Johnson, Morgan, Chad Zallow win titles

June 8, 2014 at 12:09a.m.

COLUMBUS

On the final test of his high school running career, McDonald senior Bobby Johnson brought a cheat sheet.

After scratching the 1600, the reigning state cross country champion set his sights on the Division III state record in the 3200 meters. Before the race, he wrote three split times (so he would know if he was on pace) along with the phrase “Run 4 God” (“That’s what motivates me the most”) and the word “Focus.”

“Sometimes you can get sidetracked and think negative things,” he said. “If I can get myself to focus on what I’m doing at the moment, I get through things easier.”

As he finished the sixth of eight laps at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Johnson looked at the clock, peeked at his palm, realized the record was out of reach and focused on the victory, finishing in 9:22.85 (more than 10 seconds off the record) to win by nearly five seconds.

It capped a stellar high school career that included last year’s individual cross country title and gave Trumbull County its sixth (and final) individual state title of the weekend.

“To come out here and do it again, it’s truly a blessing,” he said.

A pair of Warren JFK teammates felt the same way. Senior Morgan Rice and junior Chad Zallow successfully defended their state titles in the high hurdles.

“I was about to cry,” said Rice, a Miami (Ohio) recruit who also finished second in the 300 hurdles. “There was crazy competition this year and it feels so much better to defend my title.

“This is my favorite race and I wanted to win so bad.”

Zallow held off a big challenge from Columbus Academy senior John Lint in the 110s, running a personal-best 13.93.

“The whole race was really a blur,” Zallow said. “I knew I got off to a really good start and ran a really clean race. I felt him coming at the end and pulled through for a good finish.”

A dehydrated Zallow failed to defend his 300 hurdle title — Lint won, breaking Zallow’s 2013 state record in the process — and his brother, Carl, placed third in the 100 after winning the event last year.

Zallow also placed seventh in the 200 and helped JFK make the medal stand in the 4x200 (third place) and 4x400 (fifth).

“I had four events today and four events yesterday and I think it got to me a little bit,” said Carl, who will run at Youngstown State next year. “My times were a little slower, but four podium finishes is pretty impressive and I’m content with my performance today and my team’s performance.”