CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS – The Ashland area had no shortage of regional-qualifying performances during the two-day Division V track and field district championships.
Featuring local squads from Hillsdale, Mapleton and Loudonville, the meet wrapped up Saturday, led by a pair of titles each from Mapleton’s Braylon Goon and Hillsdale’s Hayden McFadden.
Goon, a senior Ashland University commit, landed on top of the individual podium in both the 1,600-meter run (PR of 4:25.36) and the 800 (1:56.60) to help pace the Mountie boys to the area’s best team finish (fifth out of 14 teams with 62.5 points).
The star distance runner also was part of Mapleton’s gold-medal 4×800 relay alongside Jacob Bigham, Ridge Meyer and Tyler Hartzler (season-best 8:37.32).
The Mountie boys also featured third-place regional qualifications from Tristan McQuerry in the 110 hurdles (16.40) and the 4×100 relay of Jack Keener, Ethan Bowles, Ben Brannon and Cameron Nichols (season-best 45.74).
For Hillsdale’s boys, who took sixth with 61 points, McFadden continued his success-laden athletic career with district gold in both the 200 (22.51) and 400 (51.69).
The senior added a runner-up placement in the long jump (20 feet, 11 inches) and also was part of the third-place 4×200 relay alongside Davis Radcliffe, Braxten Burgett and Mikey Shenberger (1:34.69).
Another runner-up finish for the Falcon boys came in from Cooper Baker in the 800 (2:03.83), while Jason McClure kept his season alive by taking fourth in the pole vault (PR of 11-0).
Loudonville’s boys were the area’s other representation at Cuyahoga Heights, placing ninth with 35 team points.
Josiah Hershberger was the top finisher for the Redbirds with a runner-up spot in the 300 hurdles (43.26). He also took fourth in the 110 hurdles (16.62).
Also headed to regionals for the LHS boys were Braden Carr in the pole vault (third at 12-0), Harrison Ross-Patrick in the 800 (fourth in 2:07.97) and the 4×400 relay of Coltin Caley, Brayson Youngen, Collin Caley and Cooper Sage (fourth in a season-best 3:36.08).
For the girls, Loudonville was the top local squad at the site, taking sixth out of 17 teams with 61.5 points behind six individual regional qualifications.
Cama Skok was the lone champ for LHS, winning the high jump with a PR of 5-4.
Behind her, Kaylinn Freelon and Sophie Shultz both advanced in two events.
Freelon was a runner-up in the 300 hurdles (PR of 48.44) and took third in the 100 hurdles (16.94), and Shultz matched that with a runner-up spot in the 800 (PR of 2:19.88) and a third-place finish in the high jump (4-10, advanced in a jump-off).
Additionally moving on for the Redbirds with a third-place effort in the shot put was Nicole Rooks (season-best 30-11.5).
Hillsdale’s girls had two regional qualifiers and took eighth as a team with 31 points.
Adalyn Tipton was a runner-up in the pole vault (9-6) and Kloe Smith finished third in the 1,600 (PR of 5:26.34).
Taking the team titles at the site were host Cuyahoga Heights for the boys (101.5 points) and Oberlin for the girls (94).
