Photo by Seth Staskey Shadyside’s Mason VanNest, left, takes part in the 200 where he finished second in the state.

COLUMBUS — Very few athletes begin the track and field season with realistic expectations of being an All-Ohioan when the dust settles at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium during the first weekend in June.

Mason VanNest can certainly attest.

After all, the Shadyside senior hadn’t even ran track since he was in eighth grade and only came out because Tigers head coach Jeff Campbell convinced him that he’d be able to continue to play baseball, which was one of his first loves.

VanNest made Campbell’s convincing worthwhile Saturday morning when the Division III track season concluded on the warm and sunny Ohio State University campus by finishing as an All-Ohioan in the 100 and 200 meter dashes.

VanNest finished as state runnerup in the 200 and was fourth in the 100, scoring all 13 of the Tigers points, which placed them 15th in the final team standings.

“Obviously, I wish I would have won, but it happens, and I am still very proud and excited about what I accomplished,” VanNest said.

VanNest entered the 200 final as the top seed and appeared to be winning the race until a late surge by Hopewell-Louden’s Sherron Jones edged him out at the line. Still, though, VanNest recorded a blistering 21.71, which is the best ever ran by a Tiger sprinter. He was eight hundredths of a second behind Jones.

“Hats off to Sherron,” VanNest said. “(The 200) was his third race and he won them all. That’s impressive.”

In the 100, VanNest was able to run down much of the field en route to an 11.06 clocking.

VanNest’s biggest regret wasn’t about what occurred on Saturday. It dated back a few years.

“I wish I had played both (sports) all the way through high school,” VanNest said. “It would have been awesome.”

VanNest closes the book on a very impressive prep career, which saw him win an OVAC team title in four sports, earn All-Ohio in two and numerous other accolades during the journey.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to do it at any other school,” VanNest said. “From the community support to the coaches and teachers, they support you in whatever you’re doing.”

The only other area athlete to place in the Division III meet was Steubenville Catholic Central senior Clara Symington, who finished eighth in both the high and low hurdles.

“I feel like I ended (my career) on a good note by placing in both events,” Symington said. “I have so many fond memories and happy moments from track. I stress a lot about it, but all of the hard work hard paid off.”

Symington posted a 45.44, which is a personal-best time, in the 300 lows and a 15.30 in the highs en route to her spot on the podium.

DIVISION II

COLUMBUS — The Division II track season ended Saturday with plenty of excitement and some unfortunate disappointment for area athletes.

But, suffice to say, the former outweighed the latter.

No fewer than four Belmont County athletes added the words All-Ohioan to their vast resumes on Saturday as they returned home from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the Ohio State University campus sporting a new medal. Steubenville’s talented contingent saw three relay teams and four individuals earn a spot on the podium.

Bellaire senior Colt Sechrest wrapped up his prep career with a bittersweet feeling. The future Youngstown State football player got to experience the sweet part on Friday when he finished sixth in the shot put competition.

However, Saturday’s discus competition didn’t unfold the way Sechrest or many others had envisioned. Sechrest, who was the defending state runnerup, came in as the second seed finished fourth in the competition with a mark of 166-3.

Sechrest uncorked his best throw in the second throw of the finals, but his final high toss resulted in a foul.

“There’s really nothing else to it … I just couldn’t get (the disc) out there like I usually do,” a disappointed, but classy Sechrest said. “It just wasn’t my day.”

Barnesville senior Tyler Jenkins put forth one of the most impressive performances in the state meet by finishing fourth in the 3200 meter run.

“I had a really good kick at the end that I wish I had used maybe a little bit sooner,” Jenkins, a running strategist, explained. “The kid who ended up second passed me late, and I debated on going with him or not, but decided not to. He slowed down because I closed the gap, but he was flying.”

Jenkins showed some speed in the final 200 meters when he passed three other competitors to nab his spot on the podium.

The future Rio Grande runner actually almost had to do a double take when he saw the time flash on the scoreboard.

“I pushed a 9:25 last week (at regional), and I thought, wow! That’s moving!” Jenkins said. “My goal for time this season was 9:30. How about that? So, to run 10 seconds faster than my goal is just crazy. I told my coach after last season ended, indirectly, that I was going to be better (in 2022).”

St. Clairsville’s girls entered the state meet in four events and scored in three of them.

Senior Emily Thompson put the finishing touches on a brilliant season in which she earned All-Ohio three times. Her sophomore season didn’t happen due to COVID-19.

Thompson, who is headed to Marietta College to continue her pole vault career, cleared 11-6 and based on misses was awarded sixth place.

“I really enjoyed my high school career and in time it’s going to be amazing to be able to look back and tell people that I placed in the state three times,” Thompson said. “It was amazing to be back at Jesse Owens and to making it on to the podium was all I was looking for coming into the meet.”

Sophomore speedster Emma Henry capped a season in which she exploded onto the scene in the short sprints by finishing fifth in the 100 with a 12.41 and sixth in the 200 with a 25.74.

Henry started the season simply wanting to help fill the void in the sprints scoring and really never envisioned what she accomplished.

“My friend Casadie (DiBetta) wasn’t able to run this year because of an injury and she’s focusing on swimming, so I just worked hard this offseason with my dad (Matt) and here I am,” Henry smiled. “I feel so honored to have been on that podium and when I was up there for the 100, I really couldn’t even believe it. I am already excited for next season.”

Steubenvile’s boys and girls — fresh off winning the regional titles in Chillicothe — put forth a strong effort.

The Big Red boys finished with three medals.

Senior standout Brenton “Inky” Jones put the finishing touches on an impressive high school career by finishing fourth in the 400 meter dash in a time of 49.16.

Jones, who reported to Ohio State on Sunday to begin his college football career as a preferred walk on, soaked up the final chance to wear a Big Red uniform.

“I gave it all I had and it was just a fun meet to be a part of,” Jones said. “It was a great run. I did great stuff in sports and school. I’ve been going to Big Red events my entire life basically. I always dreamed about running on this stage, so it’s just an honor.”

The Big Red 4×2 team of Savior Faulks, Jalen Minniefield, Micah Mitchell and Jones clocked a 1:29.32 to finish seventh.

Mitchell added an eighth-place finish in the 110 high hurdles in a time of 15.01.

Steubenville’s girls, meanwhile, finished with 14 points and six of those came from senior leader Amya Livingston in the shot put.

Livingston, who is bound for the University of Kentucky, finished third in the shot put with a mark of 44-1 1/2. She actually had moved into second place, which is where she finished a season ago, but was passed on the eventual silver medalist’s final throw of the competition.

“I was having a rough season, but I knew I was down to my last throw of my last high school meet, so I just went at it with my all,” Livingston said. “I hadn’t been hitting the marks I wanted to all season, but I knew I had to bring and give it my all here. I’ve loved high school track. Being here (at state) all four years was great and I’ve had great coaches and teammates. It’s just been great.”

Sophomore Sabria Jones overcame a late-season injury to find her way back to the state meet in four events and onto the podium in three of those.

Individually, she finished eighth in the long jump with a mark of 17-1. She also ran on both the 4×1 and 4×2 teams that finished fourth and seventh, respectively.

“After all that’s happened this season, I am just grateful to have been able to get on the podium,” Sabria Jones said. “(Battling the injury) was hard because I didn’t want to let my teammates on the relay down. My biggest goal was the podium, no matter what place it was.”

On the 4×1, which ran a 49.90, Jones was joined by Mya Stackhouse, Isabella Yetts and Madalyn Criss. The 4×2, which was the same quartet, posted a 1:44.20.