Columbus, Ohio - Wadsworth won the boys 4x800-meter relay in record time to kick off a topsy-turvy day at the Division I state track meet Friday. Senior Jacob Sussman, senior Aaron Tipton, junior Russ McCune and senior Jake Hiltner won in 7:39.72, an all-division record. The old record was 7:41.17, set by Cleveland Heights in 2007.
Wadsworth junior Russ McCune, left, hugs senior teammate Jake Hiltner, who anchored their 4x800-meter relay to first place at the Division I state track meet in Columbus.
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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer )
Columbus, Ohio - Wadsworth won the boys 4x800-meter relay in record time to kick off a topsy-turvy day at the Division I state track meet Friday.
Senior Jacob Sussman, senior Aaron Tipton, junior Russ McCune and senior Jake Hiltner won in 7:39.72, an all-division record. The old record was 7:41.17, set by Cleveland Heights in 2007.
Hiltner was even with Canton GlenOak anchor Christian Jones with about 200 meters remaining when he found a new gear and pulled away in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Glenville lost senior Latwan Anderson in the 400 semifinals. His knee locked up with 100 meters remaining. He was near the lead, but faded to last place and did not advance to the finals in an event in which he has run the state's best time this season. Last week, a hamstring injury prevented Anderson from advancing out of the regional meet in the 200, an event he also was considered a contender to win.
Anderson said he hopes to feel well enough Saturday to run the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays.
Glenville also has Shane Wynn in the 100 finals and Quincy Downing in the 800.
While the injury might have hurt Glenville's chances for the team title, its competitors had their own problems. Gahanna Lincoln standout Blake Heriot suffered a hamstring injury in the 100 and failed to advance to the finals in the 100, 200 and 400. He was the defending champion in the 200 and 400.
Trotwood Madison's 4x100 relay was disqualified.
On the girls side, Magnificat's 4x800 relay of Erin Riley, Mary Whitmore, Katherine Kerr and Madeline Chambers placed second, 2.19 seconds behind North Canton Hoover. Medina, which led the first four laps, placed third.
Magnificat sophomore Rachel Hlatky advanced in the 100 and 200, but the Blue Streaks' 4x400 relay did not reach the finals. Buchtel's girls 4x400 also did not advance, but Ohio State recruit Kachay Hullum is the No. 1 qualifier in the 400 and No. 5 in the 200, and she'll be in the 4x200 Saturday.