COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the end, considering what they went through, the Glenville Tarblooders were happy with third place at the Division I boys state track and field meet. "We didn't lose to some bad teams, especially as young as we are," coach Tony Overton said. "Hopefully the kids learned a lot from this experience to come back next...
Strongsville's Colby Alexander celebrates his 1,600-meter triumph Saturday afternoon in the seventh-fastest time in state history.
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(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the end, considering what they went through, the Glenville Tarblooders were happy with third place at the Division I boys state track and field meet.
"We didn't lose to some bad teams, especially as young as we are," coach Tony Overton said. "Hopefully the kids learned a lot from this experience to come back next year. We've got a pretty good group coming back."
Just one senior competed this weekend for Glenville, Latwan Anderson, who battled through knee and hamstring injuries that knocked him out of the 200 and 400 before Saturday. Anderson returned to run a dramatic anchor leg on the winning 4x200, and was on the runner-up 4x400 and third-place 4x100 relays.
Juniors Shane Wynne and Quincy Downing ran on all three relays. Wynn also placed sixth in a 100-meter final that saw all eight runners break 11 seconds, and Downing was fourth in the 800.
"It was exciting. I'll remember the toughness of the guys trying to overcome Latwan's injury," Overton said. "Shane and Quincy did a great job trying to put the team on their backs with Latwan's injury."
A couple of bad early exchanges cost Glenville in the 4x200, but Wynn and Anderson made up for it, and Anderson overcame a 10-meter deficit to win by .22. Downing got chased down by Trotwood Madison standout William Henry, whose team broke the state record with a time of 3:13.05. Glenville was second in 3:13.90, the third-fastest time in state history.
Warren Harding won its fourth boys state championship, and its first since 1967. The Raiders edged Trotwood Madison, 47-44. Glenville had 32 points and Wadsworth was fourth with 28, thanks largely to senior Jake Hiltner, who won the 800 after anchoring the record-setting 4x800 Friday. He also anchored the 4x400 to third place.
Hiltner, a standout soccer player, said he's finally starting to think of himself as a runner.
"I guess I'm a runner who plays soccer now. I thought I was a soccer player who was a runner," he said. "[The gold medal] changes my mind a lot, and so does the other one in my bag [from the 4x800]."
Berea sophomore Donovan Robertson authored one of the weekend's most dramatic comebacks. He was in a three-way fight in the 110-meter hurdles, the first final of the day on a slick track after a one-hour rain delay. He hit the seventh hurdle hard and the eighth even harder, fell and did not finish. He was distraught as he was pulled from the awards area bullpen, realizing he would not get a medal.
About an hour later, he came from five meters behind to win the 300 hurdles by .09 when Huber Heights' Demoye Bogle clipped the last hurdle.
"I saw him hit the hurdle and saw my opportunity," he said. "I put all my emotions and all my energy into the race after the 110s. I cleared my mind and raced."
Strongsville senior Colby Alexander was pushed hard by Revere junior Josh Sabo for the first 1,200 meters of the 1,600. Then Alexander took off and won in a career-best 4:09.44, the seventh fastest time in state history.
"He's something else," said Sabo, who was second in 4:12.10 said. "Wow. He's a really special athlete."
Alexander said he had one thought when Sabo was with him. "Relax, relax, relax," he said. "My experience down here really helped."
Alexander's teammate, senior Deverin Muff, won the high jump at 6-8. Several jumpers had difficulty getting traction after the rain delay. Solon's Caden Johnson was second at 6-7.
"I'm used to jumping in the rain. I was comfortable with it," Muff said. "Considering the conditions, I feel I jumped great. This means a lot after not even coming here the last two years, and now coming here and winning."
St. Edward senior Seth Cunningham won four medals, including third-place finishes in the 100 and 200.
"The 100 was a fast race," he said. "I was happy I got top three in the state. I gave it my all. I was really hoping to be a state champion."
Southview's Christian Nogueras was third in the long jump. Solon's A.J. Hicks placed third in the discus and fifth in the shot put.