Newark's Barrett again qualifies for state track meet

• Tana Barrett overcame two early misses at 4-10 to place second and qualify for state.
• Granville's 4x800 placed third, one of three teams to break the previous regional record.

PICKERINGTON – Tana Barrett left everyone's nerves frayed Wednesday.

By the time the Newark junior, however, had finished her day, she set a new standard for herself. Barrett overcame a slow start to reset her school record, place second and qualify for the Division I state meet in the high jump during the regional meet at Pickerington North.

Barrett cleared 5-feet-6 and competes in her second state meet at noon June 6 at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. She gave herself an early scare Wednesday when she missed twice at the opening height of 4-10.

"If I had no heighted, I would have gone berserk," Barrett said. "Oh my gosh. ... I just knew that I needed to power straight up. I don't know why I was going into it to begin with."

Granville also qualified in the 4x800, placing third (9:16.48), and competes at 4:45 p.m. June 5.

Barrett dodged the bullet at the 4-10 and was not particularly clean on her way up, missing her first attempt at 5-1, 5-4 and 5-5. She, however, rose to the occasion, clearing 5-6 for the first time in her career.

Five others cleared 5-4, but just four cleared 5-5, ensuring qualification for Barrett. She and Lancaster freshman Hope Purcell were only two to go one height higher.

"I actually do like that pressure because it makes me push myself harder," Barrett said. "But then there is the thing in the back of your head going, 'This will be harder. You might not get to where you want to if you have an off day.'"

Barrett cleared 5-2 and finished 14th at the 2014 state meet. She said confidence should be a big boost in giving her chance to fight for a spot on the podium.

"I just need to calm down," Barrett said. "I was so nervous last year because of the atmosphere. I need to kind of relax and still have that adrenaline flow. Thinking that I am in the top 2 (for regional), I won't be so nervous."

In the 4x800, Granville was three seconds off its school-record time from the district meet but still was one of three teams to eclipse the previous regional record.

Senior Cassidy Carey led off and put the Blue Aces in solid position. Then, she had to watch like everyone else.

"It is more nerve-racking because I am the first of our team to show, and I have to set us up well," Carey said. "I was excited to see what they could do. It's an awesome team."

Freshman Maddie Long moved up the Blue Aces, and senior Claire Lamb and freshman Kylee McFarland pulled the Blue Aces clear of the traffic fighting for the final qualifying spot.

Granville finished 11th in the 2014 state meet and could potentially add junior standout Micaela DeGenero to the relay next week. She is working her way back from injury and competes in the 1,600 during Friday's finals.

"I think we were feeling pretty intense today," Carey said. "Some of us felt a little flat, but we did what we could do to make it. That was our No. 1 goal: to advance and put the rest out at the state meet."

In the boys meet, Watkins Memorial finished 12th (8:25.23) in the 4x800, and Watkins' Jarod Worcester finished ninth in the pole vault (13-3).