State Track Feature: Fairfield’s Donley, Moon ready to debut against state competition

LEESBURG — Two of Fairfield’s top student-athletes have qualified for the 2024 OHSAA State Track and Field Championships this week at the University of Dayton’s Welcome Stadium.

The two athletes are both from the Fairfield girls track and field team, senior Faith Donley and freshman Remi Moon, as Donley will compete in the 400-meter relay race, and Moon is scheduled to compete in the high jump event.

Both events will take place Thursday, May 30 in Division III competition.

Faith Donley, senior, 400-meter dash

Fairfield senior Faith Donley enters the state event with a Fairfield school record of 58.89 in the 400m race, breaking the record set by one of her best friends — Hallie Haines — who set the mark last season. Haines was the first Fairfield girls athlete in school history to compete at the state level last year, competing in the 400m race. 

This postseason, Donley was the Southern Hills Athletic Conference champion in the 400m race with a time of 1:00.51, followed by a third-place finish at districts with a time of 1:00.30, then at regionals Donley had a fifth-place time of 58.89, the aforementioned new school record.

Donley spoke about how she learned from Haines last year racing against her, and how she used that experience to become a state qualifier this year.

“I watched (Hallie) all of last year, and we raced the 400 together. I mean, normally she was in front of me, so I watched how she would run,” Donley said. “Being able to see her like a mentor the last year, and then she moved on to college running, and she's kind of told me some of the strategies that she's learned in college. She's definitely helped me out in the 400.”

The Fairfield senior Donley continued to talk about Haines and how she broke Haines’ 400m school record this season.

“[At regionals] I came back to my coach (Cohen Frost), and I told him I was sorry I didn’t make it,” Donley said. “But then he told me my time, and then we kind of just celebrated after that, because that was the time I was reaching for all season, and to know I got it after that, and that it was my qualifying time, was great.”

Getting to state and obtaining the school record meant Donley had to erase two seconds off her previous best time from districts, which she did, and the senior spoke about how she was able to achieve that feat.

"Taking time off the 400 is kind of hard to do once we get into this kind of spot in the season,” she said. “But I just dug down. I knew what I could give myself, and I set myself a goal. I'm strong willed in everything I do, honestly. I kind of had a mental block breaking a minute, and then once I did it districts and then on to regionals, then eventually regional finals for the 58, it just felt great. Mentally, I knew I could get there, and physically, my body took me there.”

Donley expanded on why she’s become a better runner this season.

“I think it's just maturity, and honestly, I would question myself on how far I could make it, so I think I limited myself,” she said. “This year, I knew it was really the last time, and I knew from the beginning of the year that I wanted to do the best I could for my body and eat right and work out and be in the best place I could so I could move forward. But I think honestly, it’s just maturity from last year to this year.

“I definitely trained harder this year than I had any other year. I definitely pushed myself more, and having a coach that would run with me and push me, and he really, truly was great at pushing everyone this season. I think that's why we were also successful as a team.”

Fairfield girls head coach Cohen Frost — who was a four-time state qualifier in cross-country during his time at FHS — spoke highly of Donley and the type of athlete she is.

“Faith Donley, I mean, she's just a different monster. I've never seen anybody more dedicated than her,” Frost said. “Even with my boys team for cross-country, none of them compared to the kind of mentality that she has. She's been working through some struggles with her shin, but she hasn't let it stop her. She's been working right along through it. She's a hard worker. Everything I say that she needs to do, she takes it to heart, she'll make sure she gets it done. I think that's really helped her. She's just a great kid.”

Donley then spoke about being a part of Lady Lions history, as she and Moon and just the second and third female athletes to become state qualifiers in track and field for Fairfield.

“It’s crazy, honestly, I mean, to be a part of history like that,” Donley said. “I think our athletics have been insanely good this year, throughout everything. It’s just honestly special to be in the position I am now. I'm taking it all in and appreciating everything that I've done and everything people have done for me this year.”

As Frost mentioned, Donley battled some injuries this season, and it was a work in progress to figure out which race was her best to compete at when the postseason arrived.

“It's been surreal, honestly,” Donley said of her senior season. “I knew I wanted to make it, and I set that goal for myself earlier in the season. Me and my coach have worked for it throughout the ups and downs of the season and feeling bad, having off days, but since I was a wildcard, it was a little bit scary.

“At first, I thought my season was over, but you know, I worked hard, and I ran the 58, and that was enough to qualify me, so it was great once I knew. I found out [I made state] the next day, and I was just ecstatic.”

Frost spoke about Donley and how she’s improved on her time this season.

“I was watching the clock. I had the live results on my phone because you can't be on the infield during the regional tournament. I'm at the other side of the track. I made sure to stand on the one spot nobody else is standing so she can stand and listen to me,” Frost said. “I dropped to my knees when I saw four girls go before because I thought man, she really didn't run that great. Then I saw the 58.08, and I realized she ran her heart out.

