PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID NGUYEN
The Season Started Strong
Good leads Ohio in the 1600m. Varanese is a freshman who went to New Balance Nationals. The Panthers had five athletes ranked in the top five in Ohio at their first meet
Lily Good, now a senior, has been one of the best distance runners in the Northern Lakes League since she was a sophomore. She made the NLL All-Conference team in the 1600m as a tenth grader. This past November, she finished 12th at the OHSAA D1 Championships in 18:23.44. She competed at the OATCCC D1 Indoor State Meet this past winter, finishing 8th in the 1600 at 5:05.21. And on Mar 21 at the EMU Huron Relays she ran 5:11.22 in the 1600 to lead Ohio.
Then there is freshman Bryce Varanese. He went to New Balance Nationals Indoor this winter, jumping 20-9 in the long jump and running 7.29 in the 60m prelims. At the EMU Huron Relays, his first outdoor meet as a high schooler, he jumped 21-7.50 in the long jump for a PR and 3rd in Ohio, cleared 5-6 in the high jump, and ran a PR 8.57 in the 60m hurdles.
Bayleigh Martinez had a best of 4-10 in the high jump last spring. She cleared 5-0 multiple times indoors this winter and on Mar 21 she cleared a PR 5-2, 2nd in Ohio. Jayleik Thompson cleared 5-10 in the high jump at the NLL Championship last outdoor season and ran 22.67 in the 200m, too. This spring he already has raised his PR to 6-2 in the high jump, 5th in Ohio. Audrianna Scott cleared a PR 10-6 in the pole vault at the same meet, 4th in Ohio, after reaching the OHSAA D1 Regional in the vault last spring.
The rest of the roster adds Whitmer's intriguing depth. Gianna Antonacci (2029) has run 2:34.06 in the 800m as a freshman. Jaiden Moore (2028) has thrown 31-0.50 in the shot put. Timothy Petteway (2028) has a 42-11 shot put PR. Cedria Jaynes (2027) has gone 14-8.25 in the long jump. Jameal Lyons (2026) has thrown 41-4 and Morgan Grove (2026) has tossed 29-8 in the shot put.
With five athletes in the top five in Ohio after the first meet of the spring, Whitmer has given the NLL and the rest of Ohio plenty to pay attention to before the postseason arrives.
PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID NGUYEN
The Season Started Strong
Good leads Ohio in the 1600m. Varanese is a freshman who went to New Balance Nationals. The Panthers had five athletes ranked in the top five in Ohio at their first meet
Lily Good, now a senior, has been one of the best distance runners in the Northern Lakes League since she was a sophomore. She made the NLL All-Conference team in the 1600m as a tenth grader. This past November, she finished 12th at the OHSAA D1 Championships in 18:23.44. She competed at the OATCCC D1 Indoor State Meet this past winter, finishing 8th in the 1600 at 5:05.21. And on Mar 21 at the EMU Huron Relays she ran 5:11.22 in the 1600 to lead Ohio.
Then there is freshman Bryce Varanese. He went to New Balance Nationals Indoor this winter, jumping 20-9 in the long jump and running 7.29 in the 60m prelims. At the EMU Huron Relays, his first outdoor meet as a high schooler, he jumped 21-7.50 in the long jump for a PR and 3rd in Ohio, cleared 5-6 in the high jump, and ran a PR 8.57 in the 60m hurdles.
