State Track Feature: McClain sending 6 student-athletes to compete at state meet in ’24

GREENFIELD — The McClain Tigers girls track and field program will be well represented at the Division II OHSAA State Track and Field Championships this weekend, with six student-athletes competing for the school in three events.

The athletes competing at state this year will be different than those who competed at regionals to qualify for McClain, due to junior runners Katie Cook and Brenna Wright having an FFA commitment. Both are previous state qualifiers in the 4x100-meter relay race, and Wright this year also qualified for state in the 4x400m relay race and the 100m hurdles race.

At state, the 4x100m relay team for McClain will consist of seniors Kaitlyn Jett (first-time state qualifier) and Luca Matesic (three-year state qualifier), and sophomores Mylie Lovett and Becca Bergstrom.

“It’s a pretty great group to coach. They come in every day, and they're ready to work. They set goals, they're ready to go,” McClain girls track and field head coach Drew Hamilton said. “Some of them are coming back where they've done it again, where they've got that taste of state, and some of them it was the first time. The ones that have been there, our seniors, have really set the tone throughout their careers here at McClain.

“I tell the girls at our banquet and I tell them at the beginning of the season, leave the program better than you found it. The seniors have definitely done that. They've won the [Frontier Athletic Conference] twice. They were district runners-up this year, they won the district last year. Between our seniors, they have a total of 12 school records they've set in their time here at McClain, so the rest of the girls just kind of feed off that. When you have that drive, that kind of pulls everyone up with you.”

Hamilton talked in detail about the 4x100m relay team, as they have qualified for state multiple times in recent years with a variety of runners being a part of the state teams. He also talked about the 4x400 team as well.

“Some of it was a surprise this year. We expected our 4x1 to be fast, but the times in the region are very fast. I mean, if they ran with the time they ran last year, they wouldn't have qualified this year. They've really had to push this year to keep their time down and keep pushing to stay in that second-place spot at regional,” Hamilton said. “The 4x4, on the other hand, was a complete kind of surprise.

“I knew they could take time off from what they ran at districts. We had some girls who were able to be more fresh, were another week into it, but I did not expect them to take that much time off for the prelims. Then, once they saw they were a second away, it was just, at that point it was over, because you have four competitors there that they're going to give, they're all, 100-percent of that race. I knew that that record was going to fall at finals because they were just so determined to do it at that point, and with that, they made it to state. That is a great accomplishment in itself for these girls to make it there. To go and compete against the best in the state is a privilege in itself, and they just enjoy the ride.”

Matesic is the veteran of the 4x100 team, and she gave her thoughts on being back at state for now two events, but first she spoke about running in the 4x100 relay event at state for a third time.

“My first year, my sophomore year, the 4x100 — we had a really good team, and we wanted to get to state, but we didn't know if it was within reach or not. We definitely pushed ourselves that year to get there,” Matesic said. “Once our senior Iva [Easter] left, we knew we needed to find a replacement, and we did, and that was Brenna. She was in it this year too. We've always kind of had that fire under us to get there.

“This year, going in, our first time was what we usually run like toward the end of the season, so at the beginning of this year, we had hope. We kind of knew, if we keep this up, we're definitely on track for state and possibly beating the record again this year.”

Matesic then spoke about running in the 4x400 relay at state this year.

“Well, 4x1 has definitely been my baby throughout the years. I just love the 4x1. The 4x4, this will actually be my first 400 of the year at state, so I am a little nervous,” Matesic said. “I've run 4x4s — I've run plenty of 400s in my life. It's kind of funny because in seventh grade, we went to state for the 4x4, so it's kind of a full-circle moment. I started my first year of track going to state for 4x4, and now I'm ending my senior year going for the 4x4, so it's kind of cool.

“I just love track, so being able to go to the very end is definitely fun. It’s just nice that I get to go till the very end. I’m not missing out on another week. I get to go to the end.”

The new 4x100 group hasn’t run together this postseason, but at districts, the team of Jett, Matesic, Cook and Wright set a school record and district record of 49.99 as they won the district title. That group was also Frontier Athletic Conference champions with a time of 51.68, and at regionals they were runners-up with a time of 50.14.

“I've never been at state before, so it's really surreal,” Jett said. “On the 4x1, I hoped to make it because I know they've made it every year, but the 4x4, I really wasn't expecting it.  To qualify for the 4x1, it's an honor, because originally, I wasn't a part of the 4x1 team, but I always had a hope of making it on the team one day, and I did.

“This season has been way better than what I expected. Most seasons have been pretty good for me, but not as good as this season.”

Jett also spoke about being a state qualifier, how much it means to her  — especially qualifying as a senior — and what all it takes to compete at the level she competes at.

“I'm always nervous and excited, but I just want to have fun. It definitely takes a lot of hard work, just getting ready,” Jett said. “For me, as an 800 runner, it's been tough to balance running distance and running sprints. It gets a little hard on your body, but it's nothing you can't handle.

“I just get my body ready. Just warm up, have that mindset. If you don't have that mindset, then it's probably not going to go well, but if you just keep your hopes up, you'll be fine.”

McClain’s 4x400m relay team that set a school record at regionals with a time of 4:07.28 consisted of Jett, Wright, Bergstrom and freshman Larah Henson. Replacing Wright in this event is Matesic.

Sophomore Bergstrom — who said she learned how to be a better runner this season — is excited to be running two events at state, as she raced at regionals in the 4x4, being a part of the school-record time.

