June 13, 2013
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Boys Track & Field
Dumford doubles fun at state meet By FRANK DiRENNA THISWEEKSPORTS.COM
North’s Jacob Dumford celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the 3,200-meter relay during the Division I state meet June 7 at Ohio State. CHRIS PARKER/THISWEEKSPORTS
Westerville North High School track and field coach Johnny Jackson doesn’t hesitate to say that senior Jacob Dumford has left his mark on the boys program. Dumford, a four-year standout, capped his prep career by winning the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 8.21 seconds and anchoring the winning 3,200 relay (7:42.47) in the Division I state meet held June 7 and 8 at Ohio State. His time in the 1,600 set a Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium record. The previous mark of 4:08.41 was set by Sandusky Perkins’ Corey Leslie in 2007. Bob Kennedy, a 1988 North graduate, holds the Division I state meet and program record of 4:05.13, which he set as a senior. He was a two-time member of the U.S. Olympic team, placing sixth in the 5,000 (13:12.35) in 1992 in Barcelona, Spain, and finishing 12th in the same event (13:39.72) in 1996 in Atlanta. “Jacob set a stadium record (in the 1,600) and the only person at North ever to run better than him was an Olympian who has the state record,” Jackson said, referring to Kennedy. “Jacob has definitely left his mark, but he’s an outstanding athlete because he can do the (400), (1,600) and
Charlie Moushey of Central clears the bar on a pole vault attempt during the Division I state meet June 8. Moushey placed second. CHRIS PARKER/THISWEEKSPORTS
more Trevor Dilley to win the (800), plus cross country.” Dumford, who hadn’t won a 3,200 relay in a program-record state title before this season, also 7:42.47, well ahead of runner-up teamed with seniors Nick ChaBOYS >> B2 tel and Evan Larrick and sopho-
Girls Track & Field
Wildcats’ 800 relay takes seventh at state meet By FRANK DiRENNA THISWEEKSPORTS.COM Westerville South High School girls track and field coach Jimmy Gaul watched proudly as members of his 800-meter relay stood on the awards podium in the Division I state meet held June 7 and 8 at Ohio State. Despite the fact that only one of the four runners had previous state
experience, the relay of juniors Amaria Estes and Tara Thompson, sophomore Paichence Carter and freshman Chasatea’ Brown placed seventh in 1 minute, 43.2 seconds behind champion Solon (1:40.17). Thompson, who ran the anchor leg, had competed at state last year as a member of the 800 relay that finished 11th (1:44.67). The rest of the relay consisted of 2012 graduates Nikia
Buckingham, Alex Hall and Leija Harris. “Tara is the only one that had any experience out here running last year in the (800 relay),” Gaul said. “Everyone else did a fantastic job of overcoming the spectacle of the state meet, the crowd and all the jitters that go along with it.” South finished 10th in the preliminaries for the 800 relay, one spot shy
of qualifying for the final. However, the Wildcats moved on to the final after the team that finished ninth, Troy, was disqualified. “It took a little bit of luck for us to get in (the final) with a team being disqualified and starting in lane nine, but all we wanted was a chance all season long and we got that chance and made the most of it,” Gaul said. “I’m very proud of them.”
“We wanted to get on the podium so bad last year,” Thompson said. “We came in and we got empty handed. We weren’t even supposed to make it to the finals (this season), but we got lucky. We wanted to get on the podium and we did.” Brown also competed at state in two individual events, placing sev-
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