Kayden Davis of Swanton over the bar at 6 feet, 2 inches on Saturday during the Division II high jump competition at the 2022 OHSAA State Track and Field Championships in Columbus. Davis would clear the next height as well but ultimately finished ninth and just off the podium.
Max Householder | AIM Media Midwest
Area athletes competed hard but had trouble manifesting podium worthy performances during the Division II portion of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships held Friday and Saturday in Columbus. The state meet was back at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2019.
Swanton’s Kayden Davis, after placing sixth a year ago at state in the Division II high jump, just missed the podium at this year’s event. He took ninth after clearing 6 feet, 4 inches on his third attempt. That was also the top height Davis cleared at the 2021 competition.
Davis’ best try at 6-5 was probably his second, but he was having issues with jumping too soon according to Swanton coach Ryan Borer. Being only a junior, Davis will have the opportunity to make it back down to Columbus and make the podium for a second time at next year’s meet.
Swanton’s Trista Eitniear finished 13th in girls shot put. Despite not making the finals in the event, she did set a new personal record of 37 feet, 2 and 1/2 inches.
The Evergreen girls 4x100m relay finished 12th and did not qualify for the finals. Representing the Vikings in that relay were Brianna Sintobin, Deanna Huffman, Brooklynn Spradlin and Andrea Van Wert.
Also in the area for Division II, Jonas Tester of Wauseon took 14th in the long jump. Tester’s best leap was one of 20 feet, 8 and 3/4 inches. He did not make the finals in the event.
Wauseon’s Matthew Shaw finished 18th in the shot put. Shaw, who advanced to state on an at-large bid from the regional, posted a best toss of 48 feet, 2 and 3/4 inches.
The Indians also notched at-large bids from Grace Rhoades in the girls 3200m and Hunter Wasnich in that same race on the boys side.
Wasnich finished 18th in the race with a time of 9:53.76. Rhoades took 13th with a time of 11:46.24.
Wauseon had a distance runner in the boys 1600m as well, that being Jack Callan. He finished 12th and ran the race in 4:24.68.
