East runners are ready after winning indoor title

By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The East High girls track and field team recently won the state indoor championship, outdistancing 62 other teams in competition held at the SPIRE Indoor Complex in Geneva.

Chaney’s 4x400 boys relay team captured a state title while multiple athletes from both programs fared well in individual events.

Chaney’s boys team finished 11th out of 69 teams, which was won by Dayton Dunbar.

“Last year we came close to winning the state outdoor championship, finishing in the top-five so I am extremely excited with our performance,” East head coach Kevin Cylar said. “I knew this team had the talent. We have five girls dominating the sprints and each ran really well.”

East senior Jahniya Bowers won the 60-meter and 200-meter events, setting a new state meet record in the 60 in a time of 7.49.

“Jahniya, according to her overall times, is recognized as the top sprinter in the state,” Cylar said. “We were Division I at the state outdoor meet last year and are now Division II. We’ll now focus on having an excellent outdoor season.”

The Golden Bears’ girls 4x200 relay team of Kyndia Matlock, Laniya Lewis, Ayana Dixon and Deshante Allen placed second overall.

“Kyndia was third in both the 60-meter and 200-meter at the outdoor meet last year while Laniya helped anchor our 4x100 relay,” Cylar said. “Ayana ran well and had a strong 4x200 showing while Deshante finished in the Top 10 in the 60-meter hurdles.”

Allen also placed third in the long jump.

East’s Gei’vonni Washington made it to the podium with an eighth-place finish in the 60 while teammate Latwon Jordan finished 10th.

“Don’t forget that Tobias Hayes finished ninth in the 60-meter hurdles,” Cylar said. “We have a great bunch of boys who have really grown over the past year-and-a-half. They represented East High School well and their progress has been tremendous.

“Along with a couple of newcomers, we feel like we can be a force to contend with this year.”

Already a force to be dealt with is the Cowboys’ state champion 4x400 relay team, comprised of Mi’kel Holland and triplets Marshall, Marquise and Marquan Herron.

They captured their event in a time of 3:29.72.

“It’s a very exciting time for our program,” Chaney head coach Anthony Floyd said. “Each team member ran the best time of their leg to earn a state championship while nine other athletes qualified in multiple events.”

The Cowboys’ 4x200 relay team of Anthony Caulton, Delshawn Petrosky, Marshall Herron and Holland placed fifth with a 1:33.03 timing.

“I told our team that they’d be the group setting an example for future players in our program and each ran outstanding races at the indoor championship,” Floyd said. “They ran to the best of their ability but more importantly, they believe in themselves.

Also qualifying was Chaney’s 4x800 relay team, comprised of Jamil Johnson, Jonathan Simmons, Marquise Herron and Johaun Whipple.