Northwest's Jackson dashes to two top finishes
DAYTON DeVohn Jackson took an unusual route to getting presents for his mom's birthday.
The Northwest senior decided that any bling he picked up at Friday's Division I regional track and field meet was going to his mom, Tammie Thomas.
She's going to be opening gifts for a while. Jackson won the 100- and 200-meter dashes and also ran the anchor leg on the Knights' fourth-place 800 relay team.
"I wanted to get her something nice," Jackson said. "She gets everything I get today."
Jackson was one of several local competitors who picked up a lot of hardware under clear skies at Welcome Stadium. Lakota East senior Autumn Heath, St. Ursula's Annie Heffernan and Withrow senior Arbria Williams won multiple events, while Walnut Hills senior Chelsea Carpenter added the shotput championship to the discus title she captured on Wednesday.
Besides Jackson, boys multiple winners included Mason senior Reece Pontius, who anchored the Comets' title-winning 400 and 1600 relay teams while helping them to their second consecutive regional team championship.
"We're thrilled," Mason coach Chip Dobson said. "The kids came through the last few weeks. We had some tough meets, but they rallied."
The Comet girls also captured a second straight team championship.
"This was an unbelievable performance," Mason girls coach Tony Affatato said. "We have a tremendous group of seniors who've made a mark on track in Southwest Ohio."
Competitors from the Dayton and Winton Woods district meets combined to produce a staggering 25 regional champions out of a possible 34 events, something new for meet director Max Benton.
"I've never seen that level of dominance," said Benton, who's in his 21st year as meet director. "Wow."
Williams started the day by winning the 100 hurdles in 14.29 seconds, down from her qualifying time of 14.87 in Wednesday's preliminary heats.
"My prelims are never all that much," said Willliams, who qualified for the state meet for the first time as an individual and also ran on Withrow's championship 800 and 400 relay teams. "I always make sure to come back and put on a show for my family."
The top four finishers in each final qualify for the state meet, which is scheduled for June 6-7 at Ohio State University's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Ursuline senior Cayla Carey returned to the top step of the medal winners' podium after winning the long jump for the second time in three years. She won as a sophomore before sitting out for year after transferring to Ursuline. She jumped 18 feet, 9-¾ inches Friday after reaching 19 feet two years ago.
"I'm trying to get back to that," she said – the height as well as the top step.
Walnut Hills senior Taylor Darks successfully defended her 400 dash championship, as did St. Xavier senior Michael Hall in the 1600. He finished just four one-hundredths of a second ahead of his teammate, junior Michael Vitucci.
"It's always like that," Hall said. "In practice, we take turns pushing each other. I have great teammates. I'm going to miss them when I leave for Florida State."
Among first-time champions was Mt. Healthy junior Shaqualia Gutter, who won the girls' 300 hurdles in a personal-best 43.89 seconds.
"I'm excited," she said after receiving her medal. "I'm tired."