Big decision 'pays off': Marlington thrower Diontae Lester earns first OHSAA state berth

AUSTINTOWN — The overwhelming favorite took his six throws elsewhere.

That changed things a little for Marlington's Diontae Lester and the other discus contenders. Realistically, only three state berths were up for grabs at Thursday's Austintown Fitch Division II regional. All Lester wanted was to snatch one of them.

Mission accomplished. Lester threw 155 feet, 10 inches on his final attempt to earn a fourth-place finish and his first state meet berth.

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"I'm really happy," Lester said. "Last year I didn't make it out of districts. I fouled out. I didn't even place ... anything.

"From that to getting fourth here and being able to go to state is insane."

Lester stood on the awards podium with regional champion Dillon Morlock of Norwayne. Having thrown over 200 feet this season, Morlock was allowed to take his throws off site because of Fitch's short discus sector.

GlenOak's Andrew White and Marlington's Anthony Wilks are among those who have thrown at least 190 feet at Fitch. Their throws landed near the base of a fence that separates the throwing area from a house's yard. A dog was spotted in the yard before Thursday's competition.

Morlock's top throw off site was 188 feet even. He beat his nearest competitor by 25 feet, 1 inch.

"That was such a weird thing," Lester said of Morlock throwing elsewhere. "It has never happened that I know of. It was crazy."

The bottom line for Lester is he is moving on. Being a track and field state qualifier was likely the furthest thing from his mind a few years ago.

Lester wrestled for Marlington until this past season. He stepped away from wrestling to focus on track and field during the indoor season.

"It was a big decision," Lester said. "Wrestling was always my first love. I wanted to wrestle in college. To drop that for such an unknown thing ...

"To pursue this and for it to pay off, I'm very happy with my decision."

Marlington head coach Bob Dagenhardt calls Lester "a great success story." Since last season, Lester has raised his shot put throw from 42 feet to 50-1.75 and his discus throw from 130 feet to 157-3. He has committed to Walsh University.

"We spent a lot of time on Sundays so he could throw during the indoor season," Dagenhardt said. "He spent the time and deserves all the success and accolades he has received this year."

Morlock will be the heavy favorite to win back-to-back state titles in the discus next week. Lester, who also hopes to advance in the shot put Saturday, will have nothing to lose.

"My biggest goal was to make it to state," Lester said. "Now that I'm there, I just want to have fun. If I place really high, I place really high. If I don't, I don't.

"I get the experience of going. I'll go out there and throw my heart out. I don't have anything to worry about."

Marlington boys 3,200 relay on brink of three-peat

Marlington's boys 3,200-meter relay team will head to the 2024 season's finish line with an opportunity to make more history.

The Dukes will race for a third straight state championship in Dayton. Luke Ryan, Michael Nicholls, Logan Citino and Colin Cernansky won a regional title Thursday in 7:54.94.

"We're really excited for it, but we're really going to have to lock in," Citino said. "This is probably one of the best years for 4-by-8s in all divisions in Ohio. We have to stay locked in all week, go in and do what we can do. Hopefully we can come away with it."

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Marlington's Diontae Lester earns first OHSAA state track and field berth