The Boardman Boys Track Team will send seven athletes in ten events to the 2021 OHSAA State Championship this weekend at Hilliard Darby High School after placing fifth overall at this year’s OHSAA Northeast Regional last weekend.
      The Spartans opened the OHSAA Regional with junior Cameron Thompson placing 3rd in the 100 meter dash to qualify to state with a time of 11.38. Next up for Boardman was the 4x100 relay. The all junior team of Anthony Hightower, Cameron Thompson, Ben Alvarico, and Trey DePietro raced to a 2nd Place finish, just missing first place by 1-100th of a second with a time 43.19. Following the relay, sophomore Logan Thompson added to the roster to state by placing 3rd in the 300H in a time of 39.82. Teammate Trey DePietro missed qualifying, but still finished 8th in the event with a time of 40.79. Senior Jonah Bacho will also travel to state after a 4th place finish in the shot put. Bacho’s throw of 52’5.75” was nearly 3 feet ahead of the next athlete, comfortably qualifying the Spartan to state.
      “I am so proud of all of our athletes ,” said Boardman Head Coach John Phillips, “they battled in some terrible conditions with rain, wind, and cold, and did not let that affect them one bit. This is the biggest group we have taken to Columbus in a long time-huge credit to our kids. This is not possible without our coaching staff either--I cannot thank Rick Sypert, John Pallini, John DePietro, Darrien Williams, and Jason Armburger enough, they did a fantastic job preparing our kids for the big stage.”
      Joining them at state will be senior Micah Beckwith who qualified in all four seated events earlier this season. Beckwith will compete in the shot put final on Friday as well as prelims in the 100 and 400 and will have finals in those events along with the 800 on Saturday.
      “Micah is going to be very busy on Friday and hopefully, if all goes well, Saturday too. His experience during his freshman and sophomore seasons have prepared him for the workload he is going to have this year. He is a very dedicated athlete and works very hard on the track, in the ring, and in the weight room,” said Phillips.
      All of the Spartans will compete on Friday and Saturday at Hilliard Darby High School.
     
      PICTURED:  BOARDMAN HIGH SCHOOL QUALIFIERS for the Ohio prep track and field championships, from left, are Jonah Bacho, Anthony Hightower, Ben Alvarico, Logan Thompson, Cameron Thompson, and Trey DePietro.