Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes. Girard senior Josiah Hunter (right) competes in the Division II Region 5 boys 100m dash, earning the regional title with a time of 11.21s.

AUSTINTOWN — With gusty winds, a lack of sunlight, and some light rain fall at times, the conditions weren’t ideal on Saturday in Austintown. With that being said, Mahoning Valley natives battled through the elements, claiming a slew of top-four finishes and trips to next week’s state meet in Columbus.

GIRARD DOMINANCE

One program that’s always bound to find a healthy representation in the Division II state meet is Girard, with senior Josiah Hunter earning the regional title during the boys 100m dash, clocking a time of 11.21s.

Next weekend will be Hunter’s state meet debut.

“It’s freezing — there were a couple of bad times — wish it was warmer,” Hunter said. “Mentally and health-wise with my hamstrings, I’ve had some problems with my hamstrings for a couple of weeks now. You can’t run scared, I just have a lot of faith in the Lord.

“We have a fast region, I’ve heard. This is only my third year doing track, I’m typically a football guy. You can’t worry about your time too much during the race, you can worry about it after.”

Hunter went to Columbus two years ago as an alternate runner, now he’ll be able to take to the track on the big stage.

“I was supposed to play for Trumbull County in the (Jack Arvin All-Star game), but I’m doing this now,” Hunter said. “I’m all in, it’s a surreal feeling.”

On the girls side in the 100m dash, fellow Girard teammate Jessica Hansen clinched a trip to Columbus, finishing fourth at 12.819 seconds, .006 seconds behind third-place finisher Livia Martini.

She’d later go on to compete as a member of Girard’s 4x100m squad, running a 50.24 to take fourth and earn an automatic state bid in that event as well. Two years ago she competed at state in the 200m and 4x200m.

“This feels great, I’ve worked so hard and my team lifts me up. I’m excited to qualify for both,” Hansen said after having a quick turnaround after her 100m dash. “It’s quite hard, especially in this cold weather. It’s definitely a challenge, but we make it work.

“It feels great, making it to state in two events, helping my team and bringing them up with me. It’s a big meet, it’s definitely nerve wracking (at state), but I take on the challenge and it’s very exciting.”

Competing with Hansen on the Indians 4x100m relay team is senior Alexis Pieton, sophomore Khloe Pieton and junior Laiyah Pappa.

As the lone senior, Alexis Pieton finally earned her shot at making state as a main competitor after being an alternate last season.

“It’s really meaningful for us and the whole team because we get to enjoy another weekend in Columbus. I’m so excited to do it with my team,” Alexis Pieton said. “We really trust in each other regardless of injuries, or anything that comes our way. We trust each other and do our best.”

Khloe Pieton, who competed in state last year in the 4×100 added, “(State) changed a lot, it made me more confident as an athlete, and it was a good experience to have those people around me. It’s honestly just a blessing to get to this point and be here.”

Pappa was also a part of that 4×100 team last year, but battled through injury issues this spring.

“I was out half the season with a hamstring injury, so the support that they gave me, and not pushing me to come back really helped me. I came back it just felt so much better,” Pappa said. “It’s amazing to come here with this group of girls, it feels like we’re closer than last year, and it’s great to have qualified for the state tournament.”

MOTIVATED SQUAD

Ursuline isn’t afraid to talk about what’s been on the back of its mind during the last 12 months.

During the preliminary round of the regional meet last May, the Fighting Irish had a miscue on an exchange zone, dropped the baton and saw their track season come to a premature end.

With three of the four runners from that quartet back, it was time to finish some unsolved business.

Clocking a time of 43.12s, the group of senior Tairan Davis, junior Devonte Taylor, sophomore Amire Brown and 4×100 newcomer junior Xavier Starghill earned third place to book their spot at Ohio State.

“We kept the baton after we dropped it, and used it every day in practice for exchanges and stuff,” Taylor said. “It made us more hungry to get back to where we were and we got past it, so that’s all that matters.

“You see the teams around here, it’s really good, it really pushes us to get better.”

Brown added, “We really weren’t focused like we were this year, but this year we’re locked in. It feels good. I know we can do better at the end of the day, so it’s only work from here.”

Davis, being the lone senior, has waited for his chance to finally break onto the scene in Columbus, and now the reality of the situation has begun to set in.

“It feels good, since I’ve been in high school, we’ve had a chance all four years, just haven’t been able to put it together. This year we put it together,” Davis said. “The dedication and we’ve put in the work all season. I’m expecting a better time (at Columbus), we’re all working trying to get it.”

