2022 Division II state track and field area capsule

May 31—When: June 3 and 4

Where: Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, 2450 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus

Schedule: June 3 — 9:30 a.m. (boys shot put, girls discus, boys pole vault, boys long jump and girls high jump), 1:30 p.m. (girls 4×800), 1:45 p.m. (boys 4×800) and 2-4:10 p.m. (running preliminaries for all events except for distance); June 4 — 9:30 a.m. (girls shot put, boys discus, girls pole vault, girls long jump and boys high jump) and 1-3:15 p.m. (running finals)

Area qualifiers: A full list of News-Herald coverage area state qualifiers was published in the May 30 print edition and can be found at News-Herald.com.

What to look for: With 36 individual-event and 18 relay qualifiers in Division II, this is a deep News-Herald coverage area group that is Columbus-bound.

Perhaps it's a gut feeling, but Chagrin Falls' perennial power girls 4×800-meter relay will contend for a deep top three and maybe better. As longtime Tigers' 4×8 staple Claire Coffey noted at the Division I Austintown-Fitch Regional, their 9:29.11 for second was all about advancing. Highly regarded Chagrin distance coach Clay Burnett will have this group ready to contend in Columbus. Bella Radomsky has impressed as a ninth-grader as the relay popper. Rose Hoelzel and Coffey are such smart and experienced competitors that they know every nook and cranny in how to thrive on the state stage with boxing, where to attack and more. Dayton Oakwood, with the electric Grace Hartman, and Woodridge with Reese Reaman and Izzy Best, will be a handful. Around 9:16 should win it all here.

Could this be the moment for Beachwood's 4×8? Last year was a breakthrough, getting to state in that event for the first time. This year, the Bison are a state title contender. David Steckner, Gregory Perryman, Noah Saidel and Caleb Berns all know their roles well, with Saidel and Steckner providing a 400 element in a race that can set the quartet apart overall. Perryman is a gamer with race sense, and Berns is the consummate 800 runner with homestretch kick. If the times coming in are not a red herring, and it doesn't feel like they are, something around 7:55 hanging with Marlington again will be the formula to contend.

Beachwood's 4×4 has also been noticeably ascending, going 3:20.61 at Fitch and seeded first coming in. With Glenville and Toledo Central Catholic, that final will get sub-3:20. Braylen Eaton will be vital as the popper there.

First it was his lower back, then a hamstring. But Perry's Javin Richards will not be deterred as he looks to close one of the great all-around careers in News-Herald coverage area lore in style. A low-to-mid 14 in 110 hurdles should be enough for top four, but primary focus will likely be on 300 hurdles, pole vault and, if he's able for a fourth event this week, 4×2. If he can get low-38 range again in 3s, that should be enough for a repeat state title, with his brother Brayden also pushing for low-38s there as well.

Pole vault could get very interesting, given Indian Valley's David Adams, fifth in D-II a year ago, is coming in at 16-1. Obviously, that suggests Javin and Brayden Richards will both have to be clean to 15 to set the tone beyond that. That 4×2, no matter the personnel, should be in the hunt for top four provided the low-to-mid 1:28s are there again.

Not to be repetitive, but what Hawken's boys 4×1 has done in the last month or so, breaking the D-II state record twice and the all-time News-Herald coverage area standard three times, has been remarkable. There may be no area student-athletes coming into Columbus more in-form than Dominic Johnson, Christian Anderson, Andrew Bukovnik and Jordan Harrison as a 4×1 unit. The Hawks will be heavy favorites for the D-II state title, with Keystone, Glenville and more there to make it intriguing again. But if the exchanges are crisp, a low-41 as outlandish as that sounds is doable.

Harrison and Anderson each have the deep sub-11s and sub-22s in their arsenal to factor into both sprints. Keystone's Ryne Shackelford is dynamic to be sure and will set the standard for this field, but a 10.70/21.60 double from either Hawks' standout is not out of the question.

Beachwood's girls sprint relays and their usual technical clinic should have gold medal-potential runs in the offing, with mid-to-high 1:41s in 4×2 and low-48s in 4×1 achievable. The Bison's main competition in both will be Toledo Central Catholic, but fellow News-Herald coverage area squad Gilmour really rose to the occasion last week at the Lexington Regional with a 48.49.

Beaumont's 4×4, with juniors Candace Johnson, Mariya Washington, Deasia Washington and Patricia O'Neill, encouraged with their 3:57.81 in Lexington this past weekend and should be in line to defend their D-II state title. O'Neill displayed her anchor capability in staving off Akron Buchtel a year ago at state for first. The keys here, with Buchtel back and loaded up, are Johnson and Deasia Washington as the front two legs going sub-60 if possible and giving Mariya Washington and O'Neill an advantage on the back end.

Berns and NDCL's Brian Bates are savvy enough to get into the top four potentially in open 8. Girard's Ricky Marsico will dictate the tone there, but a low-1:55 should be plenty to slot in behind Marsico and high on the podium.

Hawken's Makayla White, for the first time with state focus squarely on individual events, will be vying the top threes in both sprints. The 100 might be tough with Akron SVSM's Kya Epps and Chaminade-Julienne's Jadyn Haywood already in the low-12s, so third might have to suffice there. But in her signature open 2, White should have something to make it interesting for Epps and Haywood last 40. It might take 24.30, but the Hawks' affable senior can get there.

Gilmour's Karah Henderson should be in the mix for top two in her trademark 100 hurdles. A sub-14 and at least mildly testing Akron Buchtel's DaMya Barker to the last three hurdles would be a great way to close a decorated career.

Hoelzel and the Lancers' Amy Weybrecht are tremendous performers in 1,600, but the pace coming in here is absurd. Indian Hill's Elizabeth Whaley logged at 4:39.71 in regional competition, and Hartman, Norwayne's impressive Jaylee Wingate and Best are all top-four challengers. It might take 4:57 just to make the podium, which is saying a lot. Hoelzel and Weybrecht are sub-5 capable, though, and will eye that level.

Weybrecht surprised even herself, as the well-documented story goes, in winning open 8 a year ago. The road is undoubtedly more daunting this time, with Whaley and Wingate coming in on such strong form. It might take 2:11 just to get into the top two or three. That's not to say Weybrecht can't get there, because she can, but that open 8 depth in Columbus is impressive.

NDCL's boys 4×4 of Tim Herczog, Andrew Ryan, Javon King and Danny Yanick, coming off their D-II/III state indoor crown and 3:24.60 at Fitch, is absolutely podium-worthy, but it'll likely take 3:22 to get top four.

Beachwood's Sarah Brown should contend for top three in a deep shot put field that will go 42-plus just to make the top six.

Also keep an eye on Gilmour's girls 4×2 and 4×4, Beachwood's boys 4×2, Perry's boys 4×1, Benedictine's Brandon Boyd (400) and boys 4×1, Hawken's Leila Metres (400), Lake Catholic's Claire Duricky (300 hurdles) and Beaumont's Madyson Treharne (pole vault).