The schedule is set.

Wednesday, May 31, 2000

The schedule is set. Now, all that’s left is to show up and perform.

A total of 10 area track athletes are preparing for the Ohio High School Athletic Association state track and field meet Friday and Saturday at Dayton’s Welcome Stadium.

Ironton’s Jason Harmon will long jump at 10 a.m. Friday in the Division II meet. Harmon begins in the second flight.

In the regional meet, Harmon leaped 21-6 3/4 to win the event. The leader coming in is Copley’s Bill Mills with a 24-0 1/2 jump and Jorrell Johnson of Bellfontaine at 23-2 1/2. Three other jumpers have eclipsed 22 feet.

"You never know if a 24-foot jump is a once-only thing," Ironton coach Greg Cronacher said. "And we think Jason has a 22-footer or so in him. Some guys jump better on different boards. We’re hoping Jason jumps better at Dayton."

Another area long jumper is Coal Grove’s Jeff Hamilton who will compete at the Division III meet.

Hamilton, who jumps at 3:30 p.m. Friday, went 20-11 in the regionals.

The leaders coming into the meet are Bobby Gibson of Mt. Blanchester River at 22-3 and Joe Brightbill of Jeromesville Hill at 22-0 3/4.

Seven different jumpers have surpassed 21 feet.

The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers 400 meter relay team of Christy Lilly, Sarah Herman, Alisa Philabaun, and Rachael Perry have the seventh fastest time of the 16 teams who qualified for the Division II state meet.

Ironton had a qualifying time of 50.71 in winning the regional meet, and only fractions of seconds separate the top times in the state meet.

"We had a good time in the regionals, but I think we can run faster. If we hit things right, you never know what can happen. And other teams might not hit things right," Ironton girls coach Tim Thomas said.

The preliminaries for the girls 400 meter relay are at 2:45 p.m. Friday.

Chesapeake’s Danny Wassell won the high jump in the regionals at 6-3, and Wassell has gone as high as 6-5. He jumps fifth at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Division II meet.

The top height coming on the board is 6-9 by Brad Hart of Sparta Highland. Copley’s Brad Mills and Mansfield Ontario’s Isaiah Brooks have each cleared 6-8.

The Panthers 1600 relay team of Ryan Slone, Scott Perry, Brad Fulton, and Wassell had a school record 3:25.48 time to place fourth in the regional meet.

Chesapeake’s 10th fastest time coming into the Division II state meet and will run in lane five in the preliminaries that begin at 3:50 p.m. Friday.