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Milwaukee outduels YSU men in final event
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YSU’s Carl Zallow sprints to the finish ahead of Milwaukee’s Davontae Johnson to win the men’s 200-meter dash at Sunday’s Horizon League track and field championship in the WATTS at YSU. Zallow, a Warren JFK standout, also won the 60 and anchored YSU’s fifth place 4x400 relay to earn track freshman of the year.
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State junior Austin McLean said it would take a dream scenario for the Penguins to knock off Milwaukee at this weekend’s Horizon League indoor track and field championship.
That dream may have ended with Sunday’s final event, but McLean still seemed ready to pinch himself afterward.
“We had all these plans going in to see if it would work and it seemed to work out decently well,” McLean said. “The ring was in our hands.
“Just a few minor, minor issues set us back.”
And one major issue — Milwaukee’s monster men’s track team.
Trailing by one point entering the final event, the Panthers ran away with the 4x400-meter relay title and the team crown, besting YSU 161-154 at the WATTS to win their 10th indoor championship in 11 years.
“They [the Panthers] are extremely tough,” McLean said. “They deserve it. They’re great guys and they train so hard. It’s just friendly competition. Everyone is out there having fun, trying to do the same thing.”
McLean won the mile and the 3,000-meter run on Sunday and placed second in the 5K on Saturday to share the meet’s individual high scoring award with Milwaukee’s Nate Pozolinski. He was also named the Horizon League’s male track athlete of the year.
“Honestly, I just feel so blessed,” McLean said. “I don’t know what to say about it.
“I just want to thank my teammates because I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Senior teammate Eric Rupe (Maplewood) won the 5K and placed second in the 3K, while freshman Ryan Sullivan (Howland) placed third in the 5K and fourth in the 3K. Together, those three piled up 56 points — more than a third of YSU’s total — and it was their performance in the 3K that gave the Penguins their one-point lead heading into the 4x400 relay.
Freshman Carl Zallow (JFK) won the 60 and the 200 and anchored YSU’s fifth-place 4x400 relay to earn track freshman of the year.
“I knew winning freshman of the year would help the team, so that was my goal,” Zallow said. “I had a heck of a meet and I credit my coaches for believing in me and getting me ready so I could peak at the right time.”
Marcellus Embry placed second in the 60 and the 200, while Arnaldo Morales (Struthers) was second in the high jump. Ryan Booth (Mineral Ridge) was second in the shot put and Jacob Chiclowe (Mineral Ridge) was third. Booth was named field freshman of the year.
Connor Neu won Saturday’s weight throw and placed sixth in Sunday’s shot put to share outstanding field performer honors.
The Penguins edged Milwaukee at last year’s outdoor championships but have finished second to the Panthers at the indoor meet the past two years.
But with Zallow’s younger brother, Chad, set to join the team next year, YSU could emerge as the preseason favorite.
“I was telling Carl, ‘Once your brother gets here, it’s a lock,’” McLean said. “They’re talented athletes and all they do is come in, work hard and do their job. With [Chad] next year, all hell is going to break loose.”