Jordan Gross Wins Showdown In 200 Meters With 20.73; Celia Schulte Runs Fastest 800 In 56 Years With 2:04.65; Wayne Boys, Hilliard Davidson Girls Win

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

After missing out on a state championship by a single point a year ago, the Wayne High boys weren’t going to let history repeat itself. Back at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium with a new track to run on, the Wayne boys ran away with the Division 1 state title on Saturday, June 7 at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Track and Field State Championships. The Warriors put up 60 points to secure the program’s third overall state title. 

Wayne was led by sophomore standout sprinter Jamier Averette-Brown, who won the 100 (10.41), placed second in the 200 (20.90) and anchored the winning 4x100 (40.82) and 4x200 (1:24.21) relays, both of which were meet records. 

Butler senior Jordan Gross won the 200 in a stadium record time of 20.73 and was also part of the first-place 4x400 relay that ran a meet record of 3:12.06. 

In the distance events, St. Ignatius junior Maxwell Friedrich went under nine minutes to win the 3,200 in 8:57.74. 

The Lexington boys 4x800 relay ran a US#13 4x800 relay time of 7:37.65

In the field, one of the top pole vaulters in the country, Sidney senior Garrett Guinther, cleared 17 feet to easily win the Division 1 title, and just missed the meet and stadium record (17-2). 

In the throws, junior CJ Santa of Olentangy, ranked US#8 in the discus, won with a toss of 194-11. 

The Hilliard Davidson girls won the Division 1 title with 55 points and Pickerington Central was a close second with 50 points. Junior Anna Wile led the way for Hillard claiming the 100 hurdles in 13.79 seconds and placing second in the 300 hurdles (42.13). She also ran on the fourth place 4x400 relay. 

Beavercreek sophomore Faith Brown won the 300 hurdles in a stadium record time of 41 seconds, good for US#7.

Hilliard Davidson's Celia Schulte, a junior, ran a meet, stadium and division record time while winning the 800 meters in a time of 2:04.65, which is US#8. Schulte's performance nearly broke the 56-year-old Ohio all-time best of 2:04.5 by Nancy Shafer in 1969. 

In the field, Pickerington Central’s Kamille Smith won the shot put with a US#9 throw of 49-6.75.

Claire Iaciofano, a junior from Turpin and ranked top 20 in the country in the pole vault, cleared 13-4 to win the title. 

Mt. Healthy senior Dashayla Worlaw won the high jump by clearing 5-10, moving her into a tie for US#6. 

DIV 2

Just two points separated the boys champion as Brookville used a second-place 4x400 relay finish to edge out Glenville 42 points to 40 points for the Division 2 title. Brookville’s Coy Hyre led the way winning the 100 with a meet and division record time of 10.38 and he also won the 200 in a meet and dvision record 20.99. He also ran on the meet record-setting 4x200 relay (1:26.61). 

In the field, New Richmond senior Grant Harrison broke a meet record in the pole vault soaring 16-7, a U.S. top 25 mark. 

South Point senior Derrick Taylor, currently ranked #7 in the U.S. in the shot put, easily won the event with a throw of 65-6 and added a title in the discus with a throw of 185-6. 

For the girls, Hathaway Brown, all-girls private school, claimed the Division 2 title with 40 points. 

On the track, standout sprinter Nyla King of Central Catholic (Toledo) won the 100 (11.60) and 400 (54.36) and broke a meet and division record in the 200, which she won in 23.76. 

Valley View junior Addy Abner won the 800 in a division and state meet record time of 2:07.54. 

Junior Sophia Szolosi of Athens won the 1,600 (4:49.65) and 3,200 (10:39.21). 

Junior Michaela Stork of Port Clinton won the discus with a throw of 150-6.

DIV 3

In the sprints, Coldwater’s Isabella Zahn won the 200 (23.04) and 400 (52.89), crushing meet and Division 3 records as she led her team to a state championship. Zahn’s 200 and 400 times are both currently US#11. The senior also won the long jump (18-8.50.). 

On the track, senior Anna Roessner of Fort Recovery set a state meet and division record in the 100 (11.75) and was second in the 200 and third in the 400. 

The boys race was a tight battle between McDonald and Huron, the defending champion. Both teams  finished with 31 points apiece to tie for the title. Africentric was third with 30 points. Less than five points separated the top five teams. 

Whiteoak’s Landen Eyre won the 1,600 (4:11.13) and 3,200 (9:12.46).

Team Champions

Division 1: Wayne boys 60 points, Hillard Davidson girls 55 points - RESULTS

Division 2: Brookville boys 42 points, Hathaway Brown girls 40 points - RESULTS

Division 3: Huron and McDonald boys (tie) 31 point, Coldwater girls 65.50 points - RESULTS