COLUMBUS — The Lexington Minutemen are state champions yet again.
The 4×800-meter relay team of Trevor Reed, Nathan Reed, Will Hooper and Latrell Hughes helped the Minutemen win a second consecutive state championship in the 4×800-meter relay by running a 7:47.59 on Saturday, June 6, in the Division II Jesse Owens Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track and Field Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University.
Hooper, who was a member of the Division II state champion cross country team for Lexington, was thrilled to win his first state title in track.
“It is completely different than cross country and I am not used to that yet,” Hooper said. “It was such a wonderful experience with Latrell and Nate being senior leaders.”
Having Nathan Reed start the race off was a strategic move by the Minutemen. A defensive lineman on the Lexington football team, Reed could bully his way around when the runners come together in the last 50 meters and keep the Minutemen in good position.
“It is the separator,” Nathan Reed said. “You job is to basically get to where you want to be and not be packed in. I was in the pack for most of the race, but at the end, I got us to where we need to be. We were in a single file line for most of the race, so I knew I could wait to kick.”
Trevor Reed took over in the second leg and kept the Minutemen within striking distance although the leader of the pack seemed to be separating from everyone else.
“I was just trying to stay with the pack,” Trevor Reed said. “I got a few people, but I was mostly staying behind and with people. I tried to kick at the very end so I could get Will in a good spot.”
Hooper was instrumental in getting the Minutemen in a position to compete for the state title with his third leg. Lexington was in fourth by the end of Hooper’s 800.
“The third leg is kind of hard because you aren’t as packed up as you usually are so you are more alone,” Hooper said. “It is all about just getting it to Latrell and move on. You have to get it to him as soon as you can and he will do whatever he has to do for the team. He fights for us.”
And Hughes, an Oregon commit, did fight. He took the Minutemen from fourth to second after his first 800 by running a 52.09 and then led them to the state title with an 800 total of 1:49.68.
When Hughes gets the baton, everyone else just sits back in amazement.
“It is very high,” Nathan Reed said of his confidence level when Hughes takes over. “If we have less than a 100-meter gap, we feel very confident in what Latrell can do.”
He had a little more than 100-meters to make up but did that by the time his first lap was over.
“We like to make him work for it at least,” Hooper said laughing.
Having someone in front of him to chase helped Hughes run his insane time that would have won an 800-meter state title in Division IV and V and faster than anyone’s seed time in Division I, II and III. It was two seconds faster than season best and nearly as fast as his 1:48.46 all-time PR at the New Balance Nationals last year.
“It does push me because a lot of time, I want to just get a good first 400 and then track down on my second lap,” Hughes said. “When someone is in front of me, it pushes me to get a good 400 and win the race that way.”
It was an insane performance that showed why Hughes is headed to Oregon next year.
“No matter where I am on the track, I have confidence and will try my best to get anyone in front of me,” Hughes said. “I have never really tested it too much, but I think last year in the 4×400, I had a bigger gap. This was such a fun race and it went exactly how we needed it to.”
Last season, the team of Hughes, Nathan Reed, Will Perkins and Chance Basilone won the Division I state title before the Minutemen moved to Division II before the 2026 season after the OHSAA implemented division expansion in the sport.
Hughes was thrilled to anchor his team to a repeat title.
“It is amazing to repeat,” Hughes said. “Winning it in Division I last year and coming back here in Division II with two new runners is so special. Me and Nate went out as senior leaders and helped these guys win a state title.”
Lexington spent the entire regular season and much of the postseason figuring out the best lineup for their 4×800 squad to make a run at a state championship. They also used Clay Hooper, Drew Hooper Lincoln Rice, Gage Devaney and John Bartone at different times this season. Ultimately, the state championship quartet proved themselves after posting a 7:48.68 at the Division II regional meet at Lexington High School on May 27 to become the regional champions and the group to be given the opportunity to win a state title after owning the best time in Division II by 15 seconds coming into state championship weekend.
Nathan Reed, Trevor Reed, Will Hooper and Clay Hooper started the postseason off strong with a Division II district championship with an 8:01.29, a week Trevor Reed joined with Clay, Drew and Will Hooper to win the Ohio Cardinal Conference title with an 8:14.48.
At the Galion Kiwanis, it was Devaney, Will Hooper, Hughes and Trevor Reed winning the meet with an 8:12.45 and the week before, it was Nathan Reed, Drew Hooper, Clay Hooper and Hughes that posted a 7:55.28 at the Marion Harding Night Invite.
The 2026 Division II 4×800-meter relay state championship was truly a team effort.
jfurr@usatodayco.com
740-244-9934
X: @JakeFurr11
Lexington boys OHSAA state track champions
1983: Terry Smith – High Jump
1997: Mark Simmons – Discus
1997: Mark Simmons – Shot Put
2016: Nick Stricklen – 3,200-meter run
2016: Ryan Johnston, Bailey Stach, Forest Volz, Nick Stricklen – 4×800-meter relay
2017: Mason Kearns, Tony Gerrell, Forest Volz, Hunter Biddle – 4×400-meter relay
2025: Latrell Hughes – 800-meter run
2025: Latrell Hughes, Chance Basilone, Nathan Reed, Will Perkins – 4×800-meter relay
2026: Latrell Hughes, Nathan Reed, Trevor Reed, Will Hooper – 4×800-meter relay
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Lexington’s Division II 4×800 state championship a total team effort
Reporting by Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal | USA TODAY Network
