Gahanna girls’ success built on relay teams

Don’t try to convince Roger Whittaker that track and field is an individual sport. The 29th-year Gahanna girls coach has built a state powerhouse with relays serving as the centerpiece.

“When putting together a lineup, we begin and end with our relays,” Whittaker said. “The relays are a big, big thing to us. We’ve built a culture in which it’s super competitive and a matter of pride to even become an alternate on any of those teams.”

For the fifth straight year, Gahanna has qualified all four of its relays for the state meet at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Three-time defending Division I regional team champions, the Lions expect to be in the hunt for a fourth consecutive top- three finish at state. The 2015 team shared the title with Cincinnati Withrow.

“Some people think it’s an old- school thing to focus on relays, but I really think your great individual athletes shine brightest in an environment when they can lean on their teammates and get something done collectively,” he said. “We set things up so each of the girls gets to specialize in one or two individual events and compete in a couple of relays as well. The 4x400 relay is sort of our fulcrum. We train kids to be versatile so then they can move up or down as needed.”

Gahanna’s 1,600-meter relay has won two straight state titles and is ranked No. 1. The 3,200 relay also is defending champion and the 800 squad won a title in 2015. All four are ranked in the top three. The Lions’ top competition may come from Ohio Capital Conference Ohio Division rival Pickerington Central, which also perennially produces state-caliber relays.

Whittaker uses nine girls interchangeably in the four relays. Seniors Benja Duff and Ivy McKee, junior Amariah Thomas and sophomores Shynae Deas and Madison Martinez typically run on two relays each.

“We put in a lot of hard work on those relays and a lot of girls are pushing to get on them,” said Thomas, who has won three gold medals in state relays. “It’s a different excitement doing it with your friends and teammates than achieving it individually.”

Duff, who has signed with Kent State, is the only member of the rotation without a state title. She did win a regional championship in the 100 hurdles.