The members of ThisWeek’s Super 12 girls track and field team possess elite-level talent.
All the honorees were finalists to be named Captain – our girls track and field Athlete of the Year. Camden Bentley of Gahanna Lincoln earned that honor, which was announced during the Central Ohio High School Sports Awards online show June 30.
You can watch the event at sportsawards.usatoday.com/centralohio.
Below is the Super 12 for girls track and field:
Mayson Bates, Pickerington North
Bates turned a strong senior season into future opportunities as she signed with Toledo in May.
A three-time Division I state qualifier, Bates was fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (14.9 seconds) and 15th in the 300 hurdles (47.84). She swept the district 3 hurdles championships, was third in the 100 hurdles at regional and sixth in the 300 hurdles to earn an at-large state berth.
“Mayson capped off an impressive high school career this year by accomplishing some lofty goals,” coach Dave Spring said. “She has been a repeat state qualifier and placer in the sprint relays as a freshman and sophomore and built on that success this year in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Her dedication to the craft of hurdling helped her to finish on the podium.”
Camden Bentley, Gahanna Lincoln
After Bentley won the 60 hurdles at the indoor state finale, coach Roger Whittaker entered the outdoor season believing the sophomore would contend for multiple Division I state titles.
Bentley did just that, following OCC-Ohio Division, district and regional titles in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles by reaching the state podium three times.
After running 14.15 to earn a runner-up finish in the 100 hurdles, Bentley ran on the third-place 800 relay (1:40.51) and then captured the championship in the 300 hurdles (43.18).
Bentley also ran on the 1,600 relay that won a league title.
“She’s on a national level but she’s about as humble of a kid as you can find,” Whittaker said. “She loves the relays and will ask me, ‘When can I run on a relay?’ ”
Sydney Burrs, Olentangy
Burrs enjoyed a breakout season as a sophomore, winning OCC-Cardinal and Division I, district 1 championships in the 300 hurdles before finishing second in the 300 hurdles (44.17) and fifth in the 100 hurdles (15.1) at state.
Burrs is the program record-holder in the 200 (25.75).
“With each opportunity to compete this year, she got a little better, gained a little more experience and more confidence. She demonstrated pretty early on that she was one of our top girls in any event she tried, from the 100 up to the 400 in addition to the hurdles,” coach Jen Sosa said. “She has a great deal of natural ability and, on top of that, is so much fun to work with.”
Raegan Ernst, Dublin Jerome
Ernst showed her talents at the OCC-Cardinal meet when she won two individual events and was a part of two first-place relays.
A junior, she earned a fifth-place finish in the 300 hurdles (44.79) in the Division I state meet after being a regional qualifier in the event as a freshman.
Also at state, Ernst ran on the Celtics’ 11th-place 1,600 relay (3:59.43).
“Raegan is a really special athlete,” coach Randi Beatty said. “After losing last year, she came out ready for action. From the very beginning of the season, we knew that she was going to be an important contributor on our team and, in the end, she ended up all-conference in four events. … Beyond that, she’s an incredible teammate, always supporting those around her.”
Ernst was a state all-around qualifier in gymnastics in each of her first three prep seasons. She also was Super 12 Captain in that sport.
Grace Jenkins, Watterson
In her first season competing in the sport, this senior played an instrumental role in the Eagles earning a third-place finish (33) in the Division I state meet behind Mentor (70) and Gahanna (36).
Jenkins won the district championship in the 400 (57.63) but opted out of the event at regional, instead helping the 400 relay, 800 relay and 1,600 relay all win titles.
Then at state, Jenkins ran on the winning 1,600 relay (3:50.1), the first-place 800 relay (1:39.69) and the fourth-place 400 relay (48.3).
“She was a real weapon for us,” coach Adam Kessler said. “Once she figured out how to run, she had a top-10 time in the state in the 100 and for the longest time had a top-10 time in the 400. She made the sacrifice (to run only on relays at regional and state).”
Moriah Johnson, Westerville Central
The senior led the Warhawks in the Division I state meet, finishing sixth in the 200 (25.66) and seventh in the 100 (12.48). She also joined Chi-Chi Guyo, Taylor Hickman and Skylar Themelaras on the sixth-place 800 relay (1:41.42).
Johnson won a regional title in the 200 (25.16).
