Oberlin’s Hudson siblings on a roll

Evan Hudson wins three district titles, breaks meet record in 400 dash

It was a regular day at the office for Oberlin’s Evan Hudson, but he upped the ante with three district titles and a meet record at the Division III district track and field meet on May 19 at Cuyahoga Heights High School.

Hudson has been scratching and clawing to beat his 400dash PR, and he was finally able to break through. Not only did he do that with a new best of 48.86 seconds, but the junior broke the eight-year record of 49.17 set by Lutheran West’s Nick Knudsen in 2015.

After crossing the finish line and seeing his time, the joy was imminent.

“I’m really about that, I just went for it,” Hudson said. “I told my dad that I was going to go out strong in that, and I got the time. I saw (the record time) coming in, and I realized that it was a possibility after Wednesday. I just got on the track and did my thing.”

The 200 and the 400 are what Hudson’s really focusing on to make a state run, but he wanted to have a better rep in day two of the 100. He took care of the 200 title with a time of 22.17 seconds, .14 seconds off of the meet record. In the 100, where he looked to do better after having the secondbest prelim time, he staved off Independence’s Matt Wisniewski to win it with a time of 11.13 seconds.

“The 100 was the only one that I was really worried about,” Hudson said. “I feel good going into regionals, that 200 and 400 are the main ones that I’m focused on now.”

While one Hudson dominates, so does the other. Just like her brother, Oberlin’s Olivia Hudson is a four-time regional qualifier. The freshman continued to add to the stellar start of her high school career with an individual district title in the 400 with a time of 1:00.05. She also anchored the Phoenix to a 4×400 to a dis

trict title alongside Aubrey Abeyta, Phoebe Shuck and Breanna McConeghy.

Hudson also took second in the 200 in a tight race to Trinity’s Iniya Charlton with a time of 26.12 seconds. She also started off Oberlin’s 4×200 relay, helping the team to a runnerup and regional qualifying time of 1:47.68 along with Abeyta, Shuck and Alyssa Webb.

Olivia Hudson isn’t the only freshman from the LC8 to be crowned a district champion. Columbia’s Alyssa Goebel won the 100 hurdles in the day’s first event with a time of 16.96 seconds. Goebel also placed third in the 300 hurdles to qualify for regionals. She becomes the first-ever Columbia freshman to win a district hurdles title.

“It just shows that all of my hard work paid off,” Goebel said. “I showed it in my races today. It’s just crazy that I placed that good for a freshman when I’m facing off with seniors that are twice the height of me. It shows that I’m capable of anything if I put my mind to it.”

From the five represented area schools at this meet, here are the remaining regional qualifiers (* through the girls 4×400)

• Columbia: Audrey Goebel (second place, long jump); Frank Washburn (third place, 800), Hana Bodo (third place, 3200)

• Lake Ridge: Ryan Pawloski (second place, high jump); Andrew Young (third place, 1600; 2nd place, 800)

• Oberlin: Webb (fourth place, 100); 4×100 (second place) Webb, McConeghy, Abeyta, Brooklyn Anderson: McConeghy (second place, 300 hurdles); Courage Bielawski (second place, 3200)

• Open Door: Michael Couture (fourth place, 1600; second place, 3200); Nolan Raack (third place, 3200)

• Wellington: Gwen Vannatter (third place, pole vault); Brooke Lehmkuhl (fourth place, discus); 4×200 (second place) Spencer Brasee, Baron Turner Jr., Josh Nocella, Wilson Schmucker; Joe Fox (second place, 1600); Nocella (second place, 400); Brasee (fourth place, 400); Lauren Vannatter (third place, 800)