“It’s really exciting. I'm really nervous because there are really good teams, and we have to compete and do our best,” Bergstrom said. “(Getting the record), it was really cool. They were just telling me we got it at the end, after I ran. I was like, ‘we're going to state!’ I didn't know we got the school record, too. We thought we could not even touch it … we didn't even think about it.”

As for the 4x100m relay team, she wasn’t sure she’d be a part of that team at state.

“I’ve run the 4x1 at some meets, but not very many. It’s just nerve-wracking because they are so good,” Bergstrom said. “They're such a good team, and putting me in there, I’m nervous.”

The relay team also had 4x400m times of 4:18.93 for a first-place finish at the FAC Championships, and a time of 4:16.26 at districts for a second-place finish.

McClain sophomore Lovett will be racing in the 4x100m relay. She said this will be the second time all season she has ran in the event, but stated she’s excited to run at state, as Lovett will be able to use this experience to further her running career for next season as well.

“I ran the 4x100 one time this year, so I'm really nervous because they're such a good team, and they've been doing really well,” Lovett said. “They just keep getting better and better at each meet, and now that two girls are not going to be there, I’m really nervous to take their spot. I don't want to mess up, but it will be a good learning experience.

“Last year, I definitely think I had a better season than I did this year. I didn't qualify for regionals. I had a bad district meet, but I still went as a backup. Now that I'm going to state for the 4x100, it kind of just is making my season better now because I have something to look forward to.”

Freshman Henson is taking the experience all in, as she is using this year's state to help better her overall high school career, as she also talked about having each grad represented on the team at state this season in the 4x4 relay event.

“It's really cool because I had some doubts about even doing track in the beginning, so that I did it and I made it this far,” Henson said. “I think it's really cool (each grade represented), because I really look up to KK (Jett) and Brenna, and Becca’s one of my good friends, so it's really cool to run with everyone.

“I’m looking forward to just the whole experience and the atmosphere. I think it’ll be really fun to run with really good girls.”

Hamilton spoke highly of Wright and Cook, as they are past state qualifiers and brought a lot of success to the girls program this season.

“They've been great leaders,” he said. “They come in every day, and they’ve worked hard for us.”

Alternates for McClain at state in the relay events are Anna Eikenberry and Adalynn Snyder.

Making her third state appearance is senior Lily Barnes, who is competing at state in the discus throw event. Barnes — who will compete for Ohio University starting this fall — won the FAC championship with a throw of 119-50, followed by a district finish of third place at 116-20.

At regionals, Barnes saved her best throw for last, as she qualified for state with a PR and school record of 127-01, finishing in fourth place.

“This year feels a lot more rewarding because the competition is definitely a lot tougher this year,” Barnes said of being a state qualifier as a senior. “Last year, I made it to state with a throw of 119, and this year, I had to throw 127 to get fourth. So the competition is definitely higher this year, and it feels a lot more rewarding for me to get to go. That's my new PR and school record, 127.

“This season, I've had a lot of ups and downs, so just keeping my mind right and knowing that, you know, I had a big PR coming, I’ve been working hard every day of practice to just get there.”

Barnes didn’t have the start to the season she wanted, battling injuries and putting in the work needed to get back to where she was last season, and even more than that, surpassing her best throws of her career for a new PR.

“Coming into this season, I had kind of a slow start, and then at league, I threw 119. The league record was actually 120, so I was pretty upset, even though I won,” Barnes said. “I really just wanted to PR, and I hadn't thrown a PR since my sophomore year, so really just working through the ups and downs.

“When I got to regionals, I really just had to change my mindset, like, ‘I’m just here to have fun,’ and kind of let go of all the pressure and the expectations that were kind of set. That's how I kind of just relaxed, to be able to throw that mark.”

Getting the chance to compete at state one final time is something Barnes is excited for.

“I'm just looking forward to being able to throw for the last time in high school. It's been a fun ride, and I'm just excited to be able to go to the state meet for the last time with my teammates, and have a good time, and then continue doing this in college,” she said.

Coach Hamilton is excited for Barnes and for all that she’s accomplished during her time at McClain.

“We have Lily, three times coming back, and this year, she talked about having the ups and downs. She has really been able to push herself to get there this year and kind of find her way,” he said. “There's been the downs that have been pretty low this year for her, but when she puts her mind to it like she did at regional — I mean because she needed that throw to go in there to get the school record there at the last one. That was her final throw, and she went into the ring and said she was a beast and went and threw that.

“It's great to see her go out there and accomplish it. When you have a kid that puts that much work in over the years of being here to really cap off their senior year by going to state, which is a goal for her, is great. Hard work pays off, and that's a testament to it right there. She's a true testament to being able to put the hard work in and finish off her career here at state.”

Hamilton ended by speaking about the program as a whole, and how this year was a successful season for the girls program as a whole.

“The tone that the senior class has set has been great,” Hamilton said. “We have middle schoolers talking about how they want to break records, and they want to be there, and they want to do this stuff, so it is great for the program to see. A lot of people don't understand — like ‘oh, you're going to state’ — but they don't understand what it's like to go up and run against that competition, in front of that many fans.

“It truly is amazing for these girls to put themselves out there and push to get there. It's really great to cap off your season, going against the best competition in the state. I’d also like to thank the coaching staff for all the time they put in with the girls. I'd like to thank the parents, who give their time to us, and really appreciate the seniors, for what they've done for the program. I'm really happy with the progress that they've pushed our program in the direction that they pushed it in.”

All the McClain athletes also spoke about how they would like to say thanks to all of those who have supported them this season.

The 4x100 relay team will race in the semifinals Friday at 10:30 a.m., followed by the 4x400 team at 12:20 p.m. Barnes begins the discus throw event Friday at 1 p.m.

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