (1:58.84), Anthony Covington of Miamisburg (1:59.28), Collin Merril and Steven Spees of St. Charles Prep (1:59.78 and 1:59.64, respectively) round out an impressive sub 2:00 field.

 

Field Events:

Eastwood’s Justin Welch could very well set state records in the discus and hammer throw.  But take note of the athletes that are having a great year, too.  Wayne’s Jared Harrison has gone 176-1 in the discus already this year, Mike Bennett of Centerville has gone 169-07, Logan White of Graham has gone 161-06, Tom Grant of Mason 151-04 and Matt Beyland of Centerville has gone 150-03.

 

In the shot put, Welch’s 62-8 is well ahead of Bennett of Centerville (57-02), Ryan Scneiber of St. Xavier (53-02) and Tyler Dukes of Wayne (52-8).  Benny McGowan of Centerville (51-3.5), Brian Jennings of Fairborn (50-10.75), Jordan Stumph of St. Charles Prep (50-10) and Darien Thornton of Wayne (50-4) round out the class of 50 foot shot putters.

 

There’s no question the presence of Justin Welch makes any field that much better, but you’d be hard pressed to find a field other than a regional type meet that has this many top athletes.  It’s possible that 145 feet in the discus and 49 feet in the shot put MIGHT NOT make the finals.

 

Long jump is led by Middletown’s Eric Redding, who has gone 22-6 already this year.  Centerville’s Jeremy Harrison (21-7.5), Matt Bova of Carroll (21-6.5), Brock Smith of Miami East (21-6), Chris Moss of Wayne (21-5), and Dennis Brown of Middletown (21-4) round out some of the best jumpers in the field.  Over 16 athletes are entered in with marks over 20 feet.

 

High jump is led by another Middletown Middie with Dennis Brown clearing 6-06 already.   Mason’s Alex Hamm has gone 6-4, while Evan Wolf and Cody Miller of Miami East – Kyle McKinnis of Bellbrook – Corbin Brown of Lebanon have all cleared 6-02.

 

Sophomore Michael Shiverdecker of Wayne is the top pole vaulter, already clearing 14 feet 1 inch.  Miamisburg’s Jon Garrett has gone 13-09, Mason’s Matt Mitchell and Springboro’s Tommy Hendricks have gone 13-06, while Kyle Roeth of Miami East has gone 13-03, rounding out the field of those over 13 feet.

 

Relays:

Can anyone catch Lebanon’s 4x100 meter relay?  The Warriors of Lebanon have gone 42.32, but Sidney has gone 42.5, Middletown 43.1, Wayne 43.68, Miamisburg (43.8), Mason (43.89) and Centerville (43.99) round out a pretty stacked field.

 

In the 4x200, Sidney (1:28.5)  has the only time that’s sub 1:30.  Challenging them will be Lebanon, Centerville, Wayne, St.Xavier, Middletown and Mason – all of them have gone 1:32.99 or better already this year.

 

The 4x400 will be a close race, too.  Mason (3:20.6), Lebanon (3:21.1) and Centerville (3:24.89) could race to determine the meet champion by the end of the night.

 

The best relay to watch this year might just be the 4x800 relay.  Centerville and St. Charles Prep have gone 8:14.85 and 8:15.2, respectively.  Lebanon, Tipp, Mason, Piqua and Wayne will provide some action to this already stacked field.  Don’t count out St. Xavier and Fairmont, as well as Carroll.  8:20 may not place in the top 8 this year.

 

Girls preview

Cleveland Collinwood girls are the ones to watch, led by University of Michigan signee Amber Smith, a hurdler extraordinaire that has gone 14.20 and 42.63 in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles respectively.

 

Mason is another team to watch, with a nice mix of sprint, distance, relays and hurdlers.

 

Sprints:

In the dashes, Xenia’s Brittany Latimer will be the one to watch, as she owns pr’s of 12.35 in the 100, 25.82 in the 200, and 58.93 in the 400.  The 100 dash will pit Mason’s Brittany Betts (12.17), Laurel Cooney from Miami Valley School (12.40), Haley Walters of Kings (12.44), and Justine Miller of Fairmont (12.50). 

 

In the 200, Latimer and Betts will compete with Wayne freshman Brianna Woods (25.92) and Mt. Healthy’s Briana Richards (25.98).

