COLUMBUS — While no area state qualifier finished at the top of the podium at the 2026 Jesse Owens OHSAA State Track and Field Championships this weekend, several local standout student-athletes secured All-Ohio honors with finishes in the top eight in the entire state.
Competing against Ohio’s elite at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, these local competitors capped off their stellar seasons by securing a spot on the state podium and cementing their names among the best in their respective divisions.
Podium Finishes & All-Ohio Honorees
Leading the local charge on the podium was Shenandoah’s senior multi-sport star Braxton Barnett, who put together a massive individual weekend in Division IV, climbing the state medal stand four separate times. Barnett earned individual state runner-up honors by placing second in the 110-meter hurdles (14.28) and second in the 300-meter hurdles (37.61). He added a third-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 21-09.25 and locked up fourth place in the high jump by clearing 6 feet, 2 inches to wrap up a historic four-medal state meet performance.
On the track, John Glenn junior standout Ashlynn Kuklica put together a historic distance showcase to claim two separate All-Ohio spots in Division III while taking on rigorous three-race ironwoman schedule. Kuklica unleashed a career-best performance in the 1600-meter run with a state runner-up spot with a career best time of 4:51.33. Returning to the track for the 3200-meter run, she fought her way onto the podium yet again, claiming seventh place at 11:10.36 to lock up her second state medal. To cap off her big day, Kuklicia battled her way to a 11th place finish in the 800-meter run to complete her busy performance.
John Glenn senior Ethan Zell closed out his decorated distance career by capturing All-Ohio accolades with a premium podium performance in the Division III boys 800-meter final. Zell went toe-to-toe with the fastest half-milers in the state, shattering his own school record to lock down a third-place finish overall in Ohio with a blistering, personal best time of 1:52.94.
Meadowbrook’s Sophie May delivered an elite performance against the premier Division III field in Ohio. May stepped into the state shot put ring and unleashed a throw of 39 feet, 5 inches to battle her way to fifth place overall, capturing All-Ohio accolades for the Lady Colts.
Cambridge freshman sensation Paisley Williams shocked the state in Division III, putting together a clutch, elite performance on Ohio’s biggest stage, Williams cleared a spectacular height of 12 feet, 6 inches to finish in third place in pole vault. Williams’ performance earned her All-Ohio honors and cemented a historic debut season for the Lady Bobcats.
Caldwell’s Camy Crock stood tall in a loaded Division V throwing field, headlining a busy weekend in both throwing circles. Crock launched a premium mark of 127 feet, 11 inches in the discus to place seventh overall in Ohio, earning her spot on the podium. She also doubled up her workload at the state meet by competing in the shot put, hitting a mark of 34 feet, 8.50 inches to place 13th overall.
State Tournament capsule results
The remaining local state qualifiers wrapped up their stellar seasons in the state preliminary and finals heats against the toughest fields in Ohio, with each finishing as follows:
Division III
Division IV
Division V
Caldwell Boys 4X200-meter relay (Talon Bettinger, Garnar Gaydos, Aiden Danford, Alex Sheanshang): The Caldwell speed unit logged a strong performance on the state track, clocking a fast 1:33.92 in their heat to place 11th overall in Ohio.
Ladyn Hanes (Barnesville) − Girls pole vault: Represented Western Belmont County on the state runway, fighting over the crossbar at 9 feet, 6 inches to wrap up her tournament trip in 14th overall.
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This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Barnett leads area contingent’s OHSAA state track effort with 4 All-Ohio medals
Reporting by Kevin Sutton, Cambridge Daily Jeffersonian / The Daily Jeffersonian
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kevin Sutton, Cambridge Daily Jeffersonian | USA TODAY Network
