By Matt McGowan - With perfect June weather the Ohio High School Athletic Association 114th annual Boys and the 47th annual Girls Track & Field Championship after three years returned to Ohio State University Jesse Owens Stadium.
Division I
On Friday Medina (9:11.01) held off Hilliard Davidson (9:14.61) to win the girls 4 x 800 meter relay. Saturday afternoon Hathaway Brown’s senior Morgan Monesmith took home the gold in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:53.90. Fifty minutes latter Monesmith returned to the top of the victory stand with her 2:09.09 clocking in the 800 meters. Olmsted Falls’ junior Katie Clute won the 3200 meters in 10:28.97. Gahanna Lincoln’s junior had a winded added time of 13.25 in the 100 meter hurdles to earn the top time in the country.
Last year’s runner up Gahanna Lincoln captured the Division I girls team title while Westerville Central took home the runner up trophy with 31 points..
Friday night Loveland took home the gold in the 4 x 800 meter relay with their 7:45.34 while St Xavier was second in 7:48.67. Saturday Loveland’s senior Ryan Chevalier out ran the 1600 meter field to win in 4:07.70. Canfield’s senior Nick Plant, broke Cleveland St Ignatius’s Marc Sylvester 2001 800 meter record of 1:48.93, with his blazing time of 1:48.65. Glen Oak’s junior Thomas Rice won the 3200 meters in 9:05.46. Pickerington Central’s junior Troy Lane set a State Meet record in the 100 meter dash with his 10.25. The old record of 10.38 was held by Piqua’s Brandon Saine from 2006.
Pickerington Central won the Division I boys team title with Olentangy Orange second one point behind
Division II
Friday night Oakwood (9:14.83) held off Woodridge (9:15.58) to repeat as the girls 4 x 800 meter relay champions. Indian Hill’s senior Elizabeth Whaley set a new Division II State meet record in the 1600 meters with her 4:43.31. Cuyahoga Falls CVCA’s Sammy Bockoven held the record of 4:49.53 since 2014. Ottawa Glandorf’s junior Alexa Fortman (2:08.60) nipped Whaley (2:08.82) to established a new 800 meter Division II State meet record. Chillicothe Zane Trace’s Taylor Hatfield held the record since 2010 with her 2:08.91. Oakwood’s senior Grace Hartfield who won the OHSAA State Cross Country title last fall defended her 3200 meter title with her 10:43.97. Akron SVSM’s senior Kya Epps set Division II state meet records with her time of 11.57 in the 100 meters and her 23.81 in the 200 meters. The old records were 11.67 (Michaela Butler, Findlay Liberty-Benton) and 24.05 (Cachet Murray, Girard).
Oakwood defended their Division II girls team title with 47 points while Buchtel (39 points) finished second again..
On Friday afternoon Marlington won the boys Division II 4 x 800 meter relay with their 7:49.66 clocking.
Marlington’s sophomore Colin Cernasky (4:14.18) nipped Orange’s Brian Gent (4:14.42) and Bryan’s Joshuah Taylor (4:14.69) to win the 1600 meters. Chardon NDCL’s Brian Bates won the 800 meter run in 1:53.49. John Glenn’s senior Chris Tooms ran 9:14.35 to win the 3200 meters. Hawkins’ (41.66) broke the 1981 Dayton Jefferson’s (41.79) 4 x 100 meter Division II state record.
Glenville won their 17th State title winning the boys Division II crown with 45 points while Keystone finished second ten points behind.
Division III
On Friday afternoon Minter ran away with the 4 x 800 meter relay with their 9:28.67 clocking. On Saturday morning Maplewood’s sophomore Caleigh Richards (4:57.53) added the 1600 meter crown to her 2021 cross country individual title. Minster’s junior Taylor Roth won the 800 meter title with her 2:12.65. McDonald’s junior Megan Hipple won the 3200 meter crown with her 10:55.09. Margaretta’s senior Kenna Stimmel set a pole vault State meet record and the National Federation of High School record with her vault of 14’6.25”. Colonel Crawford’s senior Katie Ruffener set a Division III 100 meter hurdle record with her 13.71. Bucyrus Wynford’s Amber Rall held the old record of 14.25.
Colonel Crawford won the girls Division III team crown with 44 points while Margaretta captured the runner up trophy with 41 points
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Lima Perry’s senior Brady Yingst established a new Division III 1600 meter record with his 4:10.74. His time bettered New Madison Tri Village’s Clayton Murphy time of 4:11.72. United’s junior Kaleb Nastari ran an impressive 1:49.56 to win the 800 meters to set a new Division III state meet record. Yellow Spring’s Sam Borchers (1:51:54) held the record since 2007. Lima Perry’s Brady Yingst who won the 1600 earlier in the day and last fall won the cross country state title added his third gold this school year with his 9:14.46 clocking in the 3200 meters.
Norwayne won the boys Division III team trophy with 40 points and McDonald finished second with 38 points.
A few Championships photos are posted on http://www.runohio.com/index.php/photos/2022 with last year’s photos posted at http://www.runohio.com/index.php/photos/2021
OHSAA State Track & Field Championships results are posted on https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Track-Field/2022-State-Tournament-Coverage