Regional Track Preview: Waynedale's Reber fights through injury to the cusp of state
Simply put, it's been a tough two weeks for Waynedale's Jeremy Reber.
After battling an early season hamstring injury, the senior All-Ohio hurdler came into the month nearing 100 percent and poised for a return trip to state in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.
However, Reber reaggravated the injury at the Wayne County Athletic League Championships and advanced in just the 110-hurdle event for this weekend's Norwayne Division III Regional.
'We're just going to keep going strong': Sprinters power Dalton to Div. III district title
The local made the most of that district finals appearance in the event, picking up the fourth regional spot to keep the hopes of ending his prep career at Dayton's Welcome Stadium next weekend a reality.
But his goal right now to just put together a good enough race to advance from Wednesday's preliminary round and get into the Friday night final.
"It's very frustrating," Reber said. "As a competitor, especially not being able to perform your best when you out and race, it's pretty tough. I'm going to run the best I can and whatever happens, happens. That's where we're at right now."
When Reber is at his best, his top time of the season of 15.0 has him fifth overall in the expected field at Norwayne. Both Lowellville's Michael Ballone (13.55) and Garrettsville Garfield's Ollie May (13.69) pace the list of competitors, with both LaBrae's David Blackmon (14.87) and Black River's Braylon O'Neal (14.97) not too far behind.
Reber, who also worked his way back from an offseason knee injury, was third at the D-III state meet in 2023, thanks to a school-record 14.92.
Here's a look at the regional meets involving area teams:
DIVISION II
Austintown Regional
WHEN: Thursday, 5 p.m. (field), 6:30 (running); Saturday, 11 a.m. (field), 12:30 p.m. (running)
WHERE: Greenwood Chevrolet Austintown Falcon Stadium (4560 Falcon Drive, Austintown)
AREA QUALIFIERS: Chippewa — Braydan Braswell (sr., 300 hurdles), Alex Rodriguez (jr., pole vault); Norwayne — Jon Graham (jr., pole vault), Brandt Morlock (jr., discus, shot put), Dillon Morlock (sr., discus, shot put), Kyle Olszewski (jr., 4x8), Colton Roda (jr., 4x8), Tripp Wingate (jr., 800, 4x8), Trenton Woodall (jr., 4x8); Orrville —Talon Beichler (jr., discus, shot put), Daniel Comito (jr., 800), Landon Dalessandro (sr., 4x1), Jax Haley (jr., 4x1), Owen Lacy (so., 1,600, 3,200), Travis Lang (sr., 4x1), Caden Race (so., pole vault, 4x1), Trent Roe (jr., long jump); Smithville — Jake Hershey (sr., high jump).
ATHLETES TO WATCH: Dwayne Moody (Liberty, sr., 100), Carson Edwards (Field, jr., 200), Qi Marreon Marks (Buchtel, sr., 400), Colin Cernansky (Marlington, sr., 800, 1,600, 3,200), Ollie May (Gar. Garfield, jr., 110 hurdles), Brayden Richards (Perry, sr., 300 hurdles, pole vault), Rayne Williams (Glenville, sr., high jump), Connor Petrus (Elyria Catholic, jr., long jump), Dillon Morlock (Norwayne, sr., discus, shot put).
PREVIEW: Anywhere you look in the throwing ring at this region, all you see is local athletes. Led by the nation's top thrower in both the shot and discus, Norwayne's Dillon Morlock, the field is loaded with area talent as teammate Brandt Morlock and Orrville's Talon Beichler each are poised for return trips to the state meet. The Wayne County trio each have thrown 58 feet or better in the shot — Canfield's Amir Ali (53-4) the only individual close — while each of them are well above 160-feet in the discus. Look for Marlington's Diontae Lester to make a push in the disc as he has a throw above 160 as well. And for Dillon Morlock, it's all about getting things just right before an expected trip to Dayton later this month. "Every meet I learn something new," he said, following the final day of the Orrville District. "Whether or not you PR or not, you get something out of every meet. I think (at the district) I learned what I like, I learned what I didn't like throughout my throw and what I can continue to work on in practice to build into regionals." While Hawken's Ethan Metz has cleared 14-6 in the pole vault, Chippewa's Alex Rodriguez is coming in off of a personal-best mark of 14 feet to win the Orrville District a week ago, with locals Norwayne’s Jon Graham and Orrville's Caden Race also clearing over 13 feet.
