The 100th Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track & Field Championships saw many of the Legends of Ohio high school track and field on hand to help with the presentation of awards. For four years The Ohio State University Jesse Owens Memorial Track has been the site of the largest high school track and field meet in the country. Dayton Welcome Stadium was the site for the championships for three years after the track was removed from Ohio Stadium. Many fans wished Ohio Stadium was available to escape the heat and rain during the two day meet, however, numerous State records and other outstanding performances made this Championships one to remember.

The Division II Championships started the day of competition.

Mantua Crestwood's senior Cassandra Schenck who finished second to teammate Bridget Frank last year in the 1600 and 3200 took the victory stand with her victory in the 1600 - 4:59.16 and 3200 - 11:19. Schenck also finished second in the 800 meters with a 2:13.72. Circleville Logan Elm's junior Emily Eickholt won the 800 in 2:11.96.

Orrville's junior DeVonne Howard set at Division II State meet record with her long jump of 19' 73/4". Bexley's Christie Smith record from 1996 was 19' 31/4". Gnadenhutten Indian Valley sophomore Kayla Caldwell set a new Division II girls pole vault record with her12" 4". Two of the top performances in the boys Division II were Sandusky Perkins' junior Cory Leslie 1600-meter performance of 4:08.41 just missing 1985 Sandusky Perkins' Scott Fry record of 4:08.03. Salem's senior Patrick Gorby who set a Division II State record in the 800 meter at the Regionals with his 1:52.48 just missed Lancaster Fairfield Union Rob Myers State Meet record of 1:52.73 as he won in 1:52.76.

The Division I meet was the second Championships of the day.

Cleveland Heights Beaumont's junior Emily Infeld turned in perhaps the best performance of the day as she won the 1600 meters in 4:41.37 breaking Mantua Crestwood's Bridget Franek State record of 4:45.68. Infeld missed the Michigan's Laura Matson National Scholastic record of 4:39.4 from 1985. Infeld after the forty five minute rest set another State meet record as she sprinted to the finish to win the 800 meters in 2:08.63 edging Cleveland Heights Beaumont's Candance Nicholson 1996 record of 2:08.72. Nicholson hold the State all time record of 2:07.14. Solon's freshman Caitlin Hartnett finished second in 2:09.73.

Worthington Kilbourne's junior Claire Durkin ran the third fastest all time 3200 meter as she won in10:33.18. Durkin finished second in the 1600 meters with a 4:52.88

Euclid's senior Jessica Beard entertained the crowd in the semi finals as she lowered her Division I State meet record with her 53.29 in the 400 meters. However, she amazed the crown in the finals as she won in a remarkable time of 51.63 edging out Toledo Bowsher's Neshawn Graham (52.51). Beard win was her fourth in the 400 meters. The National Scholastic record in the 400 is held by California's Monique Henderson (50.74)

Cleveland Heights Beaumont's junior Aareon Payne set a State record of 23.65 in the 200 meters. Columbus Brookhaven's Khalilah Carpenter 2000 record was 23.69.

Green's sophomore Kelsie Ahbe established a new Division II State meet record of 12' 01" in the pole vault.

Cleveland Heights' Dontave Cowsette, Matthew Love, Sylvester Watts, Jared Hall set a new 4 x 800 meter with their 7:41.17 clocking. The old record from 2003 was held by North Canton Hoover 7:41.74.

Delaware Hayes's senior Jake Edwards ran away from the Division I 1600 meter field to win 4:09.89. Cleveland Heights' junior Jared Hall won the 800 meters in 1:53.10. Chardon's senior Emil Heineking won the 3200 meters in 9:05.50. Maumee's senior Bo Waggoner finished second in 9:11.38.

Vandalia Butler's senior who holds the State record of 71' 43/4" in the shot put set a new State meet record of 69' 51/4".

On Friday Gates Mill Gilmour Academy set a new girls Division III 4 x 800 meter relay record with their 9:13.89. The 1987 Columbus School for Girls team held the old record with their 9:20.75.

Yellow Springs destroyed the boys Division III State record as they clocked a 7:48.39. The 1993 Caldwell team held the record with their 7:54.83

After a short rain delay the Division III Championships wrapped up the day of competition. Barnesville's sophomore Stephanie Morgan establish a new Division III 1600 meter record with her 4:45.21 clocking. Minster's Sunni Olding held the old record of 4:48.20 from 2004. An hour later Morgan won the 3200 meters in 11:04.77. Warren John F Kennedy's junior Audrey Maheu set a new Division III 800 meter state record with her 2:12.39. Zanesville's Bishop Rosecrans Susan Nash held the record since 1983 with her 2:12.76

Yellow Springs's senior Samuel Borchers who establish a new State record in the 1600 earlier this year with his 4:10.83 won the 1600 meters in 4:16.37. Borchers established a new Division III State record in the800 with his 1:51.54. Warren Lordstown's Tom Andriko held the State Meet record with his 2005 performance of 1:53.33. Borchers had lowered the State Division III record to minutes to 1:52.20 earlier this year. Borchers also was part of the schools' 4 x 800 meter relay. Dayton Christian junior Walter Luttrell won the 3200 meters in 9:18.37, his twin brother John finished third in 9:25.77

Gates Mills Gilmour Academy set a new girls Division III 4 x 400 meter record with their 3:55.48 clocking. The 1984 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans team held the record with a 3:56.70.

Elmore Woodmore's Emily Pendleton accomplished a feat no one else had in state history. She became the first athlete to win the same field event four times with a toss of 163-4 in the discus to established a new State meet record. Pendleton holds the Division III state record with her 183' 03" earlier this year. Emily's sister Erin finished second with her toss of 154' 10". This was the first time in State history to have sisters finish one/two in the same event.

Versailles's senior Amanda Barlage established a new State record in the Division III pole vault with he 12' 04".

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Mark your calendar for the 101 Boys and 34th Girls OHSAA State Track and Field Championships to be held on June 6th and 7th at the Jesse Owens Memorial Track.

Also, mark you calendar for the 2008 USA Outdoor Junior Championships will be held June 20-22 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on The Ohio State University campus. Approximately 800 of the best track & field athletes from the United States will compete.

The Greater Columbus Sports Commission, The Ohio State University and USA Track & Field's Ohio Association will host the event in partnership with USA Track & Field, the Indianapolis-based organization that is the governing body for track & field in the United States.

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