Banged-up Levi Leigh hurdles pain to become state champion

The Mineral Ridge junior to the 110-meter state title.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS -- With a stress fracture in his ankle and athletic tape on both legs, Mineral Ridge High junior Levi Leigh wasn't going to let something like hitting the first hurdle keep him from his dream.
"Last year, I did the same thing and it knocked me out of the race," Leigh said. "When I hit it [this year], I just went through it."
Leigh had no trouble the rest of the way as he cruised to a state title in the 110-meter hurdles at Saturday's Division III state meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
When he crossed the finish line, he shouted, put his hand to his mouth and then pointed to the sky.
"You just gotta believe," he said. "You gotta believe in what you can do. Believe in the Lord especially. I try to praise him as much as possible and it seemed like a good time to do it."
Other events
Leigh also finished fifth in the 300 hurdles and his teammate, senior Greg Dominic, placed second in the long jump as the Rams finished sixth overall.
"It's a great feeling, no doubt about that," Dominic said. "I don't know what else to say. I'm speechless."
Dominic, who didn't even run track last season, jumped 21 feet, 10 inches to finish an inch behind Defiance senior Kevin McCann. McCann won the event in Div. II last year.
Dominic felt his last jump would have won the title -- "That was my best one; it was at least 23 feet," he said -- but he fouled.
"I thought I had it," he said. "Then I saw the red flag go up."
Dominic's first love is football -- he might try to walk on at Youngstown State next year -- and his father had to talk him into running track this year.
"I'm happy he did," he said.
LaBrae senior Kyle Dalton finished second with a jump of 6-6 in the high jump after finishing eighth in the event last year. Dalton sophomore Jake Dalessandro also jumped 6-6, but edged Dalton because he had fewer missed attempts.
"I wasn't expecting to do this well," said Dalton, who had only jumped 6-6 one other time in his career. "It's definitely a lot better than last year."
Dalton, who may jump at YSU next year, missed most of this season with an injury, which gave him a late start on the postseason.
Did he think he could have won the title if he had been healthy all season?
"That definitely goes through your head," he said.