Boys Regional Recap

What. A. Day. This year’s regional meet was nothing short of exhilarating, with every single distance race featuring heart-stopping moments that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. From two regional record-breaking performances in the 1600, to one of the deepest 800 fields in recent memory, to an intense battle for wild card spots in the 3200—this day had it all. In this article, we’ll break down all the distance action from regionals.

4x800

State Qualifiers: Dublin Jerome, Westerville North, Olentangy Liberty, Gahanna Lincoln, Olentangy Orange, Lancaster

Regionals kicked off with a bang, as Dublin Jerome broke the regional record in the 4x800 with a time of 7:39.4. While we knew a performance like this was within their range, I didn’t expect them to unleash it before the state meet or even outdoor nationals. Not far behind was Westerville North, clocking 7:41 and proving they remain a powerhouse even after losing their top two runners from last year.

Olentangy Liberty and Gahanna Lincoln secured the final two automatic qualifying spots, both running 7:44. Owen Towler’s 1:50 anchor leg nearly closed the gap, but Aadi Joshi held him off at the line. Olentangy Orange and Lancaster each ran 7:49—easily fast enough to claim both wild card spots. This race also highlighted the region's depth, with three teams running 7:55 or faster and still missing out on a trip to states.

1600

State Qualifiers: Charlie Guerrera, Matthew Schroff, Brock Jarrett, Ethan Ishida, Casey Carlos, Jacob Reash

Start fast, finish fast. The most anticipated race of the day did not disappoint, as Charlie Guerrera and Matthew Schroff squared off in a thrilling duel. After an opening lap around 60 seconds, the pace settled in, raising doubts about how quick the final times would be. But with 300 meters to go, Guerrera surged—and the chase was on. He held off Schroff to win in a blistering 4:05.4, breaking the regional record previously held by his future teammate Ben Gabelman. Schroff wasn’t far behind, finishing in 4:06.84—also under the old record.

Even with top runners Mick Temple and Tate Ruthers dropping to save for the 3200, the 1600 still delivered elite-level depth. Juniors Brock Jarrett, Ethan Ishida, and Casey Carlos finished 3rd through 5th with times ranging from 4:10 to 4:13, earning their tickets to states and showing that the region’s future remains strong.

800

State Qualifiers: Jayden Beverly, Matthew Schroff, Gabe Wise, Gabe McNeil, Lavon Wilborn, Evan Graessle

While every race brought excitement, this may have been the most electric of the day. As expected, the 800 was loaded—and it came down to a mad dash over the final 100 meters. Eight runners stormed down the home stretch, separated by less than two seconds. Jayden Beverly edged out Matthew Schroff at the line with a winning time of 1:52.46, just 0.05 ahead.

The next four finishers—Gabe Wise, Gabe McNeil, Lavon Wilborn, and Evan Graessle—all ran in the 1:53 range. Wise and McNeil earned the final automatic spots, while Wilborn and Graessle claimed the two wild card berths. Just outside of that bubble were Ty Munroe and Graham Tyler, both clocking low 1:54s—marks that would have been good enough to qualify in most other regions.

3200

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

We couldn’t sweep them all. While Central Ohio secured both wild card spots in the other distance events, the 3200 wild cards went to the Southwest Region for the second straight year. Still, this race was nothing short of impressive.

A lead pack of four traded positions throughout the race, with all four ultimately earning state bids. Charlie Guerrera capped off an incredible double by winning in 9:08, just hours after his 4:05 1600. Behind him, Mick Temple (9:10), Tate Ruthers (9:11), and Marcus Adelman (9:12) rounded out the auto qualifiers. Though no wild cards came from Region 3, this race showed just how competitive the field truly was.

From record-breaking relays to nail-biting individual finishes, Region 3 delivered one of the most competitive and memorable distance showings in recent history. Central Ohio athletes rose to the occasion across every event, proving their depth, resilience, and championship potential. With momentum on their side, this group heads to the state meet ready to make a serious impact.