Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes. Boardman junior Logan Thompson reacts after winning the 300 meter hurdles at the Division I regional meet and breaking the Spartans school record with a time of 37.93 seconds.

This weekend, athletes from around the Mahoning Valley will converge on Ohio State University in Columbus for the chance to compete for state titles at OSU’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

There were plenty of qualifiers from around the area, but here are a few things to keep an eye on Friday and Saturday.

TIME FOR REDEMPTION

Boardman sprinters Trey Depietro, Cameron, Logan Thompson and Ben Alvarico came together at regionals to qualify for two state relay events: the 4×200 and 4×100. The Spartans had one of the top times in the state in the 4×100, but a fumbled baton at the regional meet almost cost them.

But, the Spartans made their way into the state meet and have a seed time of 1:28.32 in the 4×200 relay and a 41.82 in the 4×100. Now they’ll look to come home with a state title and etch their name in the Boardman record books.

PROTECTING HIS THRONE

Nick Plant captured the 800-meter state title last season, and the Virginia Tech-bound runner has been one of the top runners in the state, if not the country, all season long. Heading into Columbus this week, Plant is in a perfect spot to defend his state title.

He has a seed time of 1:51.24, and the next closest runner is Dylan Christian from Granville, who has a 1:52.66 seeding time. If Plant can keep up his dominance, he’s bound to come home with another state title this season.

LAUNCH ANGLE

Along with Akron Manchester’s Josiah Cox, Lakeview’s Charles Pawlosky and Garfield’s Riley Laporte put on a show at the Division II regional meet at Austintown Fitch last weekend. All three threw the shot put more than 59 feet, with Pawlosky winning the meet with a throw of 59-10, which he said was a PR of close to two feet. Laporte also accomplished his season-long goal of beating Garfield’s school record with a toss of 59-00.25.

Expect these three to put on a show again this week, as they are the only three throwers with a seeding throw higher than 59 feet. The next closest throw heading into the weekend is four feet short of the three throwers.

EYES ON TWO…STATE TITLES

Chaney’s Rhiea Ann Gordon has her eyes on capturing two state titles this weekend after qualifying in both the 100- and 200-meter races. In the 100-meter dash, Gordon comes in with a seed time of 12.22 seconds, and Olivia Pace from Wester Central comes in with the top seeding of 11.84.

Gordon also clocked a 25.57 in the 200-meter dash, and she’ll be racing in the second heat on Friday. She’ll find herself in competitive races, as all of the runners have clocked at least sub-26 second times with four runners clocking a sub-25 seed time.

READY FOR TAKEOFF

The Maplewood distance runners, on both the girls and boys sides, have seen success throughout the postseason. On the boys side, Maplewood sophomore Alex Donaldson captured a district title in the 1600-meter race and comes into the state meet with a 4:28.97 clocking.

On the girls side, the Rockets have state qualifiers in the 4×800 relay, and the 3200-, 1600- and 800-meter races. Sophomore Caleigh Ricahards will go for the double state title as a qualifier in the 3200 and 1600, while Emily Butler qualified for the 800-meter state title race.

In the 1600, Richards is the only runner with a seeding time under 5 minutes. Her fellow competitors are a little closer in the 3200, as the second-best time comes in at 10:44.40 while Richards has a seeding time of 10:42.82.

TAKING ANOTHER STEP

A year ago, Girard’s Ricky Marsico came in as a runner-up in the 800-meter race. Now, after winning his second-straight regional title, Marsico is ready to take another step at the state meet.

He comes into the event, which will take place Saturday, as the top seed with a clocking of 1:54.74. The next best time was turned in by Brian Bates from Chardon NDCL with a 1:55.86.

THE ULTIMATE FACEOFF

Throughout the postseason, the 4×100 boys relay teams from Valley Christian and Warren JFK have been going head-to-head with each other. Valley Christian is the defending state champion in the event, and the team of RaQuan Bell, Phillip Spradley, Kwane Austin and Marquez Gibbs will look to hold off the Warren JFK team made up of Antonio Smith, Donovan McCoy, Thomas Easton and Antwan Brown.

