Rivas, Hart place at OHSAA State Track and Field Championships
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
COLUMBUS — On the second day of the Division II 2012 OHSAA State Track and Field Championships, McClain's Luis Rivas and Hillsboro's Jarrod Hart earned a spot on the podium following their respective events at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University, Saturday afternoon.
Rivas, a senior, finished seventh for the second consecutive year in the 400-meter dash, this year with a time of 50.09 Saturday (starting from the ninth position).
Rivas beat his time of 50.54 from the preliminary race on Friday, as the weather was that day was more of a cold wind on day one at the state championships, compared to the mid-70s and sun on Saturday.
"It was a rough weekend … I came in here (Friday) and I didn't have a good time. I was ninth then. I don't know what happened," Rivas said. "I think everything just got to me and kind of collapsed. I just did what I could.
"I can't blame the weather on Friday … I have no excuses. There is nothing I can say to make up for my bad time. The wind does have an effect on the runners … coming around from where the 200 is started it was just a brick wall of wind. It hits you, and you have to adjust mentally and physically. It's hard to do that sometimes."
Rivas was pleased with being a two-time state placer during his final two years at McClain in the 400m dash, as in '11 he was seventh with a time of 49.83. That was the same time he ran at the Athens Regionals this season, where he finished in second as he's battled various leg injuries throughout the year.
He also commented on not reaching his goal of breaking the McClain school record in the 400m dash.
"I've been seventh both times here. I did better here last year … I think my prime was last year," Rivas said. "I didn't have any injuries last year. It feels good to come back and to place again, and to get another medal … I'll take it.
"I still didn't get that record … nothing I can do about it now, it's gone. Corey King (the school record holder since 1983) he's going to have that thing for a long time I think."
At the districts this year, Rivas was first-place at 50.77, and at the SCOL meet, also a first-place run was timed at 52.75.
[[In-content Ad]]Winning the state 400m dash was senior Alante Oliver of Dayton Thurgood with a time of 47.40.
As for Hart, it was the Hillsboro junior's first time on the state stage, and in his 800m run, he had to face 15 other runners in the same race, staying in the top half of the event for the entire two laps of sprinting.
"Jarrod came here and learned how to run at this level," Hillsboro boys assistant track and field coach Rob Snavley said. "We were thrilled with his finish, and now it's time to comeback next year and see if he can do even better."
Hart finished with a time on Saturday of 1.57.60 to place sixth.
"It was a great experience and I'm glad I got to go through it," Hart said following the race. "I spent a lot of time in the offseason wanting to make it here and it paid off. I'm happy with what I got.
"Hopefully next year I can get my time down a lot more and place a little better."
In his three meets in the 800m run leading up to the state championships, Hart won three times, taking part in SCOL, district and regional championship meets. In the SCOL meet, Hart finished at 2:02.17 (London H.S.), followed by a district time of 1:57.74 (Washington H.S.) and a regional time of 1:55.62 (Athens H.S.).
"It's a good feeling to place, but it really hasn't hit me yet because I'm so dang tired," Hart said. "Later it will feel good and it was a great experience.
"It's great to finish where I did. A lot of the guys I raced with were seniors, several were juniors …. so hopefully next year I can get closer to the top. It was a great year and I'm looking forward to next year."
Winning the 800m run was junior Jared Fleming of Van Wert High School with a time of 1:54.01.
On Friday at the state championships, in the 100-meter hurdles, Hillsboro senior Leah Pence finished in 16th place overall (eighth in the first heat of the prelims) with a time of 21.36. Midway during her race, Pence was tripped up on a hurdle. Pence entered the state competition with a time of 15.95 at the Athens regional.
HHS sophomore Megan Overberg finished 12th overall (seventh in the second heat preliminaries) in the 400m dash with a time of 60.54.
Freshman Hannah Kibler (HHS) finished 14th overall (seventh in the first heat preliminaries) in the 200m dash with a time of 26.55.
