Right on track: Linsley, Brode win state field titles

By Joe Scalzo

Linsley, Brode win state field titles

Warren Harding came up short in its attempt to win a state team title.

COLUMBUS — Over his 39-year career as a track and field coach, Boardman High’s Ed Lewis has mentored dozens of state qualifiers, but with just hours remaining until retirement, it looked like he’d end his career without a state champion.

His top student, senior Corey Linsley, had already narrowly lost the Division I state shot put title to Canfield junior Dustin Brode earlier Saturday and Linsley entered the finals of the discus in a mental funk.

“It was combination of that [loss], the sun beating down on me and having to go back-to-back in my events,” he said. “I felt like a lot of things were going against me.

“Then Coach [Dave] Pavlansky gave me my inspiration. He told me I had to win it for Coach Lewis.”

Anyone who’s watched a sports movie can probably guess what happened next.

On one of the last throws of his — and Lewis’ — career, Linsley uncorked the discus 191 feet, 2 inches to win the state title by — get this — 1 inch.

“I’ll tell you what — it was a great ending,” said Lewis.

The title helped cap a terrific weekend for the Mahoning Valley, which piled up 12 state titles in the three divisions, including four in Div. I — the area’s best performance in years.

Linsley, an Ohio State football recruit, didn’t even throw the discus last year due to a back problem and still considers himself a shot putter.

His only solace came in losing to Brode.

“That’s the up-part of losing,” said Linsley, who placed third in the shot at last year’s state meet. “Dustin is a guy who I knew could do it all along.

“He’s not someone who just popped one out.”

Brode’s shot put story wasn’t quite as inspirational, but it was no less dramatic. He entered his final throw in third place — he had been in second place until getting passed just seconds earlier — and felt a spike of energy when he heard the crowd applaud.

“The adrenaline just took over and I let one rip,” said Brode, whose winning winning throw of 62-11 1/4 bested Linsley by just over 2 inches.

“Then when Corey threw his last throw, I thought he beat me. It came down to the measurement.

“When I saw it, I was screaming like a madman.”

Brode, whose voice was hoarse afterward, had been dreaming of this momen since he was a (slightly smaller) eighth grader watching older kids win titles with 60-foot throws.

“I knew it would take a little more than that this year,” said Brode, who was eighth in the shot last year and also placed fifth in this year’s discus.

Brode entered this year as one of the favorites, but hit a plateau at midseason. He finally regained his form over the past few weeks. And with Linsley bearing down on him, he knew he couldn’t afford to have an off day.

“He’s great competition,” Brode said of Linsley. “I was able to get my energies running full throttle instead of coasting through the season.

“It’s wonderful to have him. I’m going to miss him next year.”

Warren Harding’s day wasn’t quite so storybook.

Fresh off their first regional title in school history, the Raider boys entered this weekend with a legitimate shot at their first state team title.

It started well, with junior Deaver Williamson capturing a state crown in the 100-meter dash on the meet’s second event. But the Raiders were merely good on a day when they needed to be great, finishing third behind Gahanna Lincoln and Cleveland Glenville.

“We had a good year, we accomplished a lot of things, but we came up a little short,” said Williamson, a University of Michigan football recruit.

“But it’s always good to come out and compete at this level.

“Everyone wants to win a state team title, but we don’t have anything to hang our heads about. We’ll be back next year.”

scalzo@vindy.com