Ashlynn Kuklica among stars who shine at MVL track meet

River View's Parker Andrews and Morgan's Braylon Miller, left, sprint toward the finish line in the 100 meters during the Muskingum Valley League track and field meet on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Maysville Athletic Complex in Newton Township, Ohio.

One person who wasn't concerned about Andrews' ability to perform was Miller. They had been competing against each other in soccer — both are All-Ohio forwards and track since the eighth grade.

Friendly competitors, they had also been communicating throughout the season leading to the meet.

"I knew he was going to come out and do what Parker does," Miller said.

Miller did get a measure of revenge in the 200 — by the slightest of margins. His winning time of :21.96 was the closest finishes of either's career.

"We were neck and neck," Andrews said, while admitting he didn't feel he won. "I knew I wasn't quite there, but it was super, super close. Great race."

Morgan's Braylon Miller is congratulated by Philo's Aidan Mahon, left, and River View's Parker Andrews after breaking the meet record in the 200 meters at the Muskingum Valley League track and field championships on Friday, May 16, at the Maysville Athletic Complex. Miller ran :21.96 and Andrews :21.97 as both broke the old record.

They both set meet records in the event, just like they did in the 400 at the 2025 MVL meet. Two of the best long sprinters in league history added more to their impressive legacies.

Miller said he appreciates that the sprinters around the league, like Philo's Aidan Mahon and West M's Jaxon Prang, another soccer standout, are also friends away from competition.

"It's no hard feelings," Miller said. "Everyone is excited to PR. Same as a last year. Even though one of us won, we all broke meet records (in the 400)."

Kuklica, JG stay on top

Kuklica, a Division II All-Ohioan in 2025, almost crashed through the 40-point barrier with wins in the 400 (:58.56), 1600 (5:13.2) and 3200 (11:28.5) and a third in the 800 (2:30.9), helping the Muskies win a sixth straight team title.

That the 3200 was held on the first day of the meet offered Kuklica to make a rare run at a triple in the mid-distance on Day 2.

Tri-Valley's own distance ace, Erin Hogue, rolled to a win in the 800 to end the chance at a trifecta. The accomplishment was no less impressive, however.

John Glenn head coach Doug Joy, no stranger to versatile runners in his time in New Concord, surmised Kuklica probably could have placed in sprints if her team needed it.

Her point total was the most since Karlie Zumbro made a run at 40 points as a senior before running hurdles at Ball State.

"To do what she did — I know she wanted to win that 800 really bad," John Glenn head coach Doug Joy said of Kuklica. "To run a 400, 800 combo like that — she runs the 400 in 58 seconds — the lactic acid is going to be in her body and it's unfeasible to get it out. ... We thought coming in that we had to get as much as we could out of her to give us a shot."

John Glenn's Ashlynn Kuklica lunges toward the finish line en route to a first place finish in the 400 meters during the Muskingum Valley League track and field meet on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Maysville Athletic Complex in Newton Township, Ohio. Kuklica won three events and was third in another as the Muskies won a sixth straight team title.

The Muskies wound up with room to spare with 132 points, well-ahead of runner-up Sheridan (100) and Tri-Valley (92 1/2). Philo was fifth (70) and Maysville seventh (50).

Other top finishers for John Glenn included Teegan Walrath in the 100 hurdles (third in :16.89) and 300 hurdles (fifth in :52.05), Brooklyn Valentine and Ella Haney in the pole vault (both cleared 9-0), Kaleigh Gibson in the 100 (third in :13.33), Faith Saxton in the long jump (second in 16-4) and 400 (third in 1:01.6) and Breylynn Barr in the shot (third in 34-3) and discus (seventh in 95-4).

They placed in all but one event.

"We put it all together at the end," Joy said. "I keep scores and we literally improved in about every event. So for the girls, I am really proud. To do it six times in a row, it would be a six-peat. That says volumes for the program, where it's at and the kids' expectations."

John Glenn's girls track and field team celebrates after winning the team title at the Muskingum Valley League-Big School DIvision meet on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Maysville Athletic Complex in Newton Township, Ohio. It was the Muskies' sixth straight team title.

