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.
Saturday came with the promise of blue skies, mild temperatures, but breezy. It would become a day to remember. One filled with defending champions repeating as State champions, upsets, heartbreaks and new State Records in both the running and field events. Here is what happened:
Reynoldsburg Girls Win their 4th Straight D1 Girls Team Title
The girls were led by Senior’s Destinee Gause (second to the left in the picture) and Faith Washington. Destinee Gause is arguably the greatest high school girl’s track & field athlete in Ohio history. As she heads to the University of Florida she leaves us with:
4 State 200m Titles 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
2 State 100m Titles 2011, 2012
4x200m Title – 2009 OHSAA, Meet & stadium Record 1:37.02
4x400m Title – 2012, 2009 OHSAA, Meet & Stadium record 3:43.83
4x100m Title – 2010, 2011- OHSAA, Meet & Stadium Record 45.99
And that is just her accomplishments from the outdoor season, her indoor accomplishments are nearly as impressive.
Faith Washington (on left in picture) won her 1st individual State title with her win in the 300m Hurdles in an Owen’s Stadium record time of 41.33. She also placed 3rd in the 100m hurdles in 14.29. Over the last four years Faith has also been a member of Reynoldsburgs’
4x200m Title – 2009 - OHSAA, Meet & Stadium Record 1:37.02
4x400m Title – 2012, 2009 - OHSAA, Meet & Stadium record 3:43.83
4x100m Title – 2010, 2011- OHSAA, Meet & Stadium Record 45.99
Berea’s Donovan Robertson Runs the Nation’s Fastest Time in the 300m Hurdles
Robertson who is headed to Ohio State in the fall defended both his 110m and 300m Hurdle titles. His time of 35.96 in the 300m Hurdles is the fastest in the nation thus far and set new OHSAA, Meet and Stadium records. Earlier in the year, Robertson set a new National record in the 60m Hurdles with a time of 7.57. He also anchored the Berea boy’s 4x400m to a 2nd place finish with an unofficial split time of 46.4 seconds.
Lancaster’s Brannon Kidder Defends His 1600m D1 Title
Kidder defended his title in a time of 4:14.03 and then came back to win the 800m run in a time of 1:51.09. Kidder is headed to Penn State. He also anchored Lancaster’s 4x800m relay team to a 1st place in 7:44.88.
Reynoldsburg’s Tsehaye Hiluf sets a New All Time Ohio Record in the D1 3,200m Run
Hiluf defended his 3,200m Title. His 8:55.04 is the Nation’s 7th fastest time and broke Strongsville’s Chris Kollar’s record of 8:56.35 set in 2003.
New Albany’s Standout Freshman Kerrington Winters Wins the D1 Girl’s 400 in a time of 53.95
Her Regional time of 53.84 ranked her 12th in the Nation. Only three girls are under the 53:00 second mark.
Eastmoor Academy’s Aaliyah Barnes Leads Eastmoor to the Girl’s D2 Team Title
Junior Aaliyah Barnes defended both her 100m (12.06) and 400m (55.49) titles, as well as anchoring her teams 4x200m Relay to a 1st in a time of 1:39.37, setting a new D-2 OHSAA State and Meet Records. Her teammate, Freshman Cheyanne Carter placed 3rd in the 100m with a time of 12.30 and 1st in the 200m with a time of 25.19.
Anthony Young leads St. Edward to a D1 Team Title
Young was 2nd in the 100m in a time of 10.81, but came back to defend his 200m title in a time of 21.61. He also anchored St. Ed’s 4x100m team to a win with a time of 41.79.
Jake Blankenship of Gahanna Lincoln sets a new State Pole Vault Record with a jump of 17.02.
Blankenship broke his own state record of 17.01 which he set in Districts. His vault is the 3rd best in the Nation.
There were many other outstanding performances in all of the Divisions. Here are a few:
Grant Cartwright of Olentangy was the surprise winner in the discus. Cartwright threw a career best of 195-00 in winning.
Dayton’s Thurgood Marshall set a new D2 State Meet record in the 4x200m with a winning time of 1:26.98.
1) Tavonn Crisp 12 2) Alante Oliver 12
3) Vayante Copeland 10 4) Joe Ballard 12
Bryan’s Alyssa McBride broke her own State OHSAA record in the Pole Vault in winning the girl’s D2 Vault with a new record of 13-01.
Versailles Junior, Sam Prakel ran a 4:10.33 in winning the D2 1600m and came back to also win the 3200m in a time of 9:16.14.
Senior Cierra Brown of Chaminade Julienne won both the 100m(14.50) and 300m(43.58) hurdles in Division 2.
Dunbar’s 4x400m Relay team set a new State Meet record with a time of 3:15.92.
1) Ira George 12 2) Eric Blair 12
3) Michael Ohiembor 12 4) LaTrell Turner 12 
Junior Cory Glines of St. Thomas Aquinas set a New D3 State Meet record in the 1600m with a time of 4:12.93. Second place finisher, Junior Wyatt Hartman of Courtland Maplewood also ran under the old State mark with a time of 4:13.35.
List of State, State Meet and Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Records that were broken this year at the State Meet:
State and meet records in D1 300 hurdles by Donovan Robertson of Berea 35.96
State and meet records in D1 3200 by Tsehaye Hiluf of Reynoldsburg 8:55.04
State and meet records in D1 Pole Vault Jacob Blankenship of Gahanna Lincoln 17-2
State and meet records in D1 4 x 100m Reynoldsburg 45.99
State and meet record by Eastmoor Academy in D2 4 x 200 1:39.37
State and meet records in D2 Pole Vault by Alyssa McBride of Bryan 13-1
Meet record in D2 4 x 200 by Thurgood Marshall 1:26.98
Meet record by Dayton Dunbar in D2 4 x 400 3:15.92
Meet record by Emily Stites of Cincinnati Wyoming in 3200 10:43.32
Meet record in D3 1600 by Cory Glines of St. Thomas Aquinas 4:12.93
Owens Stadium Record in D1 300 hurdles by Faith Washington of Reynoldsburg 41.33