When: Friday and Saturday. Where: Ohio State University, Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus.
Glenville sprinter Latwan Anderson.
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(Gus Chan / PD)
When: Friday and Saturday.
Where: Ohio State University, Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus.
Admission: $10 per day.
Parking: Free for passenger cars using general parking near Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Schedule of events
Friday: Division II field events, 9 a.m.; Division III running preliminaries and 4x800-meter finals, 9:30 a.m.; Division III field events, noon; Division II running preliminaries and 4x800 finals, 1:30 p.m.; Division III field events, 3 p.m.; Division I running preliminaries and 4x800 finals, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday: Division II field events, 9 a.m.; Division III running finals, 9:30 a.m.; Division I field events, noon; Division II running finals, 1 p.m.; Division I field events, 3 p.m.; Division I running finals, 4:30 p.m.
What to watch
Division I boys: Glenville's chances of winning the team title suffered a blow when an injured hamstring forced Latwan Anderson to withdraw last week from the 200 meters. He is still in the 400 and could run on any of the three relays Glenville qualified. Juniors Shane Wynn (100) and Quincy Downing (800) should place. If Anderson is healthy, the Tarblooders can score more than 45 points, which will put them in the hunt. Glenville rival Trotwood-Madison will be in the thick of it with sprinter William Henry. Sprinter Blake Heriot leads defending champion Gahanna Lincoln. A telling race will be the 400 showdown between Anderson (Miami of Florida), Heriot (Florida) and Henry (Arizona State). Heriot and Henry also are in the 100 and 200, but they will have their hands full with Wynn, St. Edward's Seth Cunningham, defending 100 champ DeAver Williamson of Warren Harding and the surprise Austintown regional 100 champ, John Spooney of Nordonia. Gahanna Lincoln also is less than 100 percent with injured hurdler Herman Washington. Keep an eye on Solon and Strongsville for top-five team finishes. Solon's four-man squad could score in five events. Both have high jumpers good enough to win: Solon's Caden Johnson and Strongsville's Deverin Muff. Strongsville 1,600 standout Colby Alexander (Oregon) ran a 4:11.99 at the regional and is set to challenge Bob Kennedy's hallowed 1988 record of 4:05.13. Alexander will be pushed by Solon's Conner Paez and Revere's Josh Sabo, who also will challenge 800 favorite Jake Hiltner of Wadsworth. Shaker Heights' Elijha Owens, Berea's Donovan Robertson, North Olmsted's Josh Prince and Twinsburg's Waquiem Comar should collect hurdles medals. The last Southview boy still competing before the school closes is long jumper Christian Nogueras, who will be the No. 1 seed. Midpark's Conner Neu can be a factor in a very deep discus field.
Division I girls: The field has a new look after eight-time champion Collinwood dropped to Division II this year. Magnificat comes in off district and regional championships, with nine athletes in seven events. The Blue Streaks, fourth a year ago, send out defending champion Madeline Chambers in the 1,600 and the 4x800 relay. Both are top times in the state this year. Sprinter Rachel Hlatky (100, 200) and twin sisters Abby and Clare Fischer (3,200) will challenge as well for the Blue Streaks. North Royalton's Hannah Neczypor will be the favorite to win again in the 3,200. Midpark junior Kaila Barber has nation's top time in 300 hurdles (40.88) and is in the 100 dash, long jump and 4x400. Medina junior Taylor Burke won the high jump last year and will be challenged again by Westlake junior Kalpana Beach, second a year ago. Stow junior Katie Betts has the top time in the 800. Buchtel senior Kachay Hullum tops the state in the 400 and will also run the 200 and two relays. Euclid qualified in three relays, with senior Kayla Whitlow and sophomore Emily Sweet in the 1,600. Cincinnati Walnut Hills brings 10 individuals, but strength is in relays with top times in 4x200 and 4x400. Defending champion Reynoldsburg won four events last year and will challenge in three relays with solid returnees. Sophomores Destinee Gause (100, 200) and Faith Washington (both hurdles) are in four events.
