TRACK & FIELD: Local stars already rivaling state-title marks

Numbers never lie. Sure, they don't always tell the whole truth — whether it was windy or rainy, cold or hot, an adrenaline-pumping stage or something lower energy. But the numbers of track and field allow for comparisons that other sports can't quite muster. A 100-meter track is 100 meters anywhere. The measuring tools used for throwing and jumping don't change. That means that when an athlete puts up an eye-popping mark, even early in the season, regardless the meet size, it's worth noting. And four area seniors have done just that, recording personal bests that measure better than last year's Division II state champions. Perkins' Collin Nemitz and Ben Schaefer both did it in the 100-meter dash recently. Nemitz sprinted to first place at the Perkins Pirate Invitational in 10.95 seconds. Schaefer ran a handheld 10.72 at a dual meet in Tiffin earlier this week. "We're in a good spot right now," Perkins coach Shane Burrows said. Bellevue's Kaylin Howey set her personal best in both the discus and shot put to win at that same Perkins meet, and it was in the shot where the Ohio State-bound senior really shined. She threw the shot 43 feet, 8.5 inches. "The (Bellevue) shot put record was her own from a year ago," Bellevue coach Lee Booze said. "For her, breaking the record was just about having a PR, just knowing that she's progressed from last season's state meet." Vermilion's Ayden Bath set his new mark in the high jump Tuesday in Norwalk at a dual meet. He cleared a bar 6 feet, 9.25 inches off the ground. "(That) was such a great day because of the weather," Vermilion jumps coach Hannah Bartlome said, "and Ayden is so motivated and inspired by his teammates' performances… We had a bunch of PRs. That energy really inspires him to be great." Nemitz and Schaefer's sprints may come with the most caveats. At early-season meets, there's no official accounting for the wind, which plays a major role in the 100-meter dash. At last year's state meet, a headwind officially impacted the runners by 3.3 meters/second. The winner, Beaver's Caleb White, finished in 11.09 seconds, but without wind the math works out to 10.72 seconds. Nemitz and Scahefer, though, have provided themselves with a runway toward even quicker races as the Pirates battle through some early-season nicks and bruises. "When you have these horses, you've got to let them run when they feel good and hold them back when they don't," Perkins coach Shane Burrows said. Howey has been pushing the limits on her shot and discus throws for a while now, occasionally fouling as she tries to launch the objects just a bit further. She was at the state meet a year ago and finished fifth in the shot put with a throw of 40-7.25. She's already added more than three feet onto that this season. Her 43-8.5 at Perkins was an inch longer than last year's state champion, Norton's Morgan Hallett, threw to win that title. According to MileSplit, it's also the best girls shot put throw in Ohio this spring. "The best thing I can say is (Howey) put in a lot of work this offseason," Booze said. "In the weight room, and she threw well indoors… that gave her a lot of confidence coming into the outdoor season." Bath, too, was at state a year ago. He placed third in the high jump with a 6-5 clearance. That's the same height he reached to win an indoor state title earlier this year. The Kent State commit had already rewritten the Vermilion record books with a 6-8 jump earlier this season. That 6-8 height is what won Jonathan Alder's Joey Walker a state championship in 2021. "His body type, his height, he's just a natural hurdler and jumper," Bartlome said. "That's what he's meant to do." At Norwalk, with a number of teammates cheering him on, the 6-foot-5 Bath cleared 6-9.25. According to MileSplit, that's the highest high jump by an Ohio high school athlete so far this spring. "He's so internally motivated, but he really is part of the team and is a great leader and great coach to others," Bartlome said. "... He really is a student of the event. He could go out and coach high schools right now as a high schooler." There's a bit less than two months until the state meets, which take place in each of the OHSAA's three divisions on June 3-4. These four early-season standout seniors will certainly all be aiming to make the D-II meet, but they'll be shooting for more, too. Bath and Howey have been on the podium as individuals. Nemitz has been there as part of the Pirates' 4x100 relay. This season, their final one wowing area spectators with tremendous performances, the goals will be higher than just a podium spot. If early-season performances are any indication, they'll be hoping to end up on top. Other notable early-season performances Margaretta senior Jake Leibacher, participating in track and field for the first time, broke the school's record in the 400 with a time of 50.1 seconds. Vermilion senior Hayden Valenti keeps breaking his own boys discus record at the school, most recently throwing 160 feet, 10 inches. Sandusky senior Myasia Matthews tied the school record in the 100 hurdles in a time of 15.1 seconds. Margaretta junior twins JT and Jenny Patrick are both setting new records for the Polar Bears. Each set their respective shot put record, and Jenny also set the discus record. Bellevue sophomore Ella Rucker tied the school record in the 100 hurdles with a 15.6-second run earlier this month. Perkins senior Sara Skaff ran the 3200 at the Perkins Pirate Invitational in 11:29.59, a new meet record. "Sara Skaff right now is just a monster," Burrows said. "She's doing extremely well." Perkins' boys 4x100-meter relay quartet of Collin Nemitz, Jon Normington-Slay, Mikey Young and Ben Schaefer set a meet record at the Perkins invite in 43.32 seconds. Margaretta senior pole vaulter Kenna Stimmel, a Virginia Tech commit, hasn't had ideal conditions yet in this wacky weather spring. But her 13 foot clearance is still tops among Ohio girls so far.