Boys Regional Preview

After a tremendous buildup, regionals at Pickerington North are finally here. Following an electrifying district weekend and one of the fastest 4x800 races in regional history, Friday’s meet is shaping up to be one for the ages. With two of the top runners in the state toeing the line in the 1600, an incredibly deep 800 field with no clear favorite, and a 3200 that could go any number of ways, spectators should have their popcorn ready. In this article, we’ll break down each of the distance events and share our predicted qualifiers and potential wildcard finishers.

1600

Predicted Qualifiers: Matthew Schroff, Charlie Guerrera, Mick Temple, Brock Jarrett

Predicted Potential Wildcards: Ethan Ishida, Zee Rabi

This should be a great way to kick off the day.

Unfortunately, we’re not likely to see any record-breaking performances. The two runners with the top personal bests in this race—Matthew Schroff and Charlie Guerrera—both have to double later in the day. The more energy they expend here, the more likely they are to struggle in their later events. I expect them to go 1-2, but all that really matters is that they qualify.

After those two, my bet is on Mick Temple and Brock Jarrett to take the remaining automatic qualifying spots. Both have run 4:13 this year and have shown the ability to succeed in tactical races. If I had to guess, Central Ohio will also claim the two state wildcard spots. My picks for those would be Ethan Ishida and Zee Rabi. Ishida has run 4:14 this season and should be right in the mix with Temple and Jarrett. I’m confident he’ll finish in the top five, but the last wildcard spot is harder to call. Given his strong closing speed, I’ll give the edge to Rabi with a projected time around 4:13–4:14. Still, keep an eye on Jacob Reash, Casey Carlos, Tate Ruthers, and Kole Hyer—any of them could make a push for that final spot.

800

Predicted Qualifiers: Lavon Wilborn, Aadi Joshi, Gabe Wise, Jayden Beverly

Predicted Potential Wildcards: Ty Munroe, Matthew Schroff

After the spike pop heard around the world that prevented Owen Towler from qualifying for regionals—paired with indoor state third-place finisher Dylan Winters’ foot injury—this race is wide open. Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a regional field with this much uncertainty; it almost feels unfair to make predictions. Eleven of the sixteen qualifiers have personal bests of 1:54 or faster, but only one has broken 1:53 in the open—and he’ll be doubling back from the 1600.

As long as the race is run smartly, the top six finishers should all hit 1:53 or better and advance to states. My picks are Aadi Joshi and Lavon Wilborn, who both ran 1:53 last week and continue to improve; Gabe Wise, who just split 1:52 on the regional 4x800; Jayden Beverly, who ran 1:53 last year; Ty Munroe, who split around 1:53 in the 4x800; and Matthew Schroff, who owns the fastest personal best of the group but will be coming off a tough 1600 less than an hour before.

That leaves out five runners with 1:54 personal bests—Mack Weithman, Brendan Steele, Austyn Fox, Graham Tyler, and Gabe McNeil—all of whom are still very much in the mix. The 800 is essentially a prolonged sprint, and in a race like this, anything can happen. With a standout day or sharp racing tactics, any of them could punch their ticket to next week’s state meet.

3200

Predicted Qualifiers: Charlie Guerrera, Marcus Adelman, Tate Ruthers, Mick Temple

Predicted Potential Wildcards: Jacob Bolton, Jeffery Kerns

While the 800 is filled with uncertainty, the 3200 is just as unpredictable. This is another event that’s incredibly tough to call. Three of the top four entrants—Charlie Guerrera, Tate Ruthers, and Mick Temple—will be doubling back from the 1600, and their performance will largely depend on how much they expend earlier in the day. Despite potential fatigue, I still expect all three to qualify. The fourth clear qualifier is Marcus Adelman, who will be fresh and owns a 9:10 personal best.

That said, the 3200 is the event I’m least confident will secure the wildcard spots—though it’s still likely. While some of the top contenders may aim to keep the race tactical due to earlier fatigue, those chasing wildcard times will likely remember last year’s 3200 final, where a too-slow early pace led to a state title contender failing to make it out of regionals. If bubble runners like Jacob Bolton, Jeffery Kerns, McKinley Norman, Bradyn Allender, Charles Rizek, Michael Kinzer, and Gordon Kimberly can push the pace, this race could end up fast enough to earn both wildcard berths.

I believe any of those names could contend for fifth and sixth place, but my picks are Jacob Bolton and Jeffery Kerns—both of whom are peaking at the right time and have mid-9:10s on their résumés. Ultimately, for some runners, this race will be just as much about beating the clock as it is about placing, which is exactly what could make it the most exciting event of the day.

With all three distance events loaded with talent, uncertainty, and high stakes, Friday’s regional meet at Pickerington North promises to deliver drama from start to finish. Whether it’s tactical battles, breakout performances, or a race against the clock, each event has the potential to shape the state meet picture in major ways. Buckle up—it’s going to be a thrilling ride.