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JFK’s Zallow wins state indoor titles in 60 dash, 60 hurdles
By Joe Scalzo
For Warren JFK senior Chad Zallow, Saturday’s 60-meter hurdle final felt like a blur.
Looked like one, too.
Zallow ran a personal-best time of 7.62 — the third-fastest time in U.S. history — to win the 60 hurdle title and he also won the 60-meter dash crown at the Division II/III state indoor track and field championships at the University of Akron.
“I ran one of my best times ever in prelims [7.79], so I was feeling very good,” said Zallow, a Youngstown State recruit. “I knew it was my last [indoor] state meet, so I just wanted to come out strong. I had some great competition in my heat and I came out really strong in the blocks and attacked the hurdles aggressively.
“The race was kind of a blur, but it definitely felt like I was going really fast.”
Miami Trace’s Caleb Wilt was second in 7.83.
Zallow, who entered with the nation’s fastest time (7.70), will compete at the New Balance Nationals next weekend in New York. The national record is 7.57, set by Berea, Ohio, native Donovan Robertson in 2012. Robertson now runs at Ohio State.
Zallow won the 60 hurdles at the 2013 state meet but sat out last year’s meet, as well as the national meet, with a strained hamstring.
“It was really satisfying [to run this well] after missing nationals and state last year,” he said. “I just wanted to come out and have fun with the meet and make up for what I missed last year.”
In the 60, Zallow finished in 6.90 to best Canton Central Catholic’s John Colangelo (6.97). JFK teammate Jacob Coates was fourth in 7.04.
The win was all the more impressive since the 60 hurdles and 60 dash are run back-to-back, with just a few minutes rest between them.
“I was a little fatigued, but I just wanted to come out strong,” Zallow said. “I did pretty good. I trained for the back-to-back, so I’m just happy to come out with a win and run a good time.”
Zallow’s older brother, Carl, finished second in the event at last year’s state meet and fifth in 2013. Carl, who runs at YSU, was the outdoor 100-meter champion at the 2013 state meet.
Now that Carl has graduated, Chad said he is considering attempting the 110-meter hurdle/100-meter dash double during the outdoor season. He has won the past two 110 hurdle titles and won the 300 hurdles in 2013.
“I’m going to try it out early in the season and see how it goes,” he said. “The indoor [double] was tough.”
In other results, Cardinal Mooney’s Dante Penza placed first in the shot put with a throw of 58 feet, 4 1/4 inches, besting Zane Trace’s Walt Petzel (56-10). West Virginia football recruit Matt Jones of Hubbard was third (56-5 1/4).
West Branch’s Zach Robbins placed second in the high jump at 6-foot-10, losing a tiebreaker to Shelby’s Cody Stine. Robbins missed his first attempt at 6-9, while Stine cleared it on the first attempt.
Robbins placed second at last year’s outdoor state meet, while Stine was third.
Maplewood’s 4x800 relay placed third.
In Division I, Fitch’s Joe Harrington placed second in the 60 with a time of 6.87. Mayfield’s Andy Isabella was first in 6.80. Harrington also took second in the 200 (22.07) behind Pickerington North’s Nick Gray (21.62).
Fitch’s Dylan Latone was third in the pole vault (15-0) and Logan Kusky was third in the weight throw (71-7).
In girls competition, Warren Harding’s 4x200 relay of Chyna Stroud, Nautica Hill, Aisha Jackson and Gariana Bercheni placed first in 1:43.01, narrowly edging Gahanna Lincoln (1:43.15). Hill also placed third in the 60, while Harding’s Justice Richardson was third in the 60.