COLUMBUS — Lexington struck gold Friday afternoon.
The boys 4×800 relay team of Chance Basilone, Nathan Reed, Will Perkins and Latrell Hughes sped to a Division I state championship on the opening day of the state track and field championships at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
The quartet came from behind to break the tape in 7 minutes, 37.65 seconds, just ahead of top-seeded Dublin Jerome (7:38.51). Lex’s winning mark was less than two seconds behind Cincinnati St. Xavier’s state meet record of 7:36.33.
“It’s insane,” Basilone said. “We knew coming in we were going to have a battle on our hands, but that’s what this should be all about. That was amazing.”
Lex and Jerome duked it out the entire race. The Celtics owned a slim lead when Perkins handed off to Hughes for the anchor leg.
“I knew if we’re top three (when Hughes got the baton), we’re getting first,” Perkins said. “That’s just the type of man (Hughes) is.”
A runner-up at the Division II state cross country meet last fall, Hughes relished the competition.
“It was nice, me getting pushed,” Hughes said. “I feel like when I get pushed, I run a better race for me and put our team in a good position.”
The 4×800 relay was the only running final contested Friday across all three divisions. Ontario finished as state runner-up in Division II, while Crestview was fourth in Division III.
The Ontario quartet of Xavier Trent, Dean Morrison, Xander Chitwood and Jace Young finished in 7:52.90. The Warriors were less than a second behind state champ Woodridge (7:52.01).
“It was a great race,” said Young, Ontario’s anchor runner. “On the home stretch all I wanted was to pass that kid, but I just couldn’t out-kick him. He just held me off.”
Crestview’s foursome of Cooper Brockway, Bransen Hider, Everett Smith and Logan Friges finished in 8:03.32. Seneca East won the Division III title in 7:57.32.
“It was definitely a close race,” Brockway said. “At state you never know what’s going to happen.”
It was a god day for locals in the field events, too.
Lucas’ Rebekah Case was third in the girls pole vault. The senior had a personal-record vault of 12-0.
“I’m over the moon right now,” Case said. “I’ll take 12. That’s a new school record and a new PR. That’s what I’ve been going for all season.”
Crestview’s Liam Kuhn was fourth in the boys pole vault, clearing 15-6.
“I’m a little bummed because I wanted 16 or 15-10 to tie the school record,” Kuhn said. “But I’m happy with what I got. Fourth place is still fourth place.”
Clear Fork’s Julian Mills finished fifth in the shot put with a throw of 58-8. The junior broke Eric Jackson’s school record of 57-1, set in 2015.
“I had a big PR and I was able to break the school record,” Mills said. “The state meet experience was amazing. If you’re a competitor, you want to compete on the biggest stage.”
