What: State track and field meet
When: May 31 and June 1
Where: Welcome Stadium, 1601 South Edwin C. Moses Boulevard, Dayton
Schedule: May 31 — 2 p.m. (girls 4×800-meter relay), 2:15 p.m. (boys 4×800), 2:30 to 5:40 p.m. (running preliminaries for all events except distance); June 1 — 10 a.m. (girls shot put, boys discus, girls pole vault, boys long jump and girls high jump), 2 p.m. (boys shot put, girls discus, boys pole vault, girls long jump, boys high jump), 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. (running finals)
Qualifiers: A full list of all coverage area state qualifiers can be found at News-Herald.com.
2024 state track and field qualifiers from News-Herald coverage area schools list
What to look for: With 22 individual-event and six relay berths, numbers are a bit lower than years past in Division I — and they'll take a hit in Day 1 preliminary heats due to the depth heading to Dayton. But there are some opportunities for state titles, history and a surprise or two. ... Hurdles will be a strong suit, with Mayfield's Ty Jackson and Brush's Tyrell Cloud pushing for state crowns in the 110-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles, respectively. Jackson, after breaking the all-time News-Herald coverage area record in 110 hurdles at the D-I Mentor District with a time of 13.63 seconds, should be a prohibitive favorite with his sub-14 consistency all season and as the only competitor coming in from regional competition in the 13s. It wouldn't be a surprise if Cloud gets back into the high-13s and makes it a local 1-2 in the event if all goes according to plan. In 300 hurdles, Cloud is the favorite there after his 36.96 to win at the D-I Austintown-Fitch Regional. The Arcs' standout senior didn't feel that sub-37 was technically smooth. So if he can iron out his early hurdles and trail leg, he could test Russ Pernus' coverage area record of 36.55 in the event, with Jackson aiming for a top three and in the 36s, too. ... The highlight race of D-I in Dayton — which is saying a lot with the caliber coming in — could be boys 400, with Chardon's Karl Dietz going for a state repeat. There is one enormous impediment to that goal, though, in the form of Elyria's Mateo Medina. How deep Medina has pushed open 4 into the 46s before state has set the pace for the rest of Ohio, Dietz included. "You know honestly, it's a really, really, really great feeling to know that I might go there next week and run the best race I've ran so far — and still lose," Dietz said at Fitch. "But I love that feeling. I love it. I can't wait to see him." Ohio feels the same way about a Dietz-Medina battle that could set the pace for open 4 runners to come going forward. ... Chardon's Taman Chokshi deservedly goes in as the top 3,200 seed after his masterpiece of a 9:03.90 to prevail at Fitch. Breaking away from a fast pack of four at the gun, Chokshi could have more where that came from in Dayton. With eight runners coming in sub-9:10, you get the sense the front pack will stick together for a while and someone could join Chokshi in the low 9s in a duel for the state title if that Fitch performance was indicative. ... The Hilltoppers should also have a say in boys 4x4, with Dietz on the anchor and the capability of Matthew Sopchak, Caleb Hewitt and Jacob Nieset leading into him. Chardon goes in seeded fifth, and Lexington does come in with a 3:17.60. But a low-to-mid 3:17 could do it here, which with the quality 1-through-4 for the Hilltoppers is not out of the realm of possibility. South's boys 4x4 impressed with its 3:20.55 at Fitch for the Rebels' first state berth in any boys track and field relay but will need to drop even further to make the final. ... Euclid senior Lamonte Hamelin has shown sub-10.7 speed in open 1 — and he's going to need it to get to Day 2. His open 2 has come together nicely, too, into the 21s. But it feels like advancement and podium prospects are better in open 1 than they are in open 2. ... Although in open 8, Twinsburg's Sam Hopp comes in as the top seed with a 1:51.72, the good news for the rest of the field, including Riverside's John Young, is the seeds after that come in so closely knitted together. So if Young can find a low-1:52 — and the way he's harnessed his open 8 caliber this season, it's doable — that could be enough to get on the podium. ... Having a top two in girls 3,200 already pushing 10:45 and below, including top seed Kaitlyn Reese of Avon at 10:35.77, shows a podium placement in Dayton will be earned and then some. Chardon's Rae Kawalec will need to at least get around 10:55 to ensure it, but she has the big-stage experience and pace to make it feasible. ... Riverside's Nathan Gaspersic likely needs at least 15 feet in pole vault to crack the top eight. Regardless, what he and the Beavers have done with getting volume to state, as profiled in a separate story, has been commendable and will be a boost for the program moving forward. ... In throws, Brush's Antonio Heath and Madison's Bryce Brock should be in the hunt for the podium in shot put and discus, respectively. High-50s for Heath in shot and around 165 for Brock in discus will be musts to achieve that aspiration. ... Girls high jump could get interesting right out of the gate on D-I Day 2 with Kenston's Sadie Poudevigne and Madison's Sienna Sidoti. It'll be tough to contend with Dublin Jerome's Syna Sony at 5-8. But similar caliber as Fitch, with Poudevigne coming in at 5-6 and Sidoti 5-5, would have that duo in the mix for the top four. ... Poudevigne's 17-7 long jump at Fitch is strong, but this is a loaded field for the event with eight jumpers seeded 18-plus. She had a smart approach and mindset for regional competition, striving to put up a big number out of the first flight and put some pressure on the second prelim flight in the process. That formula, especially if she goes low-18s, should serve her well again here.
