Area athletes ready to shine at state track and field championships
LANCASTER – Fairfield County will be well-represented when the state track and field championships get underway Friday at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
There will be 25 area athletes competing in the two-day meet, which begins at 9:30 a.m. each day and concludes Saturday evening.
Several athletes qualified in more than one event, including five individuals winning regional titles and two relay teams taking home first at regional competitions.
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In Division I, Bloom-Carroll senior Dylan Chittum, who placed fourth in the shot put in Division II a year ago, has moved up to Division I this year. He will compete in both the shot put and the discus and is one of the favorites to win a state title in both events after placing first in the regional meet. Chittum is ranked No. 1 in the state in the shot put.
Lancaster will be led by a strong contingent, led by seniors Lukas Lang and Daniel Edwards in the pole vault. Lang won the regional and Edwards placed second, and both ranked in the top five in the state.
Lancaster senior Colton Thress, who is making a return trip to the state meet, placed first at the regional in the 800, and will be on the Golden Gales’ 3,200 relay team which also consists of Trevor Lanoy, Zane Schorr and Wes Taylor.
The Lady Gales will also be represented in Division I as senior Peyton Wilson qualified in both the shot put and discus, as sophomore Marisa Heil will compete in the 800.
In Division II, Fairfield Union senior Marcus Runkle, who broke a regional record in the 3,200, will be one of the favorites to win during his race. Sophomore Andrew Walton will also compete in the 3,200, and sophomore Nathan Phillips qualified for the state meet in the 1,600.
The Lady Falcons will be well-represented and will be led by junior Anna Conrad, who qualified in four events, including the 800 and 1,600, and Averey Cottrill will compete in the 300 hurdles.
Conrad will also be on two relay teams, including the 1,600 relay team of Abigail Pike, Sarah Lepi and Emma McCormick, and will be on the 3,200 relay team consisting of Pike, Andrea Phillips and Adelyn Winters.
Also in Division II, Liberty Union senior Teddy Jencson will compete in the 1,600, Caleb Hague in the 110 hurdles, and Zach McCoy in the pole vault.
In Division III, Fisher Catholic senior Noah Sharp, who cruised to a regional championship, will be one of the favorites in the 3,200, and he will anchor the 3,200 relay team, which consists of Jack Gentile, Alex Ristau and London Funk.
2023 OHSAA Track and Field State Tournament Announcements
Tickets
Mobile tickets for the state tournament are available through Ticketmaster beginning Tuesday, May 23 at 10 a.m. The direct link to the event on Ticketmaster is https://go.osu.edu/ohsaatrackandfieldtix. Tickets can be purchased on-site at the Covelli Center, located just to the north of Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Note that tickets purchased at Ticketmaster prior to arrival at the state tournament are the same cost as tickets purchased on-site.
State Meet Traffic and Parking Advisory
Guests coming to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium for the state track and field meet should use State Route 315 and either the Ackerman Road exit or the Lane Avenue exit. For reference, Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium is located at 2450 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, Ohio. Please follow the direction of the traffic and parking attendants for the nearest available parking, which will be free in identified lots on both days of the state tournament. In other lots, a parking fee will apply, payable by credit card.
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on Twitter @twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Area athletes ready to shine at state track and field championships