The Hillsboro girls 4x400 meter relay team of sophomore Hannah Opst, junior Autumn Hacker, junior Brittany Ferrell and Overberg finished 14th overall (seventh in the first heat preliminaries) with at time of 4.11.70.
Rivas, a senior, finished seventh for the second consecutive year in the 400-meter dash, this year with a time of 50.09 Saturday (starting from the ninth position).
Rivas beat his time of 50.54 from the preliminary race on Friday, as the weather was that day was more of a cold wind on day one at the state championships, compared to the mid-70s and sun on Saturday.
"It was a rough weekend … I came in here (Friday) and I didn't have a good time. I was ninth then. I don't know what happened," Rivas said. "I think everything just got to me and kind of collapsed. I just did what I could.
"I can't blame the weather on Friday … I have no excuses. There is nothing I can say to make up for my bad time. The wind does have an effect on the runners … coming around from where the 200 is started it was just a brick wall of wind. It hits you, and you have to adjust mentally and physically. It's hard to do that sometimes."
Rivas was pleased with being a two-time state placer during his final two years at McClain in the 400m dash, as in '11 he was seventh with a time of 49.83. That was the same time he ran at the Athens Regionals this season, where he finished in second as he's battled various leg injuries throughout the year.
He also commented on not reaching his goal of breaking the McClain school record in the 400m dash.
"I've been seventh both times here. I did better here last year … I think my prime was last year," Rivas said. "I didn't have any injuries last year. It feels good to come back and to place again, and to get another medal … I'll take it.
"I still didn't get that record … nothing I can do about it now, it's gone. Corey King (the school record holder since 1983) he's going to have that thing for a long time I think."
At the districts this year, Rivas was first-place at 50.77, and at the SCOL meet, also a first-place run was timed at 52.75.
[[In-content Ad]]Winning the state 400m dash was senior Alante Oliver of Dayton Thurgood with a time of 47.40.
As for Hart, it was the Hillsboro junior's first time on the state stage, and in his 800m run, he had to face 15 other runners in the same race, staying in the top half of the event for the entire two laps of sprinting.
"Jarrod came here and learned how to run at this level," Hillsboro boys assistant track and field coach Rob Snavley said. "We were thrilled with his finish, and now it's time to comeback next year and see if he can do even better."
Hart finished with a time on Saturday of 1.57.60 to place sixth.
"It was a great experience and I'm glad I got to go through it," Hart said following the race. "I spent a lot of time in the offseason wanting to make it here and it paid off. I'm happy with what I got.
"Hopefully next year I can get my time down a lot more and place a little better."
In his three meets in the 800m run leading up to the state championships, Hart won three times, taking part in SCOL, district and regional championship meets. In the SCOL meet, Hart finished at 2:02.17 (London H.S.), followed by a district time of 1:57.74 (Washington H.S.) and a regional time of 1:55.62 (Athens H.S.).
"It's a good feeling to place, but it really hasn't hit me yet because I'm so dang tired," Hart said. "Later it will feel good and it was a great experience.
"It's great to finish where I did. A lot of the guys I raced with were seniors, several were juniors …. so hopefully next year I can get closer to the top. It was a great year and I'm looking forward to next year."
Winning the 800m run was junior Jared Fleming of Van Wert High School with a time of 1:54.01.
On Friday at the state championships, in the 100-meter hurdles, Hillsboro senior Leah Pence finished in 16th place overall (eighth in the first heat of the prelims) with a time of 21.36. Midway during her race, Pence was tripped up on a hurdle. Pence entered the state competition with a time of 15.95 at the Athens regional.
HHS sophomore Megan Overberg finished 12th overall (seventh in the second heat preliminaries) in the 400m dash with a time of 60.54.
Freshman Hannah Kibler (HHS) finished 14th overall (seventh in the first heat preliminaries) in the 200m dash with a time of 26.55.
The Hillsboro girls 4x400 meter relay team of sophomore Hannah Opst, junior Autumn Hacker, junior Brittany Ferrell and Overberg finished 14th overall (seventh in the first heat preliminaries) with at time of 4.11.70.