Valley Christian comes into the event with a seeding time of 43.26, while Warren JFK has a 43.39. They’ll both race in Heat 1 of the preliminary races Friday with hopes of advancing to the final Saturday.

UP AND OVER

Plenty of hurdlers have found their way to the state meet. In Division III, Springfield’s Beau Brungard and Lowellville’s Michael Ballone both went head-to-head at the regional meet and put themselves in a good position to compete in both the 110 and 300 hurdles.

Mineral Ridge’s Ava Hulett and Lordstown’s Sarah Schneider will compete in the 100-meter hurdles at the D-III level as well.

In Division II, Garfield’s Ryan Stoller qualified for state in both the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles, while Girard’s Nic Bengala made his way in the 300 hurdles and Ursuline’s Clancy Chrystal qualified in the 110 hurdles.

Finally, at the Division I level, Boardman’s Logan Thompson will look to bring home gold in the 300 hurdles after breaking the school record at the regional meet. Austintown Fitch’s De’Aunee Thompson also will compete in the 300 hurdles.

THROWING TOGETHER

A few local schools will have teammate throwers in Columbus. Austintown Fitch’s Jamell James and DJ Williams both qualified for the state meet, becoming the first pair of Austintown Fitch teammates to qualify for a throwing event in the same year in 30 years. James qualified in both the discus and the shot put, while Williams qualified in the discus.

Lexus Solarz and Courtney Clark will represent Howland, as Solarz qualified in the discus and Clark punched her ticket in the shot put. Connor Durig will represent Howland in the high jump.

McDonald’s Dante Mediati and Ryan Henry will compete in both the shot put and discus.

Riley Laporte and Jesse Grace from Garfield also qualified together in the discus.

State Track and Field Local Qualifiers

Division I

Boys

4×800 Relay: Canfield (Jason Hammar, Ryan Bennett, Nick Plant, Ronnie Sinkovich); 4×200 Relay: Boardman (Trey Depietro, Cameron Thompson, Logan Thompson, Ben Alvarico); 4×100 Relay: Boardman (Ben Alvarico, Trey Depietro, Cameron Thompson, Logan Thompson); 800 Meters: Nick Plant, Canfield; 100 Meters: Ben Alvarico, Boardman; 300 Hurdles: Logan Thompson, Boardman; Shot Put: Jamell James, Austintown Fitch; Discus: DJ Williams, Austintown Fitch; Jamell James, Austintown Fitch; ; High Jump: Connor Durig, Howland; Pole Vault: Harrison Spalding, Austintown Fitch

Girls

100 Meters: Rhea Ann Gordon, Chaney; 200 Meters: Rhea An Gordon, Chaney; 100 Hurdles: Savannah Jones, Austintown Fitch; 300 Hurdles: De’Aunee Thompson, Austintown Fitch; Long Jump: Na’Veyah Parisi, Warren G. Harding; ; Discus: Lexus Solarz, Howland; Shot Put: Courtney Clark, Howland

Division II

Boys

4×800 Relay: Salem (Davin Koskinen, Andy Wilson, Lucas Ziegler, Will Madison); 800 Meters: Ricky Marsico, Girard; Andrew Biggs, Poland Seminary; 110 Hurdles: Clancy Chrystal, Ursuline; Ryan Stoller, Garfield; 300 Hurdles: Ryan Stoller, Garfield; Nic Bengala, Girard; Discus: Carson Stockman, Salem; Riley Laporte, Garfield, Jesse Grace, Garfield; High Jump: Dominic Malito, Girard; Long Jump: Cam Jaquette, Salem; Dom Malito, Girard;

Girls

4×800 Relay: Salem (Megan Stafford, Molly Hopple, Maggie Hopple, Maggie Hall); 4×400 Relay: Salem (Rylee Hutton, Maggie Hopple, Ella Double, Maggie Hall); 4×200 Relay: West Branch (Kennedy Berger, Lauren Gossett, Anna Lippiatt, Sophia Gregory); Girard (Mia Malito, Olivia Coman, Sieasia Triplett, Seyhan Dede); 4×100 Relay: West Branch (Lauren Gossett, Kennedy Berger, Anna Lippiatt, Zoe Sanders); 3200 Meters: Molly Hopple, Salem; Megan Stafford, Salem; 800 Meters: Maggie Hopple, Salem; Maggie Hall, Salem; 400 Meters: Rylee Hutton, Salem; High Jump: Mia Malito, Girard

