10 to Comprehend: Track Stars

I'll admit it.

When I first accepted the full-time sports reporter position here at the Gazette, I didn't know much about the track and field world, nor did I go out of my way to cover it. But it, much like wrestling and swimming, has really grown on me. I now enjoy and even look forward to seeing the area's athletes succeed in an unforgiving sport.

Whether you're running sprints, jumping hurdles or throwing shot put, you have to be extremely talented to reach the highest mountain that is Columbus, Ohio.

This week's "10 to Comprehend" takes a look at just some of the area's gifted track and field athletes who are destined for this year's OHSAA State Track and Field Championships.

• It's been awhile since Columbus hasn't welcomed Southeastern's Kent Dunn to town for a State Track and Field Meet. In fact, Dunn has qualified each of the past three years while missing the cut as a freshman. However, Dunn will look to place for the first time in the 110-meter hurdles at this year's spectacle as he's come in 15th (2015, 15.68) and 12th (2014, 15.52). Dunn won a Division III district title with a 15.06 — over a full second faster than his closest competitor. In the district preliminaries, he ran a 14.91. If he can keep his time in that ballpark, he's got a shot at finishing on the podium.

• Chillicothe's all-world long jumper Tanea Cousins is a household name around the area and a once-in-a-lifetime talent for the Cavaliers. Yes, she's that good. The Alcorn State-bound senior has not been an unfamiliar face when it comes to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. After winning an indoor state title in the triple jump — an event the OHSAA still does not offer — Cousins will be seeking her first outdoor state title after finishing second in Division I's long jump regional (18-0.75). Believe it or not, that's a mark that is nearly a foot off her PR. She'll be looking for 19 feet in her fourth state championship appearance this coming weekend.

• Unioto sent a pair of sisters and rising stars to Columbus this past weekend. Sophomore Autumn Mohan reached the state meet with a fourth-place finish in the shot put event (37-07) and a second-place showing in the discus throw (124-06). Her sister, Abbey, a freshman, helped the Shermans' 4x800 relay advance with a second-place finish at 9:28.32. That time was the fastest ever in Ross County history; not too shabby at all. Abbey also qualified in the 800-meter run, taking fourth at 2:17.45. Look for the Mohan sisters to continue and ink their names into Unioto track and field folklore, a long list indeed.

• In the sprints section, Paint Valley's Tony Hatfield has become king. The senior has crowned himself with a history of success and lightning-in-a-bottle type speed. Hatfield won a regional title Friday evening in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.51. He also qualified in the 100, finishing at 11.11. The qualification in the 200 is the first of such for Hatfield in his storied four-year career. The qualification in the 100 is his third after taking fourth in 2015 with an 11.03 and ninth in 2014 at 11.39. He's a favorite to place on the podium and has to be considered among the top challengers for the state title.

• Joining Hatfield in Columbus from Bainbridge will be Paint Valley's Jacob Ott, a junior shot put and discus throw specialist. Ott had never qualified for a state meet until this year and he did it in style. I guess the wait was well worth it. Ott advanced with a second-place finish in the shot (51-03) and a third-place finish in the discus (149-feet). Sometimes, the pressure of Columbus and thousands of people looking down on you can affect the mindsets of athletes. However, Ott has performed in that type of position before. After all, he is the Bearcats' place kicker on the gridiron. I expect him to perform well next weekend.

• If you haven't figured out that Brian Hall is a phenomenal athlete yet, you've been asleep over the past four years. Hall, now a senior which is unbelievable, took third in the Division III high jump at Fairfield Union High School, Friday night. Hall's mark of 6-03 trailed just Piketon's Timothy Trawick (6-04) and Fairfield Christian's Isaac Nayers (6-05). Last year, Hall was the Division III state runner-up with a jump of 6-06 as a junior. That type of jump would once again put him in contention for a state title. Dawson-Bryant's Brandon Adkins, whom Hall trailed last year at 6-08, has graduated. The state crown is Hall's to win.

• Zane Trace's first state qualifier this year, boys or girls, was junior Brooklyn Pritchard, in the 200-meter dash. Pritchard finished fourth with a 26.73 after taking sixth in the 200 preliminaries at 27.12. Pritchard will now take on the biggest stage in high school track and field for the second time after helping the Pioneers' 4x400 relay qualify in 2015 as a sophomore. That experience should help, even though she'll be running in a different event. If Pritchard has a good day, the rest of the field should be warned. She's capable of placing on the podium, without a doubt.

• Rachael Foster has been and continues to be one of my favorite athletes to watch. Why? She just embodies the perfect mix of hustle, confidence, talent and personality. The Adena senior can now say she's performed at a state volleyball level (2014) and a state track and field level (2016). After winning a Division III district title in the 100-meter hurdles (48.68), Foster advanced to state with a third-place regional finish at 47.43. If she places or if she fails to place in Columbus, one thing is for sure, I and Adena High School will be saying goodbye to a special young lady.

• Performance of the Week: So many great performances took place this week. When you think about how many student-athletes advanced to the state meet, it really shows you how much talent our area actually possesses. However, I'm going to go with Adena's Taylor Clarkson, who won a regional title with a time of 5:17.15 in the 1600-meter run. Folks, I can't even begin to fathom running 1600 meters and I don't care how much time you give me. Congrats to her.

• Fact that probably interests me only: I do love my sports history, especially my local sports history. Way back in 1953, Chillicothe High School's Wayne Stevens won the area's first individual state title with a 6-01.25 in the high jump. Stevens followed that title with another one in 1954, jumping 6-02.50. The area's next state title didn't come until 1970 when Frankfort Adena's Charles Sowers won the discus throw with a heave of 158-04.25.

dwebb@chillicothegazette.com

Twitter: @dw1509