Beachwood Wins Division IV State Championship; CVC Athletes Earn 15 All-Ohio Finishes

Beachwood capped a dominant performance by winning the Division IV girls state championship Saturday at the OHSAA Track and Field State Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

The Bison were fueled by sophomore standouts Meena Abdul-Basser and K’Dyn Harris-Tate, who combined for three individual state championships and helped Beachwood add a relay title as part of a remarkable weekend.

Harris-Tate captured the Division IV 100-meter dash in 12.56 seconds and added a runner-up finish in the 200 meters in 25.24. Abdul-Basser swept the Division IV 200 and 400-meter titles, winning in 25.16 and 54.77, respectively.

Beachwood also claimed the Division IV 4×200-meter relay championship as Harris-Tate, Kyrsten Ginn, Abdul-Basser, and Marley Readance crossed the finish line in 1:39.86.

The state title was part of a strong overall performance by Chagrin Valley Conference athletes, who combined for six state championships and 15 All-Ohio finishes.

Perry sophomore Emily Mechenbier added another state championship for the conference, winning her second straight Division III girls shot put with a throw of 48-0.75.

Cuyahoga Heights also delivered a championship performance in Division V. The quartet of Gavin Chamberlin, Kurtis VanDivner, Maurice McClardy, and Tristan West captured the 4×100-meter relay title in 42.55. Later, Matthew Cowling, VanDivner, McClardy, and West won the 4×200 relay in 1:28.06.

Several other conference athletes earned All-Ohio honors with top-eight finishes.

Kirtland senior Charlie Vignero earned All-Ohio recognition in two events, placing sixth in the Division IV discus with a personal-best throw of 169-3 and seventh in the shot put at 53-7.25.

Perry sophomore Traxton Richards finished as Division III state runner-up in the pole vault after clearing a personal-best 15-6.

Readance added a fifth-place finish in the Division IV 100 meters for Beachwood, while the Bison’s 4×400 relay team also reached the podium with an eighth-place finish.

In Division V girls competition, Kirtland senior Izzie Copeland earned All-Ohio honors with an eighth-place finish in the 1,600 meters and helped the Hornets’ 4×800 relay team place sixth alongside Kylie Sayle, Megan Urbanick, and Danika Schaum.

Independence’s Carter Howard placed sixth in the Division V 110-meter hurdles, while teammate Peyton Bechlem finished seventh in the 300-meter hurdles.

Edgewood’s Paul Siler earned All-Ohio honors with a sixth-place finish in the Division III discus. Berkshire’s Billy Verbic placed eighth in the Division IV high jump.

Cuyahoga Heights added All-Ohio finishes from McClardy in the high jump and Aden Ewelt in the pole vault. The Red Wolves also placed fifth in the Division V 4×400 relay.

• Full Results

Division III Boys

Discus

6. Paul Siler (Edgewood) 159-1

Pole Vault

2. Traxton Richards (Perry) 15-6

Division III Girls

Shot Put

1. Emily Mechenbier (Perry) 48-0.75 (State Champion)

Division IV Boys

Shot Put

7. Charlie Vignero (Kirtland) 53-7.25

Discus

6. Charlie Vignero (Kirtland) 169-3

High Jump

8. Billy Verbic (Berkshire) 6-0

Division IV Girls

100 Meters

1. K’Dyn Harris-Tate (Beachwood) 12.56 (State Champion)
2. Marley Readance (Beachwood) 13.00

200 Meters

1. Meena Abdul-Basser (Beachwood) 25.16 (State Champion)
2. K’Dyn Harris-Tate (Beachwood) 25.24

400 Meters

1. Meena Abdul-Basser (Beachwood) 54.77 (State Champion)

4×200 Relay

1. Beachwood (K’Dyn Harris-Tate, Kyrsten Ginn, Meena Abdul-Basser, Marley Readance) 1:39.86 (State Champion)

4×400 Relay

8. Beachwood (Kyrsten Ginn, Marley Readance, K’Dyn Harris-Tate, Meena Abdul-Basser) 4:08.56

Division V Boys

110 Hurdles

6. Carter Howard (Independence) 15.12

4×100 Relay

1. Cuyahoga Heights (Gavin Chamberlin, Kurtis VanDivner, Maurice McClardy, Tristan West) 42.55 (State Champion)

4×200 Relay

1. Cuyahoga Heights (Matthew Cowling, Kurtis VanDivner, Maurice McClardy, Tristan West) 1:28.06 (State Champion)

4×400 Relay

5. Cuyahoga Heights (Gavin Chamberlin, Maurice McClardy, Kurtis VanDivner, Tristan West) 3:26.00

High Jump

7. Maurice McClardy (Cuyahoga Heights) 6-4

Pole Vault

7. Aden Ewelt (Cuyahoga Heights) 14-0

Division V Girls

1600 Meters

8. Izzie Copeland (Kirtland) 5:14.27

300 Hurdles

7. Peyton Bechlem (Independence) 46.51

4×800 Relay

6. Kirtland (Izzie Copeland, Kylie Sayle, Megan Urbanick, Danika Schaum) 9:44.66