“Moriah was a four-year letterwinner for us and competed at the state meet in three out of four years at Central, only missing one year due to COVID-19,” coach David Mentlow said. “Moriah is not scared of the work it takes to be great and she worked tirelessly every season to be mentioned as one of the best in the state. She will leave Westerville Central as one of our most decorated sprinters to come through our program.”
Johnson will compete at Ball State.
Anna Kessler, Watterson
This senior led the way as the Eagles finished a program-best third in the Division I state meet.
Kessler, a William & Mary commit, finished fifth in the 100 (12.3) and eighth in the 200 (26.05). She also ran on the winning 800 relay (1:39.69) and fourth-place 400 relay (48.3).
After winning two individual titles and running on two first-place relays in the CCL meet, Kessler finished atop the podium three times apiece at both the district and regional meets.
“When you know you can rely on this sprinter every meet and you know what you’re getting out of her, it sets the table for what I can do with these other sprinters,” said coach Kessler, who is her father. “She’s my kid so it’s fun to see her develop.”
Amara Okpalaoka, Pickerington North
Okpalaoka, a senior who like Bates will compete at Toledo, capped a successful season in jumps and sprints by finishing third in the long jump (18-2 1/4), 16th in the 400 (1:00.21) and helping the 1,600 relay to ninth place (3:56.96) at state.
Okpalaoka also was on North’s seventh-place 800 relay at state as a sophomore and qualified in the long jump.
“Amara is a naturally gifted track athlete who excelled this year on the track and in the field,” Spring said. “She was a leader on the team who had the innate ability to know when to smile and keep the atmosphere loose and when to get serious and focused on the tasks at hand. Her persistence at mastering the long jump was balanced with her track workouts and ability to excel at the sprinting events.”
Marissa Saunders, Westerville South
The sophomore eclipsed her own program record in the 100 hurdles (14.05) while winning the Division I state title, and she also finished eighth in the 300 hurdles (46.71).
Saunders finished first in the 100 hurdles and second in the 300 hurdles at district, and she was second in both events at regional.
She accomplished all that while competing with a hip injury that required surgery after the season. She hopes to be ready for the indoor season.
“Marissa is a special talent,” coach Jimmy Gaul said. “She works extremely hard and demands the absolute best from herself. Marissa is an even more special person. She is full of positivity and loves to celebrate the accomplishments of her teammates and friends more than her own. Some athletes are game changers; Marissa is a program changer.”
Alyssa Shope, Gahanna Lincoln
After leading central Ohio at the Division I state cross country meet last fall with a fifth-place finish, Shope won OCC-Ohio titles in the 1,600 and 3,200, was district champion in the 3,200 and won regional titles in the 1,600 and 3,200.
She opted out of the 1,600 during hot conditions at state but was in control almost from the start in the 3,200, pulling away from the pack in the final lap to win in 10:32.42. The runner-up time was nearly 13 seconds slower.
The junior’s 10 state points helped Gahanna secure a runner-up finish.
“She peaked at the right time this year,” Whittaker said. “She’s really improved. She did well. You’ve really got to give it to Alyssa Shope because she really stepped up.”
Shope was Captain of the Super 12 girls cross country team.
Sydnie Smith, Bexley
Smith finished second at state in the discus (131-10) in the Lions’ first year in Division I.
The sophomore became Bexley’s first girls thrower to place at state, and she was the first discus competitor to qualify for state.
Smith also was 15th at state in the shot put (36-5 1/2).
“Sydnie accomplished more in her first year of high school track than any other Bexley boys and girls thrower has,” coach Jamie Hayes said. “She works hard, she’s very competitive and knows what it takes do do well.”
Smith won the discus (115-6) and shot put (37-0) in the MSL-Ohio meet as well as at district (discus, 121-4; shot put, 37-9 1/2). She was second in both events at regional (discus, 124-6; shot put, 36-4 1/4).
Lindsay Stull, Hilliard Davidson
The senior closed her prep career by winning the Division I state title in the 800 (2:10.35).
It was the first state championship for Stull, who also joined Caitlyn Jones, Dillion Sweetman and Keagan Gehring on the third-place 3,200 relay (9:12.49).
The Penn State commit missed part of the cross country season with a foot injury.
“It was a great season by her being a good, patient athlete understanding we weren’t going to be able to get the same training out of her that we’ve had in the past,” coach Matt Beatty said. “It was (good) for her to take a healthier approach to it and trust how she’s been training and follow what (distance) coach (Nate) King had and modifying.
“She held it together, trusted the process and stuck to the routine and the results are winning a state title.”
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