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Athletes have busy day at D-3 track and field meet
NAVARRE
Wyatt Hartman’s hefty slate of events started off just how he wanted at the Division III regional track and field meet at Fairless High School on Wednesday.
The Maplewood junior closed out the 4x800-meter relay after Solomon Yoder, Derek Morrison and Mike Dahmen set him up for the Rockets’ victory in 7 minutes, 54.47 seconds — their second title in the event in the past three years.
“I was pretty confident but you can never underestimate the competition at this level,” said Hartman, who also runs the 800 and 1600, and 4x400 relay. “Those guys behind me are very good runners, they’re here for a reason and they have the ability to catch you at any time.”
Hartman was on the relay two years ago, but this was the first win for Yoder and Morrison, a sophomore and freshman, respectively. Dahmen, a junior, just recently became a part of the 4x800. He said he’s worked since his freshman year to make it.
“For me it’s pretty special. It’s a cool feeling to be a part of it. I looked up to the guys that got it back then and it’s great to have a new young team doing what they did. “
Just a freshman on Warren JFK’s team, Chad Zallow has made an immediate impact.
“It’s kind of surprising, yeah,” he said. “But I’ve worked hard to get here and it’s really exciting. I expect to be up there and I’ve gained a lot of confidence through all these meets.”
He qualified for Friday’s finals in the 110 and 300 hurdles as well as the 4x200 and 4x400 relays.
So his plate is pretty full, too.
“I just go hard in everything,” Zallow said. “I never want to hold anything back.”
Lowellville’s Kelly Hynes knows what that’s like.
A senior, she never qualified to the state meet in the high jump — until Wednesday. In the 83-degree heat, Hynes was shaking with impatience as East Canton’s Ashley Knowles lined up for her final jump.
“My coach and I were crossing our fingers, holding our pinkies and just hoping,” she said. “It may not sound all that nice, but she couldn’t make it so I could qualify.”
Knowles did fail, allowing Hynes to clinch the fourth spot with a jump of 5 feet, 2 inches.
“I knew that I needed to make it on the first jump — that’s really important because it usually does come down to who misses,” she said.
Hynes was also on the 4x400 relay that placed fifth. Needing to secure just one higher spot in Friday’s final, she said that qualifying as a team would be just as special as going in the high jump.
“We want it bad,” Hynes said. “We get a little scared before the race starts — it’s just nerves — because we know in the end we need to do pretty good. Usually, we do and we need a great effort on Friday.”
The United and McDonald girls 4x800 relays finished second and fourth, respectively, to qualify for the state meet. The Blue Devils boys team was second in the event.
In boys discus, Jesse Curry of Ursuline placed fourth, while Springfield’s Stephen Lyons was second to advance. McDonald’s Jai’Lyn Mosley was third in the girls shot put.
Brookfield’s Tori Thompson, JFK’s Morgan Rice and South Range’s Brynn Lay advanced to the finals in both the 100 and 300 hurdles.