Their long and heartfelt embrace represented the best of different eras. The common denominator was a deep appreciation for a sport that has long since been overtaken by football, basketball and baseball in popularity.
5 THINGS TO KNOW: Last week’s high school sports highlights
Shawnee athletic director Steve Tincher recalled that Vanuch was helping with the Braves program way back in the late 1970’s and was on staff when Scott Wall won a Class AA state championship in 1979 by clearing 6 feet, 10 inches at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. He remains the school record holder in the event with a leap of 7-0 as a senior.
Jumping just since eighth grade last year, Glass added the school’s second title in the boys event, clearing 6-8 at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.
“My coaches really inspired me in doing this stuff almost daily,” Glass said. “I want to thank them for everything they did.”
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
Glass flew over 6-8 on his first attempt and punched the air in celebration while standing upright on the landing mat. That turned up the heat on Roger Bacon junior Austin Fulton and he couldn’t answer, settling for second (6-7).
Glass missed three times at 6-9, but by then he had clinched the title. Shawnee hadn’t produced a state track champ since two-time winner Erin Connolly swept the 100 hurdles in 1999-2000.
That put Glass in a rarified category of potentially being a four-time state champ.
“We’ll see what this comes to all four years,” he said, laughing. “The jumping went well. When I was doing 6-9 my steps were off and I lost focus because I knew I already had first place. I was just wanting to get it over with.”
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