Hill, Van Wey keep building steam

Maysville senior Bella Van Wey had yet another double win in the shot (45-0 1/4) and discus (141-10), events in which she reached the state in Division II.

Her shot throw was her personal best and five feet in front of Meadowbrook's Sophie May (40-1 3/4), who also broke 40 feet.

Meanwhile, Sheridan senior Creed Hill continued his league dominance in the shot, hitting a personal-best 55-3 1/4 on his final throw, drawing a roar from the patrons keeping tabs. John Glenn's Landon Cornelius was second (48-7 1/2).

Van Wey had been hovering around the 41-foot mark in the shot for much of the regular season but twice set PRs at the league meet.

Maysville senior Ella Van Wey throws the discus at the Muskingum Valley League track and field meet on Friday, May 16, 2026, at the Maysville Athletic Complex in Newton Township, Ohio. Van Wey won the shot and discus.

"Just putting things together at the end of the season has been great," Van Wey said. "Collecting on the all of the work that I have done, that is what I am really excited about. I was able to collect and put some big throws together. They've been here and there, but putting it together, for me, is great."

Hill could have said the same. He hadn't eclipsed 53-6 until the league meet, but his big throw was proof that even more could be out there for this late bloomer.

He was in the high 40s much of his junior season. He is firmly in competition for a regional bid this season — and more.

"I've been wanting to break out for a while," Hill said. "I was hoping for it, but I don't like to look ahead. But I was hoping it would come out because it would help for districts next week."

More shining lights

Meadowbrook, led by freshman Vincent Campbell's dominant showing in the 1600 (in a PR of 4:26.8) and his 3200 win (9:51.4), won a tight boys meet with 91 1/2 points. The Colts also took the 4x800 relay (8:37.4).

West M, which was seventh, was the next-closest Small School with 52. Sheridan was third (84), Tri-Valley fourth (82), Morgan fifth (80), John Glenn sixth (53), Philo eighth (49), New Lex (23) and Crooksville (23) ninth, Maysville 11th (21) and Coshocton 12th (11).

Others individuals picking up wins were John Glenn's Ethan Zell in the 800 (1:56.2), Meadowbrook's Jahyden Black in the 110 hurdles (:15.52), River View's Carter Hammersley in the 300 hurdles (:40.62), Maysville's Connor Young in the discus (PR of 140-0 1/2), Mahon in the high jump (6-4) and Tri-Valley's Colten Rollison (22-10 3/4) in a hotly contested long jump where Mahon was second by 2 1/2 inches.

West M's 4x100 of Tavyn Hains, Morgan Pennington, Grant Rodgers and Jaxon Prang won in :43.32. The Tornadoes were a close second in in the 4x200 (1:29.5).

Meadowbrook was fourth overall in the girls meet (78) to win the Small School girls title; Maysville was seventh (50), New Lex eighth (33), West M ninth (25), Morgan 10th (13 1/2), Crooksville 11th (9) and Coshocton 12th (8).

Philo's Halli Harris enjoyed a strong day with a win in the 100 (:13.33) while anchoring the winning 4x100 (:51.48) and 4x200 relays (1:50.2). She was second to Tri-Valley's Lydia Ripple (:26.35) in the 200 (Harris clocked at :27.03).

Philo's Halli Harris lunges toward the finish line to secure a win in the 4x100 meter relay during the Muskingum Valley League track and field meet on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Maysville Athletic Complex in Newtown Township, Ohio. Harris also won the 100 and anchored the winning 4x200 relay.

Philo's Aubree DeLong cruised to the 100 hurdles title (:15.56) and was second to Sheridan's Brenna Moorehead in the 300 hurdles (:46.67); Delylah Boetcher had a convincing win in the pole vault (10-6).

Moorehead was second in the 100 hurdles (:15.56) and helped the victorious 4x400 (4:14.2).

Maysville's Paige Calendine reached a PR of 10-6 3/4 to win the seated shot; teammate Emma Tamasovich took the long jump (17-11 3/4) and New Lexington's Ava Snedeker the high jump (5-3).

Hogue, runner-up to Kuklica in the 1600 (5:22.6) and 3200 (11:30.2), clocked at 2:20.4 for a strong win in the 800.

sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Ashlynn Kuklica among stars who shine at MVL track meet