SPRING 2019 FIELD: Zach Gray McDonald

Zach Gray became part of a dynasty this spring.

The senior from McDonald is the third Blue Devils athlete to win a state title in the discus this decade and the fourth in school history. He also was the runner-up in the shot put at the OHSAA State Track and Field Tournament.

“People tell me it’s bigger than I think. I don’t realize how big being a state champion is,” Gray said. “When I look back on it later in life, I’ll think ‘Wow. I won state.’”

Gray won the title with a personal-best throw of 179 feet, 6 inches, which is the fourth-best mark in school history. The previous McDonald champions were Christian Smith in 2015 and Matthias Tayala in 2011. Ken Scarborough won back-to-back titles in 1955 and 1956.

Tayala watched Gray win the discus on May 31 in the throwing facilities outside Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. They see each other a few times a season, Gray said. Tayala, Smith and Gray all were coached by Mary Domitrovich.

“She’s used them as examples of something to do better. She’d show me a video of Christian as something to do right,” Gray said. “In other ways, I’m my own thrower. My technique is different.”

Listed as six feet tall and 195 pounds, Gray relies on speed and technique rather than raw power. In middle school, he was the lone holdout among his friends when it came to joining the track team because he didn’t like running. He still refused to run when he finally joined the Blue Devils. Domitrovich saw potential in him in high school, but he didn’t think he could be a contender until his sophomore year.

“I certainly didn’t think was the best, but my mark that year was 154, so thinking you could win state was cool, but I had to keep working harder and harder,” Gray said. “Then you get to senior year and you have to keep working harder than everyone else.”

While he spent the majority of the season as the best discus-thrower in Division III, he needed to keep improving. Youngstown State started to show interest in him during the season and while he eventually secured a spot on the team, he needed to meet some milestones to make the team.

“If I didn’t get to 180, there’s no way I’m throwing in college,” Gray said. “It certainly kept me motivated and the only way I was going to get it was to keep on practicing.

“This year was so sweet with all the coaching and all my friends and all the support I’ve gotten,” Gray said. “Supporting my teammates was also great. It was cool watching all of them run at state.”

— Brian Dzenis, The Vindicator