COLUMBUS—The first day of the 2023 OHSAA State Track & Field Championships was a mixed bag for Chagrin Valley Conference athletes.
West Geauga’s boys’ 4×800-meter relay team of Christopher Whiting, Grant Congdon, Daniel Kearns, and Matthew Dienes finished as the Division II state runner-up with a time of 7:55.65, a new school record.
Perry’s Brayden Richards saw his state title hopes dashed when he broke a pole in his second attempt at clearing 16 feet in the pole vault. After a short recovery, Richards nearly cleared the bar on this third and final attempt but settled for third place in Division II with a best vault of 15 feet, 8 inches.
Trinity’s Jordan Thompson-Seay became the school’s first male athlete to place in the high jump when he finished fourth in Division III with a top height of 6 feet, 3 inches.
Brooklyn’s Jenna Young attempted to win a second straight Division II state title in the high jump but was denied that opportunity with a best jump of 5 feet, 2 inches. She closed out her career as a two-time All-Ohioan with a state title in 2022 and a state runner-up finish in 2023.
Cardinal’s Anna Layman didn’t place in the Division III pole vault competition, but she did clear 9 feet to break her own school record.
CVC athletes will have an opportunity to earn a spot on the podium in Saturday’s finals.
Trinity’s Iniya Charlton and Geneva’s Connor Boland both will compete in three events.
Charlton placed sixth in the preliminary round of the Division III 100-meter dash with a time of :12.37, and she was fourth in the 200-meter dash prelims with a time of :25.51. She also teamed up with Imari Charlton, Miracle Head, and Toni Jamison to finish fourth in the 4×100-meter relay with a time of :50.45.
Boland placed fifth in the Division I 100-meter dash prelims (:10.49), sixth in the 400 (:49.08), and ninth in the 200 (:21.53). Boland’s time in the 100 was a new school record.
Trinity’s Cameron Corrothers also advanced to the finals when he finished seventh in the 300-meter hurdles prelims in :40.08.
In Division II, Hawken’s Leila Metres advanced in the 400-meter dash (:57.62) and 200 (:25.54); Wickliffe’s Colby Humbert finished eight in the 400-meter prelims with a time of :50.42; and Perry’s Richards was third in the 300 hurdle prelims with a time of :38.89.
Hawken’s 4×100-meter relay team of Dominic Johnson, Jordan Johnson, Vlad Estrin, and Christian Anderson finished fourth in the prelims with a time of :43.08, and Beachwood’s 4×400 team of Braylen Eaton, Max Page, Vincent Crenshaw, and David Steckner completed the prelims in seventh place with a time of 3:24.10.
Full Results:
