By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

COLUMBUS — This state meet was more like the preliminaries.

For Fairland Dragons’ runners Tanner Maddie and Raine Wireman the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II state track and field meet on Saturday at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium might have just been a warm-up for next year.

Maddie — a junior — and Wireman — a sophomore — gained some valuable experience despite their overall finish.

“This was a good learning experience. One’s a junior and one’s a sophomore, so they have plenty of time to take in what happened and learn from it,” said Fairland running coach ChuckWentz.

Maddie ran a 9:59.80 to place 10th. The winner was Michael Brojdic of Bay Village who ran a 9:25.07 even though he lost a shoe midway through the race.

Wireman ran a 2:01.89 and finished just ahead of Ironton’s Pierce Reeves who had a 2:02.88 time.

“I thought Pierce got caught up in the excitement of being in his last race and it was in the state meet to add more pressure. He really wanted to run well,” said Ironton running coach Tim Thomas.

Jacob Swords of Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary’s won the race as he sprinted to a 1:51.44 time.