Curbstone Coaches honor spring state champions
By Greg Gulas
AUSTINTOWN
Warren JFK’s Chad Zallow, the architect of no fewer than five school records, set a state record this spring in the 110-meter hurdles and will join his brother, Carl, this fall as a member of YSU’s track and field juggernaut.
Warren Harding junior Justice Richardson won the 100 and will return next year with the hopes of defending her title.
By winning the school’s sixth overall girls’ softball championship and third in the past five seasons, Champion coach Cheryl Weaver has a dynasty in the making at her school.
During their summer session Monday at Lucianno’s Banquet Center, the Curbstone Coaches honored all area individual and team state champions from this past spring.
Zallow graduated as the Eagles’ record holder in the 100, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4x200 relay and 4x400 relay.
With a 10.55 clocking in the 100 meter dash at state, he tied his brother’s school mark and set a new state standard in the process.
“I had a fun career, but it went by really fast,” Zallow said. “I’m sad to see it end and while I left my mark at JFK, I’m looking forward to attending YSU in the fall. YSU was the best fit for me, both academically and athletically.”
He plans to major in finance.
Zallow’s teammate, Jacob Coates, finished second in the 100 and won the 200 meter dash to help JFK to the school’s first state team crown.
“Winning the state title as a team was great. Not many can say that they were a part of something that special,” Coates said. “We pushed each other all year and the end result was a state title.”
Eagles coach Jack Thornton, Jr. said despite lack of numbers (seven athletes) compared to other programs, the team developed a real closeness.
“We had an outstanding indoor season, but the real challenge in the spring was the weather. When it was right they ran well and it was definitely right in Columbus at the state tournament,” he said.
Richardson is a three-year letterwinner who is hoping to get back to state and defend her title, as well as win the 200 meter dash.
“I was ecstatic when I crossed the finish line. I broke my foot at last year’s state competition and when I got into the blocks this year, I just had a good feeling,” she said.
Her coach, Charles Penny, called her a student of the game.
“Three intangibles separate the good from the great athlete and they are work ethic, family and competitive drive,” Penny said. “Justice has all three of those qualities. She is someone who goes above and beyond in practice.”
Maplewood’s 3200 relay team of Tristan Dahmen, Jake Hall, Derek Morrison and Allen Sparks won the state title with Dahmen earning top honors in the 3200.
“I tried to go out with the pack and around the sixth lap took the lead. I was able to close out the last 800 with that lead,” Dahmen said.
Rockets head coach Mark Yoder said Dahmen just gets stronger as the race moves on.
“It’s as if Tristan never gets tired. His last mile is faster than his first one,” he said.
In softball, the state title definitely goes through Champion High School.
“In 2011, we had an awesome team and had a good feeling about a state title while in 2012, with some of that talent returning, we hoped to repeat,” Weaver said. “This season, I thought we could get to regionals but once we jelled, it became a fun run.”
Haylee Gardiner was the Golden Flashes’ leading pitcher with an 18-2 mark.
“This team was more like family. It really was an incredible run,” she said.
Also honored was McDonald thrower Christian Smith, who won the state discus championship.
On July 27, the organization will host an “Evening with YSU head football Coach Bo Pelini” beginning at 6 p.m., also at Lucianno’s Banquet Center.