4 boys finish on the podium after Day 1 in Columbus

COLUMBUS — One school record, one PR and two cases of determination led to four trips to the podium for area boys Thursday on the first day of the state track meet.Hopewell-Loudon senior Aiden Ewald bettered his own school record in the discus with a heave of 183 feet to claim second for the second year in a row.This year's runner-up finish came in Division V while last year's came in Division III. The Ohio High School Athletic Association expanded the divisions in track this year."It feels great. Even though I got second, I got a PR of 183, set a new school record," he said. "My goal was 180, so to get past the 180 mark by a decent amount just feels amazing. And to just be at this environment was the best thing to happen."The senior isn't done.He also qualified for state in the shot for the second year in a row. He didn't place in that event last year, which was held the same day as the discus. This year, the events are on separate days and the senior says he'll enter shot far more relaxed than last year. Entering with a school-record toss of 60-1 ¾ from last week's regional won't hurt, either."Last year it was a little rough because I wanted to do a little better at discus than shot. But this year, it's the second (day)," Ewald said. "I already had a good meet for the disc so now I can just go all out for shot. Last week (at regional), I already got my 60. That was my lifetime goal for shot put, and now we'll just see if I can get it a little bit farther."Buckeye Central junior Collin Perry knows all about going farther.He finished eighth in the long jump at last week's regional in Fostoria, snagging the final at-large state bid.Thursday, he obliterated his previous PR to capture third with a leap of 22-6 in Division V."The funny thing is, I started to clap for my first jump, I did the same thing at regionals and I fouled and I did the same thing here. I think that really motivated me to want to jump — go out there and jump as best as I could.""Coming into this, I got eighth at regionals, I got the last at-large bid," Perry said. "I knew I would have to bring it and I would have to bring my absolute best. And I did that. I came out here and I jumped over a foot PR."It really means a lot to me. My (former) teammate, Corbin Bloomfield, his junior year [2024], he got second at state, he jumped 22-6 ¾, almost the same as me and it means a lot," he said.New Riegel senior Cameron Hohman surged his way to the Division V podium in the 3,200, taking fifth in 9:36.47 after running the first half of the race near the back."I didn't want to go out too hard, didn't want to burn myself out, tried to pace myself until I got to the one-mile mark and then give it everything I've got," Hohman said."This year's been awesome. I hit all the goals I wanted to. Coming in last year, I peaked a little too hard at regionals and didn't have enough at state," he said. "This year, I wanted to see what I could do; made it to state, got fifth and I'm more than happy with it."Hohman returns to the track for today's final in the 1,600, and the senior said he's glad the OHSAA put the meet's two longest individual races on separate days starting this year."I love it. I wish they would've done it sooner. This is awesome," he said. "I get to not worry about the state of my body, and have another day to rest. It made both events a lot easier to compete in."Seneca East freshman Jaron Depinet rounded out the area's placers on the meet's first day after tying two others for eighth in the Division IV boys high jump by clearing 6 feet.Depinet said he had a simple plan entering Thursday, but things just didn't go his way."Jump the best I can today, do the best I can do, treat it like it's just like any other day, try not to let the nerves get to you. But they got the best of me today, I guess, but I'll be back next year and I'll be ready," he said."I'm just grateful to God, to my parents, my coaches. They all helped me," he said.Several other area athletes and teams qualified for today's finals in both Division IV and Division V.Lakota, competing in Division IV, has individual finalists in King Beard in the 100 (11.09) and 200 (22.36), Donovan Statham in the 400 (48.93) and Lucas McEwan in the 300 hurdles (39.51).Beard, Avery Shilling, Brady Tyson and McEwan also advanced to the finals in the 4x400 (3:23.61).Carey had similar results in Division V.The Blue Devils advanced in the 4x200 (1:30.73) and 4x100 (43.45).Tripp Phoenix, Dalen Walter and Lucas Smith-Hayward ran on both relays for Carey. Lincoln Ritter joined them on the 4x200, and Mace Puckett filled out the 4x100.Phoenix also made the finals in the 100 (11.05).Perry moved on to the finals in the 100 (11.0) and 200 (22.76) for Buckeye Central.Old Fort's 4x400 team of Isaac Gallagher, Brayden Davis, Aiden Dick and Aidan Chapman advanced (3:25.51).Chapman also moved on in the 400 (50.45).GirlsOnly two area girls qualified for today's finals on the first day of the Division V state track meet Thursday.Calvert senior Emily Miller advanced in the 200 (25.58) and 400 (56.15).Carey sophomore Elysa Holsinger qualified for the finals in the 300 hurdles (45.7).