AT STAKE: Top four individuals and relay teams in each event automatically advance to next week's OHSAA State Championships, May 30-June 1, at Dayton Welcome Stadium. At-large bids will also up for grabs across the four statewide regionals.
New Concord Regional
WHEN: Thursday, 4:30 p.m. (field), 6:00 (running); Saturday, 11 a.m. (field), 12:30 (running)
WHERE: Johnson Family Track, Muskingum University (163 Stormont Street, New Concord)
AREA QUALIFIERS: West Holmes — Kyle Maltarich (sr., high jump), Tristen Middaugh (sr., pole vault), Grant Miller (sr., shot put), Jacob Miller (sr., 3,200).
ATHLETES TO WATCH: Mason Coffman (WCH Washington, sr., 100, 200), Ziare Scurry (Steubenville, fr., 400) Julius Jones (East Liverpool, jr., 800), Ben Shileds (St. Clairsville, sr., 1,600), Tate Ruthers (Sheridan, jr., 3,200), Chayse Lipscomb (Fairfield Union, jr., 110/300 hurdles), Kyle Maltarich (West Holmes, sr., high jump), Jordan Connor (Claymont, sr., long jump), Carter Smith (South Point, sr., pole vault), Johnny Sabinski (Union Local, sr., discus, shot put).
PREVIEW: After matching his personal-record this past weekend, Maltarich comes into the regional poised to lock up another state berth. The All-Ohioan, however, is in one of the toughest regions in the state for the high jump as seven guys have cleared 6-4 or better. Maltarich's career-best 6-6 shares the top spot with Indian Valley's Tyson Pryor, while Aidan Mahon (Philo) and Bryson Anderson (Cambridge) both have gone 6-5. The pole vault is equally as strong as Middaugh finds himself in the middle of the pack for one of those spots up for grabs. While South Point's Carter Smith and Chesapeake's Corey Davis have both jumped 15 feet, a good portion of the rest of the field are even making for an exciting battle.
AT STAKE: Top four individuals and relay teams in each event automatically advance to next week's OHSAA State Championships, May 30-June 1, at Dayton Welcome Stadium. At-large bids will also up for grabs across the four statewide regionals.
DIVISION III
Norwayne Regional
WHEN: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. (field), 6:00 (running); Friday, 4:30 p.m. (field), 6:00 (running)
WHERE: Norwayne Community Stadium (350 S. Main Street, Creston)
AREA QUALIFIERS: Dalton — Gavin Annen (sr., 4x1, 4x2), Jace Eberly (sr., long jump), Caden Gazboda (sr., 4x1), Kanoa Hevia (sr., 4x2), Collin Jones (sr., discus, shot put), Colin Pearson (sr., 200, 4x1, 4x2), Carson Steiner (sr., pole vault), Sammy Tomlinson (jr., 100, 4x1, 4x2); Hillsdale — Grayson Allis (jr., shot put), Owen Atkinson (so., 4x2), Braxton Burgett (so. 4x2), Hayden McFadden (so., 200, 4x1), Gabe Stack (sr., 4x1), Owen Sloan (so., 4x1), Landon Thomas (so., 4x2), Holland Young (jr., 4x1, 4x2); Loudonville — Braden Carr (so., pole vault); Rittman — Caleb Bolender (fr., 4x8), Logan Chaplin (fr., 4x8), Collin Dirling (fr., 4x1), Hugo Hawkins (sr., discus, 4x1), Evan Rastorfer (sr., high jump, long jump, 4x1), Luke Snyder (so., 1,600, 3,200, 4x8), Arthur Sonego (jr., 4x1), Bryen Valerio (so., 4x8); Tuslaw —Kaden Boak (fr., 4x4), Cash Iams (fr., 4x4), Manny Strong (jr., 400, 4x4), Steve Swartz (jr., 4x4); Waynedale — Rollin Hendrix (jr., 100), Cade Herman (jr., discus), Gatlin Herman (fr., shot put), Jeremy Reber (sr., 110 hurdles), Conner Reich (sr., 800, 4x8), Ian Sarver (jr., shot put), Nick St. John (jr. 4x8), Jackson Varner (so., 3,200, 4x8), Jayden Varner (so., 3,200, 4x8).
