The track and field season started March 27. Area athletes are already beginning to imprint themselves onto the young season with some big performances. At the recent McCay Relays, the majority of the area schools were in attendance, and the weather cooperated for once. As the dust settles, here's a look at some of the area’s stars and some risers to watch when attending track and field meets this spring.
—Kaitlyn Carr, Smithville: Notre Dame signee and arguably the biggest must-see of the spring, Carr is the best in a stretch of the area’s best to run distance. There is very little that this senior hasn’t already done in terms of success, both on the track and in cross country. She has won the state title in the 1,600 twice and the 3,200 once. Carr is one of the big attractions at any track and field meet that the Smithies are in. Simply running her race, guided by her watch, Carr never looks rattled and seems to be having another fun day on the track, no matter the race.
—Caden Race, Orrville: The senior pole vaulter is a two-time state qualifier and is already setting his sights high. At the McCay Relays, he took aim at tying his PR of 14-2, and he came about as close as one can get without getting it. If anything, it could be viewed as a pace-setter for the season, as he vaulted 13-7 at the invite and looked to be in midseason form.
—Reece Urban, Norwayne: As electric as they come both in the long jump and in short-distance races, Urban has excelled in both. A senior, Urban will be looking to get past regionals in the long jump with a PR of 16-8 1/4. She qualified for state in 2023 as a member of the 800 relay team. Urban already has had a strong start to her season and will look to build for another trip to the ultimate destination: state.
—Owen Lacy, Orrville: One of the area’s elite distance runners, Lacy, a senior, already holds the school and county record for the 1,600, with a time of 4:13.56. At the McCay, he and Bobcats standout Romagn Wingate locked horns once, and when and if these two lock up again, it will be fun. For Lacy, it’s all about building for yet another trip to state, as he finished eighth in the 1,600 at state a year ago.
—Haley Bittinger, Norwayne: Winning both the shot put and discus at the McCay Relays, this senior has left little doubt why she is Youngstown State University-bound. With throws of 130-11 in discus and 39-10 in shot put, she edged out throwing mate and also ultra-talented teammate, sophomore Hannah Froelich. Those throws also put the senior right where she wants to be, in the vicinity of her PRs of 42 feet in the shot put and 133-1 in the discus.
—Jackson Varner, Waynedale: Another one of the area’s elite distance runners, Varner joins a group that includes Lacy, Wingate and Rittman's Luke Snyder. As the area already knows, any Varner is a good runner, and Jackson just continues that legacy. Local fans should be quick to identify Varner at any track and field meet this spring, as he will be easy to find, as he normally is among the leaders of the pack, if not meters ahead of the rest.
—Kaylee Graham, Norwayne: There are few seniors who are as decorated as Graham. Qualifying for state all three years of high school, the senior has punched her ticket twice in the 300 hurdles and once as a member of the 1,600 relay team. Her PR of :45.64 in the 300 hurdles is 26th all time, and she is among the best in the area in the 100 hurdles with a PR of :17.63.
—Luke Snyder, Rittman: One of the area’s greatest long-distance runners, Snyder continues to cement his place among the greats on the track. The Indians senior will again be one of the must-see runners this spring whenever Rittman is running locally, which isn’t often.
—Maryn Erdman, Smithville: Finishing third in the 800 a year ago and having won the event in 2024, the Smithies junior is well established as one of the area’s best on the track. Pairing up with Carr, the duo can and have simply been automatic points for the Smithville girls track and field team at any meet. This year is no different, as Erdman is again one of the must-see athletes on the track.
—Romagn Wingate, Norwayne: Flash and dash, Wingate is another in the family line, and he knows how to run, and he’s even picked up high jump. Talented as they come, Wingate, a junior who is already established as one of the area’s best distance runners, will be automatic points for the Bobcats at track and field meets this spring. He has PRs of 1:59.6 in the 800, 4:28.8 in the 1,600 and 10:06.9 in the 3,200, all of which he will be looking to improve on this season.
—Anna Pittman, Waynedale: The Waynedale senior pole vaulter finished 11th at state a year ago with a vault of 10-6 and will look to build upon that this year. Pittman is one of the area’s best in the vault and will be the standard-bearer across the area at track and field meets.
Rising stars
—Teagan Hafner, Wooster: What a showing this freshman has made early on with some impressive performances. She edged out one of the area’s most talented in the long jump, Urban, with a leap of 16-1/2, basically an inch and a half longer. It’s clear Hafner is setting the bar high and is already developing into one of the area’s must-see this spring.
—Isaiah Lee, Smithville: A gridiron speedster and just a sophomore, Lee is already one of the area’s most dynamic athletes. If there is a momentary lapse, it is easy to miss as Lee makes things happen quickly.
—Samantha Kerby, Dalton: A smile and a reaction that said so much, Kerby, just a freshman, finished in a tie for the top spot in the pole vault at the McCay Relays.
—Mark Lorson, Orrville: Qualifying for state as a freshman in the high jump, Lorson, now a sophomore, has already broken his PR from a year ago of 6-3 with a leap of 6-4. The sky is the limit for the Red Riders youngster as he continues to build off what has already been a strong start to the spring season.
