High school track & field: 5 central Ohio storylines for state indoor meet
Central Ohio’s top track and field athletes have an important tuneup for the spring season this weekend with the indoor state meet at SPIRE Institute in Geneva.
Division I competes Friday, and the Divisions II-III meet is Saturday. The event is sponsored by the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches.
The Gahanna Lincoln girls will compete for their second consecutive Division I indoor title. The Lions also won their second consecutive Division I outdoor championship last spring.
“Indoor is the springboard for us,” Gahanna coach Roger Whittaker said. “Some people really don’t do it a lot, but for us, it’s like the warmup to (spring) practice, getting things ready for outdoor.”
Spring practices began Feb. 19, and the outdoor season starts March 23.
Here are five storylines heading into the indoor state meet:
1. Gahanna Lincoln girls seek indoor title repeat
Although they lost several key athletes to graduation, including an elite hurdler in now-Kentucky freshman Camden Bentley, the Lions hope to defend their indoor title.
Leading the way should be senior Keena Sanders, a Miami University commit who is seeded fourth in the 400 meters (57.74). She also will run on the 800 and 1,600 relays.
“I really enjoy indoor,” Sanders said. “It allows me to see the competition. We compete against schools from other states, so it’s really cool to see how I compare against other girls from other states.”
Whittaker also expects strong meets from senior Anna Sergio (high jump) and sophomores Aliyah Bennett (sprints) and Mia Rowe (high jump).
Whittaker believes Mason will be the team to beat. The Comets finished second to Gahanna in the indoor and outdoor state meets last year.
“Mason looks like they’re the clear-cut favorites,” Whittaker said. “It will be a challenge. Mason has a lot of people coming back.”
2. Westerville Central looking for strong performances
The Central girls finished third in last year's indoor and outdoor state meets.
Senior Olivia Pace, a Southern California commit, is seeded first in the 60 (7.38), second in the 200 (24.21) and fourth in the long jump (17-9 ½). She won the Division I outdoor long jump title (19-2 ¾) last spring.
Senior Taryn Stills, a Wright State commit, will compete in the high jump, and freshman Skylar Brittman will run the 60 hurdles.
“We don’t have as many state competitors as we usually do, but at the end of the day I want to be ready for outdoor,” coach David Mentlow said. “Indoor is a good opportunity for the kids to get going, but the ultimate goal is what can we do outdoor. We’ll have a lot more depth outdoor. ... If Olivia has a great day and wins all three events, we have a chance (to win the indoor team title).”
The Central boys should be led by sophomore Elijah Harris, who is seeded first in the high jump (6-9) and triple jump (42-4 ¼).
Sophomore Robert Young will compete in the 200 and 400.
3. Lancaster boys look to repeat as champions
The Lancaster boys are hoping to defend their first indoor state title.
The Golden Gales should be led by seniors Gunner Richards (60, long jump), Logen Justice (high jump), Zane Schorr (1,600), Brandon Simcox (60 hurdles), Wes Taylor (1,600) and Devon Totten (60 hurdles).
“Indoor for us is a lot about development,” coach Joseph Moorhead said. “It’s a little bit of payoff for the hard work you do in the winter. We have a lot of kids going to this meet Friday. It’s all about competing. We tell the kids not to worry so much about the time, the time will come if you compete and if you race.”
For the girls, Aubree Beery is seeded first in the weight throw (48-1).
4. Pickerington Central hopes for strong showing
The Tigers have been among central Ohio's strongest programs in recent seasons.
Senior Micah Coates (60, 400), juniors Xavier McCoy (200) and Juell Scott (200) and sophomore Lorenzo Brazzell (400) should lead the boys at state.
For the girls, sophomore Adrianna Francis will compete in the 60 hurdles.
Coach Darrin Green said indoor helps his athletes “build their strength up (to) get them some quality conditioning” ahead of the spring season.
“If you don’t do indoor, because so many schools and the best kids ... are running indoor, you fall behind if you don’t (compete in the winter),” Green said.
5. Westerville North’s Gabelman to run in state indoor finale
North senior Ben Gabelman is seeded first in the 1,600 (4:12.45) and 3,200 (9:05.27), ahead of Olentangy Orange’s Matthew Schroff (4:15.58) and Dublin Scioto’s Weston Day (9:09.17), respectively.
A Syracuse commit, Gabelman won the Division I state cross country title (14:51.66) last fall.
For the girls, other No. 1 seeds are Worthington Kilbourne’s Mirabelle Thornton (pole vault, 12-0) and Granville’s Nora Carrington (triple jump, 36-½).
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Greater Columbus storylines for state indoor track and field