 

The 400 dash is just as impressive, with 10 girls entered in under 60 seconds.  Walters of Kings (56.84), Kelsey McDonald of Oakwood (57.77), Ashley Rodgers of Alter (58.78), Elaina Cromer of Miami Valley School (58.0), Latimer of Xenia (58.93), Nicole Riveron of Kings (59.20), Jade Kinney of Lebanon (59.21), Chelsea VanHook of Mason, Vada Edwards of Middletown (59.4) and Carlie McGrath of Centerville (59.87).

 

Springboro’s Carly Hamilton, fresh off her 5^th place finish at Penn Relays, leads an impressive girls field in the 1600 and 800.  Olivia Albers of Alter (5:10.1), Julie Accurso of Miami East (5:13.06), Megan Wright of Miamisburg (5:16), Lycia Hollon of Springboro (5:16), Paige Miller of Kings (5:19.01) round out the 1600 athletes under 5:20. 

 

In the 800, Hamilton owns the best time of 2:15.95, followed by Accurso of Miami East (2:16.75), Rebecca Esselstein of Alter (2:17.23), Taylor O’Neil of Carroll (2:18.04) and Halley Stegemiller of Lebanon (2:18.26).

 

The 3200 meter run has 9 girls under 12 minutes entered.  Mason’s Jessica Harrison is the fastest entered, running 11:30.  Devin Flood of Centerville (11:38.48), Lauren Goodwin of Kings (11:38.54), Rachel Mahle of Springboro (11:40), Miller of Kings (11:41.68), Tori Martin of Mason (11:46), Kendra Kirksey of Wayne (11:48.5), Alex Mahle of Springboro (11:53), and Sarah Chilson of Centerville (11:57.92) round out a most impressive field of 3200 meter runners.

 

Hurdles:

The hurdles will be a fun race to watch.  Collinwood’s Amber Smith, Middletown’s Fabia McDonald, Lebanon’s Maria Rotello will challenge the meet record of 44.3 in the 300 hurdles held by Tyra Carson of Alter, which was set back in 1988.  Smith and McDonald have gone sub 43, and Rotello is entered in at 44.67.

 

In the 100 hurdles, it will be a battle between Smith and McDonald.

 

Relays:

The relays will be dominated by Collinwood – 4x100 has gone 47.96, 4x200 has gone 1:43.21, and 4x400 has gone 4:01.25.  They’ll get most of their competition from Mason, who has gone 48.62 in the 4x100, 1:43.55 in the 4x200 and 4:06.9 in the 4x400.  In fact, Middletown (4:00.10), Lebanon (4:01.68), Xenia (4:03.84), Kings (4:04.02), Centerville (4:05.00) and Wayne (4:08.77) are teams under 4:10.

 

The 4x800 field boast 4 schools under 10 minutes: Lebanon, Alter, Springboro and Mason.

 

Field Events:

The field events are stacked in the throws.  Lucy Sherman of Vandalia Butler (132 in discus), Maria Harrison of Troy (121-02 in discus), Mikah Dennis of Middletown (39-11.5 in shot put), Leah Duniven of Miami East (39-10), and Brooke Plegler of Saline HS in Michigan (125 in the hammer throw) lead an impressive field.

 

A log jam in the pole has 10 pole vaulters over 10 feet.  Troy Christian’s Sarah Gaskell has the best mark at 10-7, followed by Wayne’s Jessica Berry (10-6) and Cara Eby (10 feet).  Also clearing 10 feet are: Kayde Miller of Fairmont, Katie Schirman of Troy, Madeline Fening of Middletown, Olivia Bergesen of Mason, and Ellie Harl of Kings.

 

In the long jump, four of the state’s top long jumpers will compete against each other.  Lebanon’s Maria Rotello (17-9), Mount Healthy’s Vantrice Siler (17-4.5), Middletown’s Fabia McDonalad (18-5.5) will all be trying to better the current state leader Erin Busbee of Collinwood (19-1)

 

 

This will be a great night for track in field not only in Huber Heights, but for the state of Ohio.  Meet records beware.  If you are a fan of track and field, then you need to be at Good Samaritan Athletic Fields at Heidkamp Stadium in Huber Heights, on the campus of Wayne HS for a great night of competition, hope to see you there.

 

3:00 will be heat one of 3200 and hammer throw competition.  3:30 will begin most field events and 4:00 will begin the semi-finals of the short sprint races.  Approximate time of finals will be around 6:30 (after senior recognition and special Olympic introduction of athletes).