OHSAA track nears finish line. What to know about expanded postseason

Hilliard Davidson's Celia Schulte wins the 800 meters in last year's Division I district meet at Hilliard Darby. The Division I postseason now begins with a Super Regional.

Postseason expansion prompts schedule changes in Division I

Division I teams now start the postseason with a “Super Regional” rather than district. The Super Regional features an extra preliminary round May 18 or 19 for the 100-, 110- and 300-meter hurdles and the 100, 200 and 400, and there will be a preliminary round for the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays if there are more than 24 entries.

There also will a semifinal for the 3,200 if there are more than 32 entries and a semifinal for the 3,200 relay if there are more than 16 entries. Traditionally, those events are run once per meet because of the distance. In this case, the semifinals will be run May 18 or 19 and the finals are May 28, the first day of regional in past years.

Also, central Ohio’s Division I teams have been split between two regionals this spring. Most will compete at the traditional site, Pickerington North, while Dublin Coffman, Dublin Jerome, Hilliard Bradley, Hilliard Darby, Hilliard Davidson, Marysville, Olentangy, Olentangy Berlin, Olentangy Liberty and Olentangy Orange go to Huber Heights Wayne.

Both Division I regionals conclude May 30.

For the other four divisions, central Ohio teams compete at district May 19-23 and regional May 27 and 29 (divisions II and IV) or May 28 and 30 (divisions III and V).

Runners compete in the 3,200 meters during last year's Division I state meet.

How does expansion affect OHSAA state meet schedule?

The simplest answer is it has doubled the number of days, with five divisions competing over four days rather than three divisions competing over two.

Divisions IV and V compete June 4 and 5, the Division III meet is June 5 and 6 and divisions I and II compete June 6 and 7.

State begins with Division V field events at 1 p.m. June 4 and concludes with Division II running finals, with the final race scheduled for approximately 3 p.m. June 7. On June 5-7, the first event is at 9:30 a.m.

Hilliard Davidson’s Anna Wile won the 100 hurdles last year at state, helping the Wildcats win the Division I championship.

Watch out for these returning central Ohio state champions

These area athletes enter the postseason looking to defend state titles or repeat as a winner in a different division:

• Brooke Chapman, Olentangy Orange, 1,600 (4:46.58) in Division I
• Nehemiah Mills, Beechcroft, 400 (46.86) in Division I; the Beechcroft boys are now in Division II.
• Celia Schulte, Davidson, 800 (2:04.65) in Division I
• Anna Wile, Davidson, 100 hurdles (13.79) in Division I

Also, Jamier Brown of Division II Big Walnut won last year’s Division I state title in the 100 (10.41) for Wayne. Brown is an Ohio State football commit as a wide receiver.

Dublin Coffman graduate Abby Steiner owns state records in the 100 and 200.

Central Ohio is well represented in OHSAA record book

Schulte joined an exclusive club last year when she won the 800 – her time of 2:04.65 was a record for OHSAA Division I, the Division I state meet and Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Here are the other central Ohio competitors who set a records trifecta in one race, according to OHSAA online records. All are for Division I.

• Camden Bentley, Gahanna Lincoln, girls 100 hurdles, 13.27 in 2023
• Katelyn Daniels, Olentangy Orange, girls shot put, 51 feet, 2 inches in 2013
• Troy Lane, Pickerington Central, boys 100, 10.25 in 2022
• Abby Steiner, Dublin Coffman, girls 100 (11.38) and 200 (22.73), both in 2018
• Gahanna girls 3,200 relay, 8:53.49 in 2018
• Reynoldsburg girls 800 relay (1:37.02) and 1,600 relay (3:43.83), both in 2009

Davidson will try to join the Gahanna girls as a recent repeat champion. Gahanna won the big-school state title in 2022 and 2023.

High school sports editor Andy Resnik can be reached at aresnik@dispatch.com and at @DispatchPreps on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What to know about OHSAA track and field postseason expansion