2012 OHSAA State Meet Highlights!

OHSAA State Championship
Mark Stonecipher

For two days each Spring I am fortunate to be able to put the world aside and go to the OHSAA State Track & Field Championships.  From the time you park, and walk toward Jesse Owens Stadium, you know that the event is special. There are cars decorated with team and individuals names and motor homes and campers. As you walk toward the stadium entrance you can feel the excitement and anticipation of spectators and parents and even the athletes.  There are the vendors as you approach the entrance selling programs and T-shirts and sweat shirts.  The place is buzzing with the excitement of any major sporting event.  Many have been there before and for some it is their first time.  For the athletes, the adrenaline is flowing and there is the nervous anticipation of the competition, as it is now becoming a reality that they are at State and their time is nearing to put all of their hard work to test with the best athletes in the State.  For the parents, it is a time of even more nervous anticipation, as they can only watch and cheer for their sons and daughters.  For the spectators, it is a time of excitement as they know that they are going to watch Ohio’s, and some of the nations, best track and field athletes.  For all, including myself, the two days are a wonderous time to see the tears of joy of an athlete who has just become a State champion, the tears and disappointment of some whose dreams did not come through and the myriad of other story’s that unfold that make the event one of the best sporting events in Ohio.

Where to start?  How about the weather. The two day meet was a meet with days of contrast. Friday was just not a fun day.  It rained on the D3 competitors in the morning.  The running events kept going on schedule, but the field events were postponed until it was safe again for the athletes.  The D2 and D1 athletes faced cold and windy conditions in the afternoon and evening. 

There were not a lot of surprises in the prelims of the running events, with most of the seeded athletes qualifying for the finals in their events, but for some runners their experience mirrored the day.  One lead off runner came out of his blocks too soon disqualifying his 4 x100m team.  As for times, they were a reflection of the day’s weather as well.  The only bright spots for the day were just the athletes themselves.  Their attitudes and determination and drive as they ran the finals of the 4x800m and competed for spots in the finals on Saturday.