While every event at the state meet is important and fun to watch, here are five events that should be labeled "Do Not Miss." If you are a true fan of Track and Field you won't miss these events.
Below are the events for Boys Division 1, in no particular order, that you will want to make sure that you get to see.
1. 300m Hurdles
Prelims on Friday at 6:45pm
Finals on Saturday at 5:40pm
This is a match up between the between two of the best hurdlers in the state. Donovan Robertson, a junior from Berea, looks to defend his 300m hurdle title, while Luke Norris, a Lebanon senior, looks to dethrone the reigning champion. The two have squared off twice before, both times at the 2010 State Meet. Norris won the prelims by beating Robertson 37.31 to 37.86. But Robertson beat Norris when it counted, winning the finals with a time of 37.19 to Norris' third place time of 37.43. Going off of PRs, Norris has Robertson by one-hudredth of a second. Norris ran 36.97 at his conference meet, while Robertson cruised a 36.98 at the Amherst Region. Both of these two athletes best marks are over a second faster than anybody else in Division 1.
2. Discus
Saturday at 3:00pm
This is anybody's event to win as 10 athletes come in with Regional Meet qualifying marks of over 170' and another has a personal best of over 170'. It very well could take over 165'-170' just to make the finals, and 175' just to make the podium. There are many people that are capable of popping the big one to take home the gold, including Bennett of Centerville, Hicks of Solon, Neu of Midpark, Guevara of Sandusky, Peterson of Wayne, Wormley of Whitmer and Tudor of Western Brown. This event is just tight enough to bring real drama in the prelims and in the finals.
3. Pole Vault
Saturday at Noon
The three best vaulters in the history of Ohio Pole Vaulting will be going head to head to head for the third time in a row. Last year at the State Meet, Chris Uhle, a senior from Olentangy Liberty, set the Division 1 Pole Vault record at 16'9" to win the state title over his teamate and twin brother, Joey. This year, Jake Blankenship, a Gahanna Lincoln junior, cleared 16'10" to set a new Division 1 Record. That record didn't last for long as Joey Uhle broke Jake's state record by clearing 17'0" at their district meet to put his name in the record books. Within about 10 days, all three of these athletes owned the state record, now all three of these athletes will have another shot to set a new Division 1 record and in doing so, grab a state title.
4. 1600m Run
Finals on Saturday at 5:05pm
This will be a much awaited match up of Revere's Josh Sabo and Lancaster's Brannon Kidder. Both have run extremeley well this year and both have qualified in both the 1600m and the 800m races. Will both double? Will one drop to become the favorite in the 800m? These are questions that can only be answered at 5:05pm on Saturday when the gun sounds to start the 1600m race. These two have only squared off twice, with Sabo finishing before Kidder both times, the first one being an indoor meet and the second meeting being the 2010 Outdoor State Meet. Other contenders for the four lap crown are Chadd Kiggins of Carroll, Curtis Hanle of Louisville, Willy Fink of Maumee and Grant Onken of Dublin Coffman.
5. Shot Put
Saturday at Noon
This event is going to set the tone for the Boys Division 1 team title. Both of the team favorites, Solon and Centerville (who finished first and second, respectively, at the Ohio Indoor Championship) have athletes in the shot put that could start their team off with a 10 spot. Michael Bennett of Centerville has the state leading throw of 64'11.5" and has thrown over 60' every meet since his conference meet. Solon has AJ Hicks, who has the state's second best throw at 64'4.75" and has thrown over 60' every meet since his conference meet, including 3 other times outdoors as well. Last year Bennett finished third, while Hicks finished 5th. This year, during the Indoor State meet, Hicks took home the title, while Bennett finished second. This is going to be a close battle for first, and whoever wins is going to start their team out on the right path to capturing a team title.
