Heath's Butler, Licking Valley's Campbell in pursuit of repeat OHSAA state titles

LEXINGTON — Huntyr Butler made what appeared to be a rare showdown look easy Saturday.

The Heath senior blew away the competition as he has done so frequently and left yet another crowd in awe. Butler ran a record time of 14.03 to win the boys 110 hurdles during the Division II regional championships at Lexington.

"No, I woke up feeling sick, but I said, 'Let's just do it.' I had a job to do," said Butler, noting he had no inkling of what’s to come.

During Thursday’s preliminaries, Clyde’s Brady Wilson was just 21 one-hundredths of a second behind Butler. On Saturday, Butler left Wilson, who ran 14.74, in his dust, shattering his own Heath record and breaking a 19-year-old meet record.

“I just have to run my race, not theirs,” Butler added.

Butler is a heavy favorite to repeat as state champion. He has been racing against the clock most of the season, and maybe breaking the 14-second barrier is ahead.

Butler also will compete in the 300 hurdles. He placed fifth (39.69) but earned one of two at-large berths given to top fifth- or sixth-place finishers across the state.

"It's my last year, this is it. I have to go," he said. "I am just trying to take it.”

Licking Valley junior Reagan Campbell also has her sights set on a repeat title in the girls 400. She was pushed for the second consecutive week by Columbus South’s Spiritual Wilson Foster Wright, and she does not mind the competition.

Campbell let Wright set the early pace before cruising past her and winning in a season-best time of 56.82.

"I went in wanting a 56," Campbell said. "I was a little concerned. It's OK, though. It helps me."

Campbell’s time ranked behind just Taylor’s Cameron Bitterman's 56.70 among the four regional meets. Campbell also qualified in the 100 (12.64) and 200 (25.89), placing third in both.

"Break 56 maybe?" she said. "Pressure's there, but it's OK."

Utica senior Jay Figgins is never afraid to take the lead in the boys 1,600, and he stayed one step ahead of his competition. He won the title in a time of 4:23.50, lowering his school record, and he could go under 4:20 next weekend.

"I don't go by splits. It messes with my head, so I go by feel," said Figgins, who later finished 10th in the 400 (52.83). "I felt great that entire race. I have prepared; I have trained; I am waiting for time."

Northridge freshman Isabel Evans took runner-up in the 200 hurdles during the middle school state meet in 2021, but the step up to high school was not supposed to be this easy. Evans raced to the regional title in the 300 hurdles, breaking the 45-second mark for the first time at 44.90.

"It's a big deal," said Evans, who also qualified in the 100 hurdles (15.46), placing fourth. "I didn't think I would get to it this season. My goal was to break 46."

Rylan Felumlee was apologizing after his boys 800, but a personal best and a third-place finish was all that needed to be said. Felumlee earned his first state berth with a time of 1:57.64 in a hotly-contested race.

"My ending wasn't strong, but — going to state," Felumlee said. "It's something I've wanted for a long time since I went in middle school."

Lakewood junior Landry Driskel entered the girls discus finals tied for fourth but technically fifth due to the tiebreaker. She bettered herself in those finals, throwing a personal-best 126-3 to break that fourth-place tie.

Driskel will be making a return trip to state, and her experience showed. She shared the ring with two of the state’s best as Norton sophomore Morgan Hallett broke her second regional record of the weekend at 157-1 and Liberty-Benton senior Izzy Granger followed at 148-0.

"You always get little butterflies, but I didn't have too many today honestly. I was surprisingly calm," Driskel said. "I've seen better throws in practice, so I am just waiting for it in a meet. If anything, that (competition) inspires me and doesn't intimidate me."

Heath junior Allie Dunlap placed fifth in the girls pole vault, and Northridge junior Colette Patti placed sixth in the girls 100 (12.65). Both earned at-large berths.

Patti, senior Gabi Smith and classmates Mia Siegenthaler and Stephanie Gilmore placed sixth in the 800 relay (1:49.42), and Gilmore placed seventh in the 400 (1:01.02).

Lakewood junior Corey Rafferty took fifth (10:00.50), Utica senior Silas Buckenberger sixth (10:01.04) and Lakewood junior Caleb Rafferty seventh (10:02.26) in the boys 3,200, and Lakewood junior Ryan Byers placed sixth in the boys 800 (1:58.90). Heath junior Jacob Elam placed eighth in the boys 1,600 (4:37.54), and Lakewood senior Aidan Bowman was right behind him in ninth (4:37.86).

Johnstown sophomore Reece Savage finished ninth in the girls 3,200 (12:26.58) and classmate Brenden Ball 13th in the boys 800 (2:07.95). Lakewood senior Camryn Martindale finished 11th in the girls 800 (2:30.70).

Heath senior Kennedi Bailey finished 10th in the girls discus (112-6), and classmate Brandon McLaughlin tied for 12th in the boys high jump (5-10). Northridge junior Justin Townley finished 12th (43-5) and Heath sophomore Reece Shriner 13th (43-3.5) in the boys shot put.

Lakewood’s Byers, senior Jonathon Holbrook, junior Josh Taylor and sophomore Isaiah Mitchell finished 14th in the boys 1,600 relay (3:39.06).

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @newarkurt

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Huntyr Butler, Reagan Campbell in pursuit of repeat state titles