Track and Field: CJ state championship completes successful multi-season campaign
· Yahoo Sports
Jun. 13—Chaminade Julienne's group of underclassmen traveling to Columbus had one mission in mind.
A strong indoor season already proved there were talented individuals able to win a team title. Crunching the numbers before making the trip, CJ head coach Terrence Glenn believed his athletes were able to earn the points to contend.
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"We just come to find out, we actually were one of the teams that could put over 40 points in that meet," Glenn said. "So I really just told the girls, 'We can go out here, perform like we've been doing all season, and there's a possibility we can come out of it state champions.'
"And they all bought into that."
Chaminade Julienne came home from the OHSAA State Track and Field Championships held Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7, claiming the school's first team championship.
CJ scored 44 points to take the title in Division II.
"We had that indoor titles and they got the fulfillment, the joy of we can do this," said Glenn. "I know they wanted to feel that same joy of actually bringing home the outdoor state title. And I'm not going to say it was easy as it was very challenging, but we had girls that just had awesome regional finals."
All of CJ's point scorers were juniors.
Claire Downer had four podium finishes to lead the scoring for the Eagles. Downer got second place in both the high jump (5 feet, 5 inches) and long jump (18' 7.25") events. She earned the same spot running in the 300-meter hurdles (43.23 seconds), and also placed third in the 100-meter hurdles (14.65 seconds).
CJ also had Cloie Williams score twice and Sydney Haywood once. Williams was second in the 100-meter dash (12.04 seconds) and fourth in the 200 (24.53 seconds.) Haywood placed eighth in the 100 (12.27 seconds) as well.
Both sophomore Jacelyn Colvin and freshman Mychael Hanson qualified for the meet as well as part of the 400 relay team.
"Standing on the podium was a moment I thought about for a long time but was never fully prepared for how it would feel," said Downer through CJ's communications department. "It was incredibly fulfilling to know we finally achieved something that will forever represent the kind of athletes and team we are."
The year finishes a successful multi-season effort for CJ track athletes. Williams won the indoor state championships in both the 60- and 200-meter dashes. Haywood, Williams and Downer teamed with Olivea Stanley to win the indoor 4 x 200 relay championship. Stanley had to sit out the outdoor season due to state transfer rules.
All of their success indoors made the team "laser focused" on its chance to duplicate feats at the outdoor championships, according to Glenn.
In case there was a little bit more of a push needed, CJ was able to gain additional motivation following its girls basketball team's run to the D-III state championship while they were getting through the indoor season.
"The girls really saw all that came with their run and the recognition. They really thought that could be us this year," Glenn said. "We just really got to sit together and stick to the plan of what we have to do to get that state title."
The track team took after the basketball team with how close it made its run to the title. CJ outpaced Big Walnut by four points in the final standings.
Glenn said when he saw Big Walnut's relay team drop a baton in its finals race, he felt destiny was taking place in front of his eyes.
"The rest just played out for itself and we came out on top," he said. "And for that to be the first one in school history is amazing. 175 years of Chaminade Julienne history and all those state titles, and we were able to bring our first one."
The best part of the group is they get to come back and get another next year. The team had virtually no seniors competing this season and none that made it to state. Those five that brought home the trophy can become more vocal leaders as seniors to hopefully bring up more talented athletes to state next season with them.
Winning a title changes the overall perception of a program, and CJ can now reap the benefits that will come from one.
"We had three girls score at state. That just is crazy," Glenn said. "I don't know how it got done, but it got done. We are the state champions."