Leon, Skiba capture gold at track

By Joe Scalzo

Crestview’s Jakob Leon won a state high jump title, while Mineral Ridge’s Dan Skiba captured the long jump crown.

COLUMBUS — Around 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon, Crestview senior Jakob Leon sat inside a tent, head tilted down, peeking up periodically as his main challenger for the Division III state title took his turn in the high jump.

The bar was set at 6 feet, 7 inches. Leon cleared it on his first try. His only remaining competition, New Bremen senior Matt Sindelar, had already missed on his first two tries. He had one left.

Sindelar jumped, the bar fell and Leon — with his face still expressionless — leaned back slightly, pumped his right fist and exhaled.

After a disappointing 2008 state meet, the state title was — finally — his.

“To come out with a state title my fourth year is just an amazing thing,” said Leon. “I couldn’t ask for anything better right now.

“This is the best thing ever in my life.”

A few hours later, a braces-wearing, smiling sophomore from Mineral Ridge named Dan Skiba crushed his personal-best in the long jump by nearly a foot, catapulting himself from a kid just happy to be in Columbus to a state champion.

Afterward, even with the gold medal around his neck, he seemed oblivious to what he had just done.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Skiba, whose leap of 22 feet, 10 3/4 inches also bested Greg Dominic’s school record. “It’s unbelievable. I never thought I’d jump that.”

Two titles. Two very different paths.

Leon entered the meet with a “First or bust” mentality, still stinging from last year’s fifth-place finish. It wasn’t a question of talent — Leon was easily the best jumper in the field — but of performance.

When asked if he thought about his past state disappointments, he nodded and said, “Oh yeah, just as motivation. Mentally, especially.”

Once he had the title clinched, the University of Akron recruit cleared 6-10 on his second attempt, then nearly cleared 7-0 1/4, which would have bested the state record.

“I thought I had it,” said Leon, wearing a “Rebel with a Cause” T-shirt.

“I was about ready to start cheering but [when the bar fell], I was like, “Awww.”

Skiba, meanwhile, entered the meet in a very different situation. He hadn’t even won a district title, much less a regional crown. Heck, he was just hoping to finish in the top eight and earn a medal. Even after entering the finals with the top jump, he wasn’t worried about anyone topping it.

“I was just happy with what I did,” he said. “If they broke it, I had already PR’d [set a personal record] by a foot. It was the best I could do.”

Next year, of course, won’t be quite so low-key.

“It’s kind of nerve-wracking,” he said, “because now I have big expectations for next year.”

In Division II, Lakeview senior Ben Moody started his busy weekend with a pleasant surprise in the long jump, placing fourth to earn some key points in what the Bulldogs hope will be a championship weekend.

Moody also earned the fastest qualifying time in the 110-meter hurdles, the second-fastest time in the 100 and helped Lakeview’s 4x100 relay earn the top seed for today’s finals.

“I joked with my coaches that this [the fourth-place medal] is going to be the odd medal this week,” Moody said. “We’re hoping for that state team title.”

scalzo@vindy.com