Division III

Boys

4×800 Relay: McDonald (Juan Villanueva, Caleb Domitrovich, Carson Klase, Sammy Gibbons); 4×200 Relay: Warren JFK (Antonio Smith, Donovan McCoy, Thomas Easton, Antwan Brown); McDonald (Brian Fisher, Nathan Gilligan, Michael Woloschak, Oniah Russo); 4×400 Relay: Lowellville (Giovanni Docherty, Vinny Ballone, Jim Clinton, Michael Ballone); McDonald (Juan Villanueva, Michael Woloschak, Brian Fisher, Oniah Russo); Crestview (Jack Yerkey, Ryan Emch, Matt Deniro, Mitchell Auer); 4×100 Relay: Valley Christian (RaQuan Bell, Phillip Spradley, Kwane Austin, Marquez Gibbs); Warren JFK (Antonio Smith, Donovan McCoy, Thomas Easton, Antwan Brown); 400 Meters: Samuel Blauser, Liberty; 3200 Meters: Carson Klase, McDonald; 1600 Meters: Alex Donaldson, Maplewood; 800 Meters: Eric Shepherd, Mineral Ridge; 200 Meters: Beau Brungard, Springfield; Nathan Gilligan, McDonald; 100 Meters: Nathan Gilligan, McDonald; Antwan Brown, Warren JFK; 300 Hurdles: Beau Brungard, Springfield; Michael Ballone, Lowellville; 110 Hurdles: Beau Brungard, Springfield; Michael Ballone, Lowellville; Discus: Ryan Henry, McDonald; Dante Mediati, McDonald; Shot Put: Ryan Henry, McDonald; Dante Mediati, McDonald; High Jump: Carter Burnett, Badger; Long Jump: Ryan Emch, Crestview; Corey Lilley, Mathews; Mikiylen Jones, Windham;

Girls

4×800 Relay: Lowellville (Savannah Procick, Hadassah Rivera, Sophia Melillo, Sophia Yon); Maplewood (Caleigh Richards, Bailey Starcher, Abigail Dority, Emily Butler); McDonald (Lillian Cappuzzello, Brooke Bosheff, Megan Hipple, Bria Rupe); 4×200 Relay: Springfield (Emma Sanders, Bella Brown, Ava Vecchione, Graciella Ebert); Liberty (Aaliyah Foster, Tomiyah Smith, Jordan Banks, Teiarra Triplett); 4×100 Relay: Columbiana (Alexia Stoy, Julia Rapp, Tomi Ross, Ellie Jackson); Springfield (Bella Brown, Ava Vecchione, Cali Matey, Graciella Ebert); Liberty (Tomiyah Smith, Teiarra Triplett, Jordan Banks, Aaliyah Foster); 3200 Meters: Caleigh Richards, Maplewood; Megan Hipple, McDonald; 1600 Meters: Caleigh Richards, Maplewood; Sophia Yon, Lowellville; 800 Meters: Emily Butler, Maplewood; 400 Meters: Emma Sanders, Springfield; 200 Meters: Chloe Coates, Warren JFK; Julia Rapp, Columbiana; 100 Meters: Julia Rapp, Columbiana; Chloe Coates, Warren JFK; 100 Hurdles: Sarah Schneider, Lordstown; Ava Hulett, Mineral Ridge; Discus: Haleigh McCalla, Springfield; Olivia Booth, Mineral Ridge; High Jump: Mia Lee, East Palestine; Long Jump: Sarah Schneider, Lordstown;

Seated Division

Boys

100 Meters: Cody Piver, Canfield; Devon Reagan, Windham; Shot Put: Cody Piver, Canfield;

Girls

Shot Put: Anna Airhart, McDonald