Division II boys: No Northeast Ohio team finished in the top 10 last year, but that should change thanks to Woodridge, Buchtel and St. Vincent-St. Mary. Woodridge features good depth with a powerful 4x800 and five individuals in six events, including distance standouts Kyle Cochrun (1,600, 3,200) and Jimmy Charles (3,200). The Bulldogs also have Justin Fawley in both hurdles and the high jump, and Vibushan Sivakumaran in the 800. The 800 will be a Northeast Ohio highlight as CVCA's Brad Adams, Sivakumaran and SVSM's Jacob Swords attempt to finish 1-2-3 for the third straight week. Buchtel sprinter Nathaniel Harris won the 100 and 200 at the Lexington regional, but his 100 time would have placed fifth at the Dayton regional. St. Vincent-St. Mary qualified three relays, and Doran Grant can place in the 110 hurdles. Buchtel and SVSM should do well in the 4x200. Elyria Catholic's Marty Coolidge and Bay's Michael Brajdic were 20 seconds faster than the other regionals in last week's 3,200. Crestwood's Brandan McGee and Orange's Michael Martin will be factors in the 1,600. Orange's Fred Roberts is peaking at the right time in both hurdles. Benedictine's Adam Patterson can place in the shot put and discus. Patriot Athletic Conference foes Corry Sprouse of Keystone and Jake Boettner of Buckeye are the top seeds in the long jump. Chagrin Falls' Ryan Kohert (pole vault) and Independence's Ryan Lest (high jump) are high seeds.
Division II girls: After winning eight Division I titles, Collinwood goes for its first Division II championship as coach Lou Slapnik heads into retirement. The district and regional champion Railroaders bring seven athletes in nine events, with seniors Erin Busbee and Amber Smith in four events. Busbee tops state in long jump at 19-113/4, but has been hampered with a slight back injury. Hurdles promise to be dynamic as Smith goes against defending 100 champ JeRica Sanders from Lake Catholic and defending 300 champ Bridget Doughty of Bay in both events. Sophomore Emily Cunningham of Vermilion is in the 100 and 200. Warrensville Heights brings eight athletes in seven events, with defending 400 champ Daianna Barron entered in four. The Tigers finished third last year after winning 4x200 and 4x400, and with a second in 4x800. Defending co-champion Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy brings 12 individuals in 10 events, with senior Taylor James entered in four, and four others entered in three. Juniors Christina Blair and Irene Frangos will go in the 1,600 and 3,200. St. Vincent-St. Mary qualified eight girls in seven events, with senior Erica Hutson going in four. The 2009 co-champion, Columbus Bishop Hartley, has top state times in three events -- defending champion Chesna Sykes in 100, Chelsea Scott in 100 hurdles and the 4x100 relay. Seven athletes are in 11 events. Things have to break right for Collinwood to best Hartley.
Division III boys: Trinity won't repeat as team champion, but the Trojans can defend in one event -- the 3,200. Junior Nick Gliha won it last year and is coming off a third-place finish at regionals. His main competitor will be Hawken senior Bart Merkel, who beat Gliha at the regional and district meets. Others to watch include Berkshire's Thomas Hess (pole vault) and Matt Pelletier (1,600); St. Peter Chanel's Isaiah Chambers (100), Ryan Jordan (110 hurdles) and Austin Kirkland (200); Cuyahoga Heights' Brandon Eddy (high jump, pole vault); and Lutheran West's Brad Watson (800).
Division III girls: Defending champion Gilmour Academy will be out to win its fifth title in six years, but the Lancers will be up against it after losing four-event winner Candace-Longino Thomas to a hamstring injury at last week's regional. They will get their points from senior Bekka Simko, although not defending in the 400, in the 800, 1,600, 4x800 and as part of the 2009 winning 4x400. Seniors Grace Brennan and Kathryn Drew will need help from freshmen Alexis Anton and Meghan Pryatel. Berkshire senior Alexsandra Bowers (1,600, 3,200, 4x800), Trinity junior Claire Lucas (pole vault, 400, 4x200) and St. Peter Chanel sophomore Chelsi Collins (100, 200, 4x200) will have busy days. Versailles, last year's runner-up, brings eight athletes in nine events, with strength in all four relays and top returnee Tammy Berger in the 1,600 and 3,200, where she was the runner-up in both races a year ago. Third place Steubenville Central Catholic enters four in four events, with junior Teddi Jo Maslowski defending in the 100 hurdles.
-- Joe Maxse, Tim Warsinskey