GREENE COUNTY — As the annual state track and field championships get under way today in Columbus, it’s almost a sure bet that runners from the Beavercreek High School program will find their way atop the awards podium.
Distance runner Taylor Ewert has already claimed the state cross country title in the fall. She’s currently the state’s fastest runner in the 3,200-meter run by more than three seconds over the next quickest Ohio runner, with a time over the two-mile distance of 10:30.09.
Ewert is on the state’s quickest 3,200 relay team, and she recently wasn’t the quickest of the foursome when they set a Southwest Regional meet record with a time of 9:00.46. Like Ewert, the Beavercreek 3,200 relay team’s time is almost three seconds faster than the next quickest opponent.
In the record-breaking event on May 24 over a soggy Heidkamp Stadium turf, Jodie Pierce ran the quickest 800-meter stint at two minutes and 12 seconds, Ewert and Juliann Williams both turned in 2:15’s and Savannah Roark was right behind them with a solid 2:17.
“The strength of this relay is that there is no weak link,” girls coach Howard Russ said. “Each of these ladies have also qualified in an individual distance event on Saturday. I don’t think any other relay in the state can say that.”
Ewert and Roark are both entered in the 3,200-meter individual state final, Williams is a finalist in the 1,600, and Pierce is a finalist in the girls 800. Pierce’s best time of 2:11.17 in the 800 is currently ranked fifth quickest in Ohio.
“What makes this group special is their daily commitment to excellence. Nothing they achieve in races surprises me because I see how hard they work everyday at practice,” Russ said.
The girls Division I 3,200-meter relay final is scheduled to start at 4:45 p.m. Friday, May 31 at the famed Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus. Beavercreek’s girls mile relay team has a preliminary round scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Friday.