ATHLETES TO WATCH: Drew Modelski (Lowellville, so. 100), Christian Davis (Brookfield, jr., 200), Evan Hudson (Oberlin, sr., 400), Andrew Donaldson (Maplewood, so., 800), Luke Snyder (Rittman, so., 1,600, 3,200), Michael Ballone (Lowellville, sr., 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump), Duncan Moy (Badger, sr., high jump), Carson Steiner (Dalton, sr., pole vault), Drew Zajack (McDonald, so., discus), Joseph Linkesh (Mattews, jr., shot put).
PREVIEW: One thing is for certain, Rittman's Luke Snyder knows how to compete in the postseason. The sophomore proved it last season in earning third-place finishes at state in both the 1,600 and 3,200, followed up by capturing the state cross country title this past fall. Snyder will look to pull off the double once again this week and will have some strong competition to push him. Snyder trails South Range's Emmitt Slabach by a little more than a second, while his season-best time in the 3,200 is just a second a half shy of another South Range runner in Charles Reigrut. "I feel good in the mile and I think I can drop some time there; the two mile I just have to wait and see," Snyder said. "I've dropped 12 seconds (from county in the mile) and if I do it again it will be where I want it. That comes with time and experience to running both races in the tournament." Waynedale's Jackson Varner has recorded personal-record times in both distance races this month and could find himself pushing for a return trip to state, as well. Varner also anchors a 4x8 relay team that broke the school record earlier this season and has the third-fastest time coming in, behind South Range (8:09.94) and Maplewood (8:11.08). Speaking of relays, Dalton's 4x1 and 4x2 units are poised to one of the four automatic state berths. In the field, Carson Steiner of Dalton is coming off of a career day at the Norwayne District in the pole vault, winning with a personal-record 13-4, The Waynedale tandem of Cade Herman and Ian Sarver are among the leaders in the discus and shot, respectively. Rittman's Evan Rastorfer also has the third-best marks in the high jump and long jump as he looks to make a return to the state meet for the first time since his sophomore season.
AT STAKE: Top four individuals and relay teams in each event automatically advance to next week's OHSAA State Championships, May 30-June 1, at Dayton Welcome Stadium. At-large bids will also up for grabs across the four statewide regionals.
Heath Regional
WHEN: Wednesday, 4 p.m. (field), 5:30 (running); Friday, 4 p.m. (field), 5:30 (running)
WHERE: Bulldog Stadium at Swank Field (300 Licking View Drive, Heath)
AREA QUALIFIER: Hiland — Logan Miller (jr., shot put)
ATHLETES TO WATCH: Kailen Butler (Mechanicsburg, sr., 100), Gabe Oppong (Tree of Life, jr., 200), Cody Hesler (North Adams, sr., 400), Beau Hesler (North Adams, so., 800), Will Baker (Mount Gilead, jr., 1,600), Landen Eyre (Whiteoak, jr., 3,200), Nathan Booth (Shadyside, sr., 110 hurdles), Braxton Barnett (Shenandoah, so., 300 hurdles, high jump), Izaak Cox (Rock Hill, jr., long jump), Liam Kuhn (Ash. Crestview, so., pole vault), Wade Bolin (Ash. Crestview, sr., discus, shot put).
PREVIEW: Miller comes into the regional with the eighth-best mark of all competitors and, with another personal record, could find himself in the hunt for a state berth. The junior thrower, who is coming off of a career-best throw of 49-4 at the St. Clairsville District, will fact a loaded field with seven guys over 50 feet. Bolin comes in as the top thrower after his 60-3½ mark last weekend, but the rest of the competition for Miller all find themselves with a foot of each other.
AT STAKE: Top four individuals and relay teams in each event automatically advance to next week's OHSAA State Championships, May 30-June 1, at Dayton Welcome Stadium. At-large bids will also up for grabs across the four statewide regionals.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Boys Track and Field: Wayne/Holmes regional meet preview
