Outdoors Has Arrived in Ohio

Spenthoff, Varanese, Antonacci, and Adams all open the 2026 outdoor season with PRs

BOYS HS NATIONAL RANKINGS
GIRLS HS NATIONAL RANKINGS

The 2026 outdoor season is just getting started in Ohio, but already four underclassmen have made their presence known as names to watch out for. Jake Spenthoff, Bryce Varanese, Gianna Antonacci, and Nina Adams all opened their seasons at the EMU Huron Relays on Mar. 21 with their best performances to date, across five different events.

BOYS

Jake Spenthoff | Tol St. John's Jesuit | Fr. | 800m

Spenthoff ran 2:16.51 in the 800m at the EMU Huron Relays on Mar. 21, a PR that currently leads all Ohio freshmen in the event and sits third in the state regardless of grade. That's a big jump--this past indoor season he ran 2:25.87.

Bryce Varanese | Whitmer | Fr. | Long Jump / High Jump / Hurdles

Varanese opened his outdoor season with PRs across three events in a single same day. He ran 9.00 in the prelims, then backed it with 8.57 second-place showing in the 60m hurdles finals. He won the long jump in 21-7.50, and he cleared 5-6 in the high jump, too.

GIRLS

Gianna Antonacci | Whitmer | Fr. | 800m

Antonacci opened her outdoor season with a PR of 2:34.06 in the 800m, improving a significant amount on her previous outdoor best of 2:40.69 from last season, set at the NLL Jr High School Championships.