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YSU freshman Zallow quick to make mark
By STEVE WILAJ
YOUNGSTOWN
It’s a metaphor that Youngstown State track and field coach Brian Gorby likes to use.
Penguins freshman Chad Zallow — the former Warren JFK track standout who was named the 2016 Alfreeda Goff Men’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year on Friday — is a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Huh?
When Zallow ran a time of 7.69 seconds in the 60 meter hurdles at the Zips Invitational on Feb. 19, it — along with being a school and Akron Stile Field House record — marked the event’s second-fastest time in the entire country.
The prestigious time makes Zallow a lock to compete at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 11-12, where if he finishes in the top-16 in the 60 meter hurdles, he will be an All-American. Even more, a top-eight finish would make him a first-team All-American.
But considering his second-place-in-the-nation time, Zallow has an even bigger goal: a national championship in the 60 meter hurdles — or as Gorby likes to say for more perspective — a Heisman Trophy.
“In college football, there’s always a top 4-5-6 people going after the Heisman,” Gorby said. “That’s exactly where he’s at right now in regards to world track and field, which is just phenomenal.
“So in short term goals, we’re looking at first-team All-American and then maybe top three. But then after that, maybe he can even get that national championship.”
Staying true to character, Zallow is first focused on the Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championships today and Sunday at the WATTS.
“It’s just about helping my team out and getting those rings,” Zallow said. “Then after that, I’ll get ready for nationals [at Birmingham CrossPlex in Alabama], work on my speed a little bit more and just get my mind and body right.
“I’m definitely shooting to be an All-American — I think that’s doable — and then we’ll see what happens in the finals. Hopefully I can run a good race and come out on top.”
It’s something the 18-year-old, who was one of the nation’s top track and field recruits at JFK, did plenty of during the regular season.
For his record-setting performance at the Zips Invitation, Zallow was named Horizon League Running Athlete of the Week on Tuesday — the third time he has earned the honor this season.
He also took the award two weeks ago for his then-YSU record-setting performance in the 60 hurdles at the SPIRE NCAA DI Invitational on Feb. 13. He ran a 7.75 that day (good for 10th-best in the nation) and, in all, he has broken and improved on the YSU record in the 60 hurdles five times since December.
Has Zallow, so far, exceeded YSU’s expectations?
Gorby: “No doubt about it.”
“It’s surreal,” Zallow said. “The times I’ve hit, I never thought I’d hit this early. But this is the stuff I dreamed of. A lot of people thought I wouldn’t be able to get there this early. It just feels good to prove people wrong who thought I couldn’t do it.”
Basically, while Zallow has moved up to the collegiate level, not much has changed from his days at JFK. With the Eagles, he was a three-time All-American, seven-time state champion and led JFK to its first-ever team state title in 2015.
“At JFK, I felt comfortable and here I feel comfortable,” said Zallow, who chose YSU because it “believed in me and all my goals” among other reasons. “I’m with my brother [sophomore teammate Carl Zallow]. I trained here when they opened up the WATTS for high school kids, so nothing really changed too much. That’s why I think I’m doing so good.”
One change is that Zallow now works with YSU assistant coach David Townsend on a full-time basis. Gorby credited Townsend — who’s been with the Penguins since 2007 — for the freshman phenom’s steady improvements, as did Zallow.
“Coach Townsend is a great coach and he’s been guiding me along the way,” Zallow said. “It’s just about the hard work.
“And my teammates are pushing me every day — the sprinters and the hurdlers. This training environment is great. I think the competition in practice has been pushing me to better times.”
Now, the question is how big will those times pay off? Presumably, Zallow should surely capture some Horizon League championships.
But first-team All-American? Or how about the Heisman Trophy, er, 60-meter hurdle national championship? Only time will tell.
“As a freshman, it usually takes a little bit of time as far as settling in and adapting,” Gorby said. “He’s extremely talented and extremely blessed, but he’s a very hard worker and he’s very business-like in everything he does.
“So having somebody at Chad’s level is just a blessing for Youngstown State.”
HL meet preview
For the men — who took second place to Milwaukee a year ago — seven athletes lead the Horizon League in their respective events: Zallow (60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles), Leighton Antonio (200-meter dash), Austin McLean (mile and 3,000 run), Montravius Berry (long jump), Mineral Ridge grad Ryan Booth (shot put), Conner Neu (weight throw) and Isaac Agyemang (heptathlon).
The Penguins return 2015 conference champions McLean (mile and 3,000 run), Carl Zallow (60 and 200-meter dashes) and Neu (weight throw). Neu, a junior, will be seeking his third straight conference title, while he currently holds the YSU weight throw record at 21.78 meters and is also ranked 12th in the country.
Meanwhile, the Penguins women’s team will go for its third straight indoor conference title.
YSU is led by back-to-back Horizon League Indoor champion sprinters Nina Grambling (60m, 200m), Austintown Fitch grad Jennifer Shiley (400m) and field performers Jennifer Neider (shot put) and Mackenzie Sturtz (high jump).
Grambling, a senior, leads the league in the 60-meter dash (7.57 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (24.55 seconds). Also, Amber Eles will go for her first title in the 60-meter hurdles, as she leads the league in the event (school-record 8.55 seconds), while Jaynee Corbett leads the conference in shot put and weight throw and is looking for her first titles as well.