The state track and field championships will be held at three separate sites, due to coronavirus guidelines. Somerlot and his Centerville Elks don’t mind running the Division I meet at Hilliard Darby High School. They’re just happy to be running.
“After not having it last year, I think having it this year at Darby will be great,” Somerlot said. “I think it’s going to be great to be back and in that intensity. … That’s what will make it the state meet, those types of performances.”
Somerlot is hoping for a few from the Elks. Among them is senior Cameron Stevens. He leads the Elks into state by qualifying in three events, including a history-making run in the 400-meter run.
Last week Stevens won the Elks’ first-ever regional title in the 400. There have been a few 400 state qualifiers and even a 440-yard dash regional champ, but not during the metric era.
Stevens also qualified in the 200 dash and the 4x200 relay along with senior Jonah Schneider and juniors Luke Fullenkamp and Preston Jason.
“It was well earned for him,” Somerlot said of Stevens. “He’s been on our varsity team as a freshman and is just doing a great job. That’s the event he likes the most.”
Junior Quinn Anderson qualified in the 800. For the girls, senior Emma Bucher qualified in the 1,600 and 3,200 and junior Mia Robillard in the 1,600.
The Elks have continued their strong run. Centerville has finished among the top six teams in the regional meet for 10 straight seasons with three titles and four runner-up finishes. Centerville also won its 14th straight district title this season.
“I think all of our kids going up have a chance to (make the podium),” Somerlot said. “It’s going to be such a different format for our sprinters especially.”
In past seasons the two-day format included a preliminary round with two heats per event. The top four (out of eight) from each heat advanced to the next day’s final. This season, with the addition of two at-large qualifiers in addition to the 16 automatic qualifiers, there are three heats per event. That means two (out of six) automatically qualify to the final from each heat, plus the next two fastest times from all three heats.
That puts a sense of urgency on those heat races.
In the 200, Westerville Central’s Justin Braun is almost a given to advance with his blazing 21.12. That means the other five competitors, including Stevens and his 22.36, are battling for the last qualifying spot.
“You’re hoping your heat is fast or you can have that all-time performance and get in,” Somerlot said. “We’ll worry about Saturday on Saturday.”
The Division II meet will be held at Pickerington North High School and Division III at Westerville North High School.
Alter: Senior Matthew See, one of five Knights’ state qualifiers, adds track to his list of state appearances. See, who competes in the D-II shot put, has also gone to state in football and wrestling. The Knights also qualified in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays with senior Harper Mitchell, and juniors C.J. Hicks, Christian Kirenga and Chase Stone. This is the first season since 2015 Alter has qualified an individual to the state meet and first time since 2011 a relay qualified.
Brookville: Freshman Rita Carey continues her state tournament run by qualifying in the 300 hurdles. She also qualified for the OHSWCA state wrestling tournament and finished second in her weight class.
Chaminade Julienne: Junior Jaydn Haywood goes into state attempting to be the fastest sprinter in D-II. Haywood won regional titles in the 100 and 200. She’s also on the 4x100 relay with juniors Jakala Fletcher and Caydon Turner and sophomore Areana Clark.
Fairmont: Freshman Soso Poe is one of three freshman to qualify for the D-I state meet in an individual event. Poe competes in the high jump after going 6-2 at regional. Sophomore Dillon Wooten is the only sophomore to qualify in the 800 run.
Springboro: Senior Collin Warner bounced back from a knee injury suffered during the indoor season, returning to compete in outdoor on April 16. The following week he broke the meet, stadium and school record in the discus with a throw of 168-10, 61 feet further than his PR, at Miamisburg. The Findlay University track and field recruit competes in both the shot and discus in D-I.
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