COLUMBUS — Second place didn’t sit well with Midview senior Drew Ebersole. It left a bitter taste.
For a good reason: Ebersole’s goal was to be No. 1. His hope was to be Midview’s first state track and field champ.
Cincinnati LaSalle senior Chandler Burden was just a bit better.
Ebersole walked alone along the right sector line of the discus area for 5-10 minutes after the competition concluded. He found little solace.
“I can’t settle for second,” said Ebersole. “I don’t know what else to say. The other guy threw better than I did.”
A University of Kentucky football recruit, Burden threw the discus 187 feet, 6 inches. Ebersole was second with 182-4.
Burden entered the meet with the top throw out of regionals (192-4), but had never broken 175 prior to districts. Ebersole’s career best was 186-9 set in early May at the Bulldog Relays.
Ebersole’s top mark Saturday was his first throw in the prelims. He threw 180-3, 161-0, 175-9, 176-3 and 178-5 on his other throws.
To say Ebersole was disappointed is an understatement. He was visibly upset after coming off the awards stand.
He finished third in the Division I meet last year with a throw of 177-0. Both athletes who defeated him a year ago graduated last June.
Ebersole was the No. 3 seed (178-0) coming out of regionals behind Burden and Mount Vernon junior Lucas Ferguson (178-7). Ebersole threw a 190-foot toss in his final warmup prior to Saturday’s finals, but couldn’t duplicate the magic in the finals.
“He had his heart set four years ago to become state champion,” said Midview coach Steve Hayhurst. “For a kid to say that and then follow it up with the work ethic speaks worlds of what this kid has been through. He’s just a great kid. My heart goes out to him.”
Burden proved he was legit earlier in the day. He won shot put with a throw of 61-2 1/2. Ebersole, the No. 1 seed (61-0 1/4), finished fourth with a 57-9.
“I’m not going to make excuses. I just didn’t have it,” Ebersole said after shot put and prior to the discus. “I was a little off. There’s not much I can do about it now. I threw a 60-foot throw leading off the finals, but I fouled it. My wrist has been hurting a lot this week, so I only threw the shot once at practice since regionals. Maybe I was out of rhythm, I don’t know.”
Ebersole didn’t acknowledge whether the sore wrist was a factor in discus, but it’s likely to have had an impact.

Coolidge 2nd in 3,200

Elyria Catholic sophomore Marty Coolidge clocked a career-record 9:24.62 to earn a second-place finish in the Division II 3,200 meters. It was a career-record time by nearly 10 seconds. Only Chillicothe Unioto senior Galen Dills (9:22.0) was better.
Dills pulled away from the field with just over a lap remaining as the event turned into a two-man race. CVCA junior Kyle Sullinger was third (9:30.25).
“I was just trying to go out there and kill it,” said Coolidge. “I just wanted to run as hard as I could.”
Coolidge’s finish is EC’s top individual performance since 1985 when Al McKinney took second in long jump. The Panthers took a first at state in 2000, but that came in the 3,200 relay.
“I liked Dills’ style. He ran very aggressive,” said Coolidge. “It was a fun race. I was a little worried coming in. I didn’t think that I was going to be able to catch Sullinger. I never thought I’d ever finish this well coming into the season. My goal coming in was only to qualify here.”
Bay freshman Mike Brajdic also ran well, finishing ninth (9:45.57) and missing All-Ohio (top eight) by three seconds.

LaMar, Rodriguez All-Ohio

Juniors Cory LaMar of Firelands and Nate Rodriguez of Vermilion earned All-Ohio Division II honors. LaMar was sixth in the 400 meters (49.32). Rodriguez passed two runners in the last 30 meters and finished eighth in the 800 meters with a career-record time of 1:58.54.
“At one point I looked at everyone else around me and I was sitting third,” said LaMar. “My legs just died the last 150 meters, especially the last straightaway. When I hit the 75 (to go), I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. My goal was to break 49 flat. I’m very disappointed. I can’t even put it into words.”
Creston Norwayne junior Cody Miller won the event (47.56) by defeating defending champ Isaiah Pead of Columbus Eastmoor Academy (48.17).
“I felt good for the first 250, but when I hit the last 100 I knew that I went out too fast,” said LaMar. “I started feeling tired and losing my wind.”
Sandusky Perkins senior Cory Leslie won the 800 in a state-record 1:50.77, finishing by more than three seconds in front of River Valley junior Zach Lathrop (1:54.39). Rodriguez couldn’t have been any prouder of his accomplishment.
“I saw one guy (Sandusky Perkins’ Mike Ahner, ninth, 1:58.66) slowing down, so I knew I had to go for it,” said Rodriguez. “It’s the last meet of the year. You don’t want to have to look back and say, ‘I could have done more.’ I felt like I gave it my all today.”
Avon senior Alex Bushong chalked up a ninth in the Division II discus with a throw of 165-9. It was the second-longest throw of his career.
Avon senior Dan Smith led the Division II boys 1,600 meters for the first 900 meters. He cleared the 800-meter mark at a torrid 2:07 split. Leslie, who later won the 800, was the first one to pull by Smith. Leslie won the event in 4:12.44.
“I definitely didn’t run a smart race,” said Smith. “It wasn’t the time I was hoping for (4:20). My goal was to run 65-second splits, but I went out the first 400 in 60 seconds.”
Amherst junior Adam Kalivoda finished tied for 11th in the Division I pole vault (13-6).
 

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