Dead heat: Centerville, Wayne boys tie for regional crown
HUBER HEIGHTS — Miamisburg hurdler Colin Dillon feared the worst after the starter’s blast rang out a second time in the 300-meter hurdles during the Division I regional track and field meet at Wayne on Friday.
That meant there had been a false start. Worse, someone would be disqualified.
“I was just walking back toward my blocks thinking, please (starter) don’t walk in my lane,” the high school senior said. “At that point, you think hopefully it’s not me and I didn’t do something wrong.”
Dillon sailed to an impressive win (38.44) after favored Springfield senior Austin Tyree was DQ’d. That’s one less hurdle for Dillon to overcome at next week’s season-ending state meet at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Tyree’s misstep was the only blunder in an otherwise record-setting D-I regional that featured six girls new marks and another by the boys. The top four placers in each event qualified for the state meet on Friday and Saturday at Columbus.
Wayne and Centerville tied for the D-I boys team title, each with 57 points. Lakota East ran away with the girls team title, 97-55 over runner-up Princeton.
The West Liberty-Salem girls (96 points) won three of four relays and had two more individual wins to capture the D-III team title at Troy, also on Friday. Fort Loramie (64) placed third in the final 1,600 relay to win the D-III boys regional team title. Newton (62) was second and Fort Recovery (60) third.
Dillon, also second in the high hurdles, became the first Viking to advance to state in four events, joining Miamisburg’s 400 and 800 relays.
The Burg’s 400 relay made it as a provisional qualifier, meaning it had one of the top two times throughout the state’s four regional meets that didn’t automatically qualify. This is the first year for the Ohio High School Athletic Association to include provisional adds in running races; field events had provisional adds for the first time last year.
“This means everything,” said Dillon, who’s headed to Indiana Tech to participate in track and field. “State is such a great atmosphere. You never know what you can do or who’s going to pop out.”
■ Wayne senior sprinter Zarik Brown was a rare regional winner in all three sprints, capturing the 100 (10.57), 400 (47.67) and 200 (21.79). That makes him a legitimate threat to sweep all three races at state, a rare feat.
“I knew it was going to be tough, but I made it happen,” said Brown, who signed with Akron. “If I win the (100 at state), I’m pretty sure I can (sweep).”
Wayne also benefited from a win by senior Lucas Houk in the 800 (1:53.48).
Wayne will lean heavily on those two at state. The Warriors also are boosted by shot putter Reed Feagle (third), high jumper Brendan Hill (fourth) and a provisional 400 relay at state. Among the 1,600 relay favorites, Wayne was disqualified in Wednesday’s regional semifinals and lost outstanding senior hurdler Justin Harris to injury at the district.
■ Girls D-I regional records were reset by Troy junior Lenea Browder in the discus (164 feet, one inch), Greenville junior vaulter Riley Hunt (13-3), East junior Serena Clark in the 100 (11.72), East’s 400 relay (46.50) and Samantha Bush of Turpin in the 1,600 (4:47.23).
On Wednesday, Beavercreek set a 3,200 girls relay record (9:00.46) and Butler junior Dalton Shepler upped the boys pole vault record (16-10).
■ Tyree, a state favorite in the 300 hurdles, qualified to state in the highs and the 800 and 1,600 relays.
“The official said I flinched,” said Tyree, who was disqualified for a false start. “I didn’t feel like I did, but it didn’t matter what I felt like.”
■ Centerville’s boys are in great position to contend for a state title. The Elks qualified three relays to go with defending D-I state pole vault and long jump champ Yariel Soto. Also qualifying to state were Wyatt Kline in the 200 and high jump runner-up Jason Sneed (6-8).
Centerville’s boys were second as a team at state last season and Springfield third.