Starghill competed as an individual twice on Saturday, taking sixth place in the boy’s 110m hurdles (15.26s), then seventh place during the boy’s 300m hurdles (42.58s). His 4×100 fell in between both of his individual events, making the time to refocus between events limited.

“I slipped out of my block in the 110mH, so I was kind of mad about that, but I came back,” Starghill said. “This feels like a real family, we do everything right at practice, and that’s how we get it done here.”

STATE VETERANS

Transitioning over into the distance events, a couple of local runners are preparing to add to state resumes that already have chapters filled out.

Salem senior Maggie Hall earned regional runner-up honors during the girl’s 1600m (5:09.77), then later earned a bid with third-place finishes in the girls 800m (2:21.98) and girl’s 4x400m (4:04.51). It’ll be the second time she’ll compete in four events at the state meet, taking into account the Salem 4x800m team that earned its state spot on Thursday.

During Hall’s sophomore campaign, she qualified during four events, then qualified in three last June after missing the 1600m cut last season at regionals.

“After racing a couple events the other day, I just came out here, wanting to compete with the field and everything. Obviously there’s always great competition here. But it’s just one step, we still have another week,” Hall said. “Temperature-wise it isn’t too bad, but the winds on the turns are pretty brutal. But at the same time, all of the athletes are going through it, so you’re not the only one. I feel like there’s a little bit of comfort in that too.

“Each race, I step onto the track with a little bit of nerves and everything, but I step onto the track not thinking about anything other than the race in front of me.”

Fellow Quakers senior Maggie Hopple, a state veteran herself, earned an individual bid with a fourth-place finish during the 1600m (5:11.44), then competed in the 4×400 with Karlie Sampson, Abby Knickerbocker and Hall.

Knickerbocker, Hall and Hopple already qualified for the girls 4x800m on Thursday. Hopple and Hall have been members of Salem’s state qualifying 4×400 and 4x800m squads all four years of their high school careers.

South Range senior Emmitt Slabach was half of the best “photo finish” of the regional competition on Saturday, rushing to the finish line with Orrville junior Owen Lacy in an exciting boys 1600m race.

Slabach was the regional runner-up, but only by .003 seconds, officially running a time of 4:19.940. He’d later compete in the boys 3200m, earning 13th place (10:09.15), but has found himself on the podium at states before in the mile.

“I knew we went out too slow. We went through 800m on pace for a 4:25. I wasn’t planning on taking it that soon, but since we went out so slow, I knew I had to do something or else we’d run too slow,” Slabach said. “I had a lot left, and I was able to finish. My last lap was like a 00:59, it came down to the wire, and (Lacy) just barely got me. But at state, if we go out a little quicker, I think I do best when someone else takes the brakes out and I don’t have to worry about it being tactical or anything. If it’s a very fair race, then I think I can perform a lot better.

“Last year I was not expecting to qualify. I went into districts with a 4:27 PR, and there were guys running low 4:20, and I ended up running a 4:19. Just that race alone helped me have some confidence. I was able to get to regionals and qualify and then I did the same at state.”

OTHERS COMPETING IN FINALS EVENTS

Boyss high jump, Sam Wagner (Hubbard, senior), 7th, 6-0 feet, Blake Daniels (Ursuline, junior), 11th, 6-0 feet…girls long jump, Taylor Gearhart (Champion, senior), 7th, 15-6.50 feet, Karlie Sampson (Salem, junior), 10th, 15-1.75 feet, Alexis Pieton (Girard, senior), 13th, 14-3 feet….boys shot put, Gaven Hanson (Girard, senior), 7th, 50-2 feet, Hunter Owen (Salem, junior), 8th, 49-2 feet, Connor Crilley (Ursuline, freshmen), 15th, 42-3 feet….girls discus, Noelle Cheney (Hubbard, junior), 13th, 92-3 feet, Maddy Adams (Salem, junior), foul…….boys 4x200m, Salem (Will Harmon, Marcus Phillips, Ben Severe, Josh Mayhew), 5th, 1:31.24…..boys 1600m, Anthony Marble-Salem (Lakeview, senior), 9th, 4:32.40….boys 4x100m, Salem (Will Harmon, Ben Severe, Josh Mayhew, Marcus Phillips), 6th, 43.91s, Girard (Allen Hess Cordona, Nick Rafferty, Josiah Hunter, Thomas Walters), 7th, 44.73s….boys 400m, Michael Charles (Ursuline, senior), 6th, 51.06s….boys 300mH, William Baugher (Pymatuning Valley, sophomore), 5th, 40.89s….boy’s 800m, Jake Langmeyer (Lakeview, senior), 9th, 2:01.02….boys 3200m, Aiden Wright (Salem, junior), 14th, 10:19.11.