“She did everything she possibly could, and then that helped her get the wildcard. I mean, I was praying and praying and praying that she was going to get a chance, and she got it running that 58.”

Now the fun continues, as the state meet is next, and for Donley, it is the best way to end her high school career.

“I’m super excited. It's a great accomplishment to be able to say that I've done it, and I think I’ve just got to leave it all out on the track,” Donley said. “This could be my last race [Thursday], unless I make it on Friday. I'm just excited to be there and take in the atmosphere. It’s my last time I'll ever be there, and I’ve just got to take it all out. If I do make it to Friday, that's incredible, and I will go all out there as well.”

Donley had some closing comments about her track and field career.

“Coming in freshman year, you think about the big things that you could do. You want to push forward for everything and get to the highest position, and to be in highest position, honestly, right now, is just surreal,” she said. “It feels incredible.

“I just want to thank my friends and my family and my coaches and overall God. I mean, He has a plan for me in my life, and He gives me the ability to move forward through everything. If I trust Him and trust in Him, then He takes me far in life.”

- - - - -

Remi Moon, freshman, high jump

Fairfield freshman Remi Moon is making her state debut in the Division III OHSAA State Track and Field Championships in her very first high school season, scheduled to compete in the high jump event, where she’s tied for the highest jump going into the event.

Moon enters the high jump event at Welcome Stadium tied for the best height at regionals at 5-4, which is also her PR and the new Fairfield school record, as she’s broken the Fairfield girls high jump record four times this season.

This postseason, in her first varsity year, Moon won the Southern Hills Athletic Conference championship with a height of 5-2, and she was crowned district champion with another jump of 5-2. Her aforementioned 5-4 jump put her in the regional runner-up spot.

“I did not think I could get that height. I got it once in practice, but we didn't think that the bar was actually set to 5-4, but when I did it at the meet, it blew my mind,” Moon said. “I didn’t think I could do it.”

FHS head coach Cohen Frost talked about how great of an athlete Moon is, as the three-sport athlete has excelled her first year as a varsity athlete.

“Remi is just an all-out athlete. She came in here as a freshman, and she was jumping for 4-8 at the beginning of the season, which is already an accomplishment,” Frost said. “I mean, our school record was 5-0. After the second meet, she had already had it at 5-1. It was a good two or three weeks into the season, she had already beat it.

“She’s just an all-around hard worker. She was having some quad pain at the beginning of the season. We kind of worked through it, and she didn't let it stop her. She worked right through it. She's up to 5-4 now, which blew our school record out of the water.”

Moon then talked about going to state with the 5-4 jump as one of just two Division III jumpers to have that height at regionals.

“It scares me a little bit because I've only got that once, and then there's like eight other girls who jump 5-3, which is really close,” she said. “You never know if you're going to have a bad day or not, so it's kind of nerve-wracking.”

Moon was also a state qualifier in middle school, and though she didn’t get to compete at that event, Moon making the state championships as a freshman is a big deal, and she didn’t know if she was going to earn a state spot her first varsity season.

“I didn't think I'd get here my first year, but I did,” Moon said. “My season went pretty smooth. I just jumped the best I could at every meet and did well. Again, I was really shocked, and I was really excited, but I was also disappointed because I only got second at regionals, and my goal was first, but I was still really happy.”

Moon began competing in the high jump event last year in eighth grade, as her coach at the time thought she’d be good at the event.

“I got put in it in eighth grade. It was my first year jumping, and my coach just thought I'd be good at it, so she put me in it,” Moon said. “The very first jump I tried was 4-8, and I cleared it. After that, I just progressed and got better.

“I play other sports, which I think that helped me gain more strength in my legs and my core, and I think that really helped. I play volleyball, basketball and track.”

Moon is the lone girls high jumper for Fairfield, meaning she practices against the boys team, where she’s competitive during practices, which helps her in the girls events at meets.

“It really has helped her,” Frost said of Moon having to compete against the boys in practice. “The boys are jumping 5-4, 5-6 right there with her. I really think it's helped her to not have another female there because she has the boys there to push her.

“I really think that drives her because she doesn't like to get beat, so when a boy beats her in practice, she takes that to heart. She wants to get back and beat them the next day. So yeah, I think that's really benefited her big time.”

Moon also talked about practicing with the boys on the team.

“It’s just me [on the girls team]. Usually I'm out there with the boys, and we jump around the same heights, so I compete with them a little bit, but I don't have any girls to compete with,” Moon said. “At state, I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do and where I can place, and if I can break another record or not. I want to enjoy the experience.”

Coach Frost ended by talking about how both Moon and Donley are coachable athletes.

“It's a blessing, really. I mean, you don't get kids like that often, kids that will actually sit down, you have a conversation with them, ‘this is what we need to do,’ and they take it to heart,” he said. “That's really hard to find, but that's why they're here. That's why they're at this level, because they're the ones that are coachable. They're the ones that will take themselves to the next level and do what they need to do in order to reach that level.”

Moon wanted to give thanks to her family, friends and teammates for all their support this season.

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.