For the first time in more than five decades, Cuyahoga Heights has a state track and field champion.
Actually, make that two.
Powered by a selfless group of athletes who embraced the team-first philosophy preached by longtime coach John Shafer, the Red Wolves captured state championships in both the boys 4×100-meter relay and 4×200-meter relay at the OHSAA Division V State Track and Field Championships.
The titles marked the program’s first state championships since 1973, when Ken Janiak won the shot put with a throw of 54 feet, 5 inches.
The quartet of Gavin Chamberlin, Kurtis VanDivner, Maurice McClardy, and Tristan West raced to victory in the 4×100 relay with a season-best time of 42.55 seconds before returning later to win the 4×200 relay in another season-best effort of 1:28.06.
The same four runners also capped their weekend with a fifth-place finish in the 4×400 relay in 3:26.00, giving Cuyahoga Heights three All-Ohio relay performances.
For Shafer, who has spent 32 years coaching track and field, the moment was emotional.
“I’m on cloud nine,” Shafer said. “I’m very misty-eyed. I’ve been doing this for 32 years, and it’s been very emotional, which isn’t like me.”
The victories carried extra meaning because they reflected the team-oriented philosophy Shafer learned from his father, Ron Shafer, a successful coach at Riverside High School.
“I became a coach because of my dad,” Shafer said. “He was known for the relays, and that became part of my philosophy with track and field. You build a team around your relays because you want a team concept, and to get these kids on the podium twice, and to see how selfless they were, was great.”
That selflessness showed itself throughout the weekend.
Freshman Matthew Cowling helped the Red Wolves qualify for the 4×200 final during preliminaries, running on the relay that posted a season-best 1:29.80. After helping secure a lane in the championship race, Cowling immediately turned his attention to the team’s success.
“When we qualified, he looked at me and goes, ‘Okay, time to put McClardy in,'” Shafer said. “To see a freshman look at you and buy into the team rather than himself was beautiful.”
McClardy’s willingness to sacrifice for the team was equally important. One of Ohio’s premier high jumpers, he entered the state meet as an indoor state champion and national qualifier, yet never hesitated to take on relay duties despite the added workload.
“A lot of kids would have wanted to keep their legs fresh, but he wanted to be in the relays,” Shafer said. “All of them buying in was just so special in this day and age.”
The relay group featured contributions from every runner.
Chamberlin, a two-time football All-Ohio selection who will continue his athletic career at Baldwin Wallace, set the tone as the lead-off runner.
VanDivner helped continue a family tradition after his older brother, Devin Dzik, ran on a state-placing relay team a year ago.
West, meanwhile, qualified for the state meet in four events but chose to prioritize the relay team’s success.
“His goal was to break the school record at state, but he wanted to make sure he was 100 percent for the 4×4,” Shafer said. “He gave up his chance to break the school record, and he probably would have made the finals, but he wanted to be sure he was fresh.”
Beyond the relay titles, Cuyahoga Heights produced three additional individual All-Ohio performances.
Senior Samantha Vallee entered the girls’ 100-meter hurdles as the No. 17 seed and battled her way onto the podium, finishing eighth in 16.36 seconds.
“It was beautiful,” Shafer said. “If you want to talk about a girl that puts in the time, she’s one of those kids you have to run off the track at practice because she’s doing too much.”
McClardy added another All-Ohio honor by placing seventh in the boys’ high jump at 6 feet, 4 inches.
Senior Aden Ewelt earned All-Ohio recognition as well, clearing 14 feet to finish seventh in the boys pole vault despite dealing with injuries late in the season.
“Aden Ewelt is a really talented kid,” Shafer said. “It was kind of a bummer because he was struggling through a couple of injuries late.”
In all, Cuyahoga Heights left Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium with six All-Ohio performances, two state championships, and a place in school history.
For Shafer, the accomplishments were the result of athletes who embraced the process and trusted one another.
“I was just proud of my kids’ ability to compartmentalize,” Shafer said. “That’s one of the things I try to teach. If you want to be successful in life, number one, you work hard; number two, you don’t worry about results, you worry about the process, and our kids bought into that. They were just focused, and they executed.”
