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Twenty-one local individuals, six relays set to compete at state track and field meet

chris snow, ashland times gazette
·4 min read
Crestview's Tommy O'Neill competes in the 1600 meter run during the Forrest Pruner Track Invitational at Crestview High School on Friday, April 22, 2022.
Crestview's Tommy O'Neill competes in the 1600 meter run during the Forrest Pruner Track Invitational at Crestview High School on Friday, April 22, 2022.

The Ashland area will be represented by 21 individuals and six relays at the state track and field meet, which begins Friday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.

Six local schools — Ashland, Crestview, Loudonville, Mapleton, New London and South Central — will have at least one athlete or relay competing.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect this weekend.

Division I 

Ashland’s Lukah Will advanced to state in the 800 meters by finishing third in a personal-best time of 1 minute, 56.86 seconds at the regional meet in Findlay. Although the junior has one of the slowest seed times, he has been dropping time each week and seems poised to do so again this weekend.

Ashland High School's Lukah Will competes in the 800 meter run at the Division I regional track meet Friday, May 27, 2022 at Findlay High School. TOM E. PUSKAR/TIMES-GAZETTE.COM
Ashland High School's Lukah Will competes in the 800 meter run at the Division I regional track meet Friday, May 27, 2022 at Findlay High School. TOM E. PUSKAR/TIMES-GAZETTE.COM

Division III 

Crestview’s boys, who won district and regional titles, have the most state qualifiers of any area school.

They’re led by senior Tommy O’Neill and sophomore Wade Bolin, who both are competing in three events.

O’Neill has a great chance to get on the podium in the 1,600 and as a member of the 4x800 and 4x400 relays. The 4x8 — which includes Logan Friges, Cooper Brockway and Gabe Smedley — has the seventh-fastest seed time (8:12.68). O’Neill has the ninth-fastest seed time (4:24.51) in the 1,600, as does the 4x4 (3:27.16), which includes Caden Cunningham, Smedley and Everett Smith.

Bolin should be in contention to earn All-Ohio honors in the shot put and discus. He’s seeded 11th (50-feet-9½) and eighth (165-5) in those events.

Crestview's Wade Bolin competes in the shot put at the Mapleton Nigh Invitational Friday, April 29, 2022 at Mapleton High School. TOM E. PUSKAR/TIMES-GAZETTE.COM
Crestview's Wade Bolin competes in the shot put at the Mapleton Nigh Invitational Friday, April 29, 2022 at Mapleton High School. TOM E. PUSKAR/TIMES-GAZETTE.COM

Bolin will also run a leg on the 4x100 relay, which is seeded 17th with a time of 44.45 seconds. Other relay members are Connor Morse, Adison Reymer and Tanner Moore.

Two other Cougars are competing in field events — Noah Stuart in the shot put and Shawn Bailey in the pole vault. Stuart is seeded 14th (49-0) and Bailey ninth (13-8). Both have a legitimate chance to earn a spot on the podium.

Carson Music and Trey Beverly are both competing in the 400 and as members of the 4x200 and 4x4 relays for the South Central boys.

In the 400, Music is seeded sixth (49.71) and Beverly 13th (50.53). Both have a great chance to make the finals and finish as All-Ohioans.

The 4x4 is seeded eighth (3:27.16) and 4x2 10th (1:31.66), so both relays are in the mix to advance to the finals. Parker Gray and Isaac Blair are the other members of those relays.

For the New London boys, Tyler Twining is competing in the 800. The senior is seeded 11th (1:58.14) but should be in the mix for a podium spot.

New London's Kaitlyn Gum hurls the shot put in the finals at last year's Division III state track and field championships.
New London's Kaitlyn Gum hurls the shot put in the finals at last year's Division III state track and field championships.

On the girls side, New London’s Kaitlyn Gum is a serious contender to win a state title in the shot put. The junior is seeded second with a mark of 40-3¾.

Sophomore Reese Landis is competing in the 3,200 for the Wildcats. She is seeded sixth (11:13.86) and will likely finish as an All-Ohioan.

Mapleton’s Jillian Carrick is seeded 11th in the 100 with a time of 12.71. The senior is peaking at the right time and should contend for a spot in the finals.

Bella Tabler and Madison Bailey are both competing in the long jump for the Mounties. Tabler is seeded 12th (16-6¼) and Bailey 13th (16-5½). To earn a spot on the podium, both will likely have to improve upon their seed marks by several inches.

Loudonville’s Sydney Polen is also competing in the long jump. The junior is seeded 14th with a mark of 16-5¼.

She will also run a leg on the 4x2, which is seeded 14th (1:47.46). Other relay members are Kenzie Cutlip, Anna Templeman and Corri Vermilya, who will also compete in the 300 hurdles. The sophomore is seeded 17th with a time of 47.70.

South Central's Angela Williams and Mapleton's Jillian Carrick compete in the 100 meter dash during the Forrest Pruner Track Invitational at Crestview High School on Friday, April 22, 2022.
South Central's Angela Williams and Mapleton's Jillian Carrick compete in the 100 meter dash during the Forrest Pruner Track Invitational at Crestview High School on Friday, April 22, 2022.

South Central’s Angela Williams is competing in the 200 and long jump. The sophomore has a great chance to finish as an All-Ohioan in the long jump, as she’s seeded seventh (16-10¼). In the 200, she’s seeded 18th (26.62).

SC’s Onalee Keysor is seeded eighth in the pole vault with a mark of 10-8. If the senior clears that mark again at state, she will likely earn All-Ohio honors.

Claire Osborn is competing in the shot put for the Trojans. The senior is seeded 12th (38-1) but should be in the mix for a spot on the podium.

Crestview’s Morgan Welch is a strong contender to finish as an All-Ohioan in the 1,600. The senior is seeded 11th with a time of 5:11.45 and is peaking at the right time.

Reach Chris at csnow@times-gazette.com

On Twitter: CSnow_TG

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Area high school track & field athletes ready for state meet