12/11 Boys Indoor Recap

Wittenberg: The most significant distance meet of the weekend was the Wittenberg Qualifier, which featured a mix of Southwest and Central Ohio competitors. In the 800, Aadi Joshi posted a standout performance with a time of 2:02.97—a strong mark this early in the indoor season. In the 1600, Abdoul Bah led Central Ohio runners with a time of 4:32.88. He was followed by Zee Rabi, who ran 4:35.66 after competing in the 4x800 relay. Eli Baxter, Nathan Evans, and Haruki Nakamura also broke 4:40. Notably, eighth-grader Griffin Hobbs from Pickerington North’s track club opened his season with a 4:49.52.

The 3200 produced the evening's most impressive performances. Dublin Jerome and Scioto athletes brought their best, with Charlie Guerrera running a state-leading 9:19.58. He was followed by Ethan Ishida (9:26.5), McKinley Norman (9:32.51), Graham Tyler (9:35.38), Michael Kinzer (9:48.25), Cayden McClure (9:55.33), Lincoln Kelly (10:04.52), and Owen Kockentiet (10:09.5). In the 4x800 relay, the Olentangy Liberty team of Zee Rabi, Aadi Joshi, Louie Perry, and Jacob Ogilbee set the state’s fastest time with an 8:17.53.

Otterbein: The races at Otterbein were less competitive than those at Wittenberg, as reflected in the results. Marcus Speed recorded the fastest Central Ohio 800 time with a 2:08.82. Charles Rizek won the 1600 in 4:36.12, with Justin Rona close behind in 4:39.4. Freshman standout Austin Benedict claimed the 3200 title with a time of 10:00.07, followed by Alex Hohman in 10:12.87. There were no notable results in the 4x800 relay.

Ohio State: Although the Ohio State Qualifier was more competitive than Otterbein in some events, it still did not match the level of competition seen at Wittenberg. Ty Munroe delivered the best Central Ohio 800 performance of the day with a 1:58.18, while Jonah Hein ran a solid 2:04.23. No Central Ohio runners broke 4:40 in the 1600, and there were no noteworthy Central Ohio performances in the 3200. The Marysville 4x800 relay team of Evan Donahue, Adam DeSutter, Paxton Herring, and Levi Weithman opened their season with an 8:31.84, a promising time that positions them well to qualify for states if they continue to improve.