(Olivia 'Scrappy' Pace at the VA Showcase)
Piggy-backing on the popular weekly content execution -- The Scoop -- that Cory Mull and his team at MileSplit National have been publishing for a few years now, we're aiming to replicate this good work for Ohio and went with the philosophy:
'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' ...
And with that, welcome to the 'State-Level Scoop' where the premise is exactly the same as the USA staple (featuring top level performances from the past week), however with the modification that it's customized to showcase Ohio achievements only.
Our very first article entry had no shortage of accolades to choose from.
See below a selection of indoor track and field efforts that stood out during the second week of January and for a more broad-scale look at all the happenings from the past week, see previously released weekly wrap-up content linked below.
Related Links:
(YSU Meet No. 1 ~ 60m Finals Section 1)
Maira Scott I Holland-Springfield
Our friend Coach Gorby over at Youngstown State has some paperwork editing duties on his hands before he publishes the official program in advance of the next installment of the YSU Series this Saturday with Meet No. 2.
In the 2024 Series Opener on January 13th, Maira Scott re-wrote the facility record book (HS level) for 200m and 60m performances.
The USC bound senior from Holland-Springfield clocked 24.13 in the 200 to eclipse the standing WATTS mark of 24.30 previously held by Sydney Sutton (Bullis School, MD) from 2023.
Scott's mark resides at the top of the Ohio leaderboard and at No. 7, nationally.
In the 60, following a 7.61 mark in the prelims, Scott scored the meet title with a 7.56 clocking in the finals.
Her showing overtakes former record-holder Jahniya Bowers' time of 7.58 from 2019 and tied by Jade Ofotan from Bullis School last year.
Bowers, the former sprints star from Youngstown East HS, has represented the Penguins squad in the past and is now at Ole Miss.
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Photo Credit: Mary Ann Magnant - MileSplit
Olivia Pace I Westerville Central
Pace made her annual trip to Virginia Beach for the VA Showcase, where she contested the 200 (as part of the adidas Nationals qualifying event) and the 55m prelims - 60m finals, a unique set-up which offers multiple distance opportunities within the same event.
Lining up in Section 10 of the 200, Pace dominated, winning the race (and overall event) with a mark of 24.50.
Note that a separate 200 elite race featuring Mia Brahe-Pedersen was conducted later in the meet.
In Pace's event, and specifically her Section, a highly anticipated match-up with McKenzie Travis was nixed after Travis false started and was issued a red card.
Nevertheless, that's a new personal best at the distance (indoors) for Pace.
In the straights, she went 6.91 for second overall in her 55m preliminary contest and then produced a 7.40 mark to secure runner-up honors in the 60m finals.
Once again, with the breadth of elite competition at the Showcase, there were multiple iterations of the 60m event held throughout the course of the weekend.
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Rileigh Scarvelli I Avon Lake
You'd never suspect Rileigh Scarvelli is a middle school'er by watching her perform at high school indoor meets.
One outing wasn't enough this past weekend for the Avon Lake based thrower, as she went back-to-back at Sid Sink on Saturday and then again at Oberlin for more competition on Sunday.
No matter the meet, Scarvelli, an 8th grader, is a threat to win across both the shot put and weight throw events each time she enters the circle.
Throwing high school weighted implements, technically Scarvelli is still contesting the Middle School Division, but, within the merged standings, she's been at or near the top of the leaderboard every time she's competed.
She collected weight throw wins (merged HS and MS standings) at both meets tossing a best mark of 49-4.5 at Bowling Green and 49-5.5 at Oberlin.
In the shot put, again when considering merged standings with high school'ers, she claimed 1st at Bowling Green (46-8) and the runner-up spot at Oberlin (39-8.5).
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Dillon Morlock I Norwayne
The Michigan State signee competed at Kent State, winning both the shot put and weight throw.
In the shot, he kept an umblemished '24 campaign in-tack with his 3rd win in as many outings. He threw a career best 66-4.5 for a US No. 1.
In the weight, he went 67-8 for a season's best. The senior owns a remarkable PR of 71-2 from the 2023 season.
Notably, Morlock is currently in contention for the latest MileSplit USA Performer of the Week honor ~ vote for him HERE
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Tyrone Jackson I Game Speed Performance Academy
A pair of sub 8-second 60m hurdles performances highlighted Tyrone Jackson's day at the SPIRE Scholastic Invitational.
Representing Solon-based Game Speed Academy, Jackson placed 1st overall in the prelims with a 7.92 and then won the meet title with a 7.83 effort in the finals.
His finals showing checks-in as a US tie for No. 4.
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Elijah Harris I Westerville Central
Elijah Harris picked up his fourth triple jump title of the season and none better than his most recent showing at Ohio State.
Winning previously at Kent State, Mount Vernon and Otterbein, Harris delivered a PR mark of 47-4.25 at the French Field House for an Ohio No. 1 and US No. 10.
The Westerville Central sophomore was second at the 2023 OATCCC Division I State Championships and appears poised to make a run for one more step up the podium this year.