SPARTANS TO BE REPRESENTED IN COLUMBUS

AUSTINTOWN, OH- The Boardman Boys Track Team will send four athletes in four events to the 2022 OHSAA State Championship this weekend at Jesse Owens Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University after placing 4th overall at this year’s OHSAA Northeast Regional last weekend.

The Spartans 4×100 relay team of seniors Ben Alvarico, Trey DePietro, Cameron Thompson, and Logan Thompson became the first Spartan Relay to be crowned Regional Champions after placing first in a time of 41.82. Logan Thompson also added a Regional Champion crown to his record-breaking 300H run in a time of 37. 93-besting the previous mark of 38.27 of Caleb Mathews in 2009. Joining those events will be the 4×200 relay of Alvarico, DePietro, Thompson, and Thompson after their fourth-place finish on Friday and Alvarico in the 200 after placing fifth in a time of 22.06 earned him one of the two state-wide wildcard berths.

“I am so proud of all of our athletes,” said Boardman Head Coach John Phillips, “they battled in some terrible conditions with rain and wind and did not let that affect them one bit. This is a very experienced group and after last year, they feel that they have a lot of unfinished business to take care of.” Phillips added, “ This is not possible without our coaching staff either–I can not thank Rick Sypert (sprints)  and John DePietro (hurdles)  enough, they did a fantastic job preparing our kids for this moment all season. They are truly two of the best in the state at what they do, we are very lucky to have them here at Boardman.”

Also competing Friday was sophomore Brock Farris in 1600. Farris ran a career-best time of 4:25 to place 11th overall. Cameron Thompson and Alvarico placed sixth and seventh overall in the 100 and Cameron Thompson were seventh in the 200 as well.

State Semi-Finals will be Friday afternoon and the finals will be on Saturday.

*Contributed by John Phillips