'I kind of saw it coming': Meet record highlights 4-win day for Hoover's Amahrie Harsh
PERRY TWP. — Amahrie Harsh's bid for a county meet sweep is finally complete.
After coming close the past few years, the Hoover senior was able to win all three sprint races at Saturday's Stark County High School Track and Field Championships. Wins in the 100, 200 and 400 meters gave the Murray State commit eight individual county titles in her high school career.
Harsh could not have written a better final chapter at one of her favorite meets. She was named girls sprints MVP for the second straight year. In addition to her three individual wins, she ran on the Vikings' winning 800 relay.
"I'm actually going to miss this meet," Harsh said. "It's definitely not going to be the same. It's like starting all over for me."
Harsh's final race at the county meet was one for the record books. Her 200 time of 24.68 seconds broke meet and Perry track and field facility records.
"I'll admit, I thought I would get the meet record," Harsh said. "Outside of invitationals, I have already been running in the 24s. I don't want to be cocky or anything, but I kind of saw it coming."
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD: 2024 Stark County high school track and field season best times and distances
The 200 county title was Harsh's third straight. It came after she four-peated in the 400. Harsh held off challenges from McKinley's Allea Graves and Jackson's Kaylee Lusk to win in 59.10. It was the only sub-one-minute lap.
The 400 is easily Harsh's favorite event.
"Not a lot of people like it, but I've been doing it for years," Harsh said. "I look forward to it. For me, it really doesn't seem that difficult. It's the adrenaline of it."
Harsh owns the county's top 100, 200 and 400 times. As she flies down the homestretch of her high school career, she won't take those rankings for granted. Harsh was ranked No. 1 in all three events last year. Her only taste of the state meet was a 400 prelim race.
"I want to have fun and not let all the stress get to me," Harsh said. "I didn't do too well last year at state. I kind of overthought.
"When I get to state, I definitely want to be on the podium as one of the top finishers."
Meet the rest of the Stark County Track and Field Championships MVPs
Five other MVPs were named at the end of Saturday's meet.
GlenOak's Ryder Greenwood was named boys sprints MVP. He led the Golden Eagles 200 relay to a win, was runner-up in the 100 and 200 and helped GlenOak's 400 relay to a third-place finish.
A sweep of the 800 and 1,600 helped Marlington's Colin Cernansky become the boys distance MVP. Cernansky is the two-time defending Division II state champion in the 1,600.
Canton South's Julius Kimbrough was selected boys field MVP after the won the high jump and finished third in the long jump.
Sandy Valley's Lexi Tucci won the long jump and tied for second in the high jump to earn girls field MVP honors. She returned this season after missing the 2023 county meet with a torn ACL.
Lake's Daniela Scheffler was named girls distance MVP after she won the 3,200 and was runner-up in the 1,600.
Reach Mike at mike.popovich@cantonrep.com
On X: @mpopovichREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Record day for Hoover's Amahrie Harsh at Stark County Championships
