Boys Track Notebook: Dillon Morlock already re-writing state record book

At the rate that Dillon Morlock is breaking records, Norwayne throws coach Bri Indorf will be busy getting with officials to solidify every mark.

The senior, who is the defending Division II state champ in both the shot put and discus, opened the season with an impressive throw of 68-feet-3½ to win the McCay Relays and followed it up with a mark of 65-9¾ for another victory at the Orrville Invitational.

The latter of the two results currently stands as the D-II record — beating Morlock’s previous state record of 65-0¼ — as the toss he had two weeks ago at Smithville still needs to be signed off by an official. State records need to be measured and recorded with an official and with official non-stretch tape to be honored, according to Indorf.

No matter which one is considered to be the state standard, it’s been a remarkable start to the year for the Michigan State signee.

“They have to sign and document those marks as official state records now, so that is why last week was done that way,” said Indorf, referring to the Orrville Invite record. “He will be able to use the 68-3 ½ as a record, I will get that sorted out with the official, but hopefully he beats it again so I may be filling out paperwork all year.”

Not only has Morlock been posting eye-popping numbers in the shot, but he also had at the third-best toss in area history for the discus this past week in a meet at Rittman, thanks to a twirl of 192-4, sitting him behind Triway’s Matt Hess (192-6, 2002) and older brother Colby Morlock (192-5, 2022) on the area’s all-time list.

“Dillon continues to focus on Dillon and what he needs to continue to do to stay focused on his goal,” Indorf said. “He is focused on hitting certain feelings within his throw to improve his marks.”

Strength and balance

No matter where you look in the lineup, Orrville has got scorers. It has been key in the Red Riders’ strong start to the season, which includes team titles at the McCay Relays, Orrville Invitational and a couple dual-meet victories, as just about every event has produced in the early going.

It all starts in the field where guys like Caden Race and Talon Biechler have been major scorers in those four meets to open the year. Race, the team’s leading scorer entering mid-April, is unbeaten in the pole vault and cleared a personal record 13-2 in his most-recent win, while Biechler is building off of his All-Ohio season from a year ago with a strong start in the shot (58-3½) and discus (154-0). Junior Trent Roe, who recently had a career-best mark of 20-10 in the long jump, also has been a standout.

The track has had the same success with Owen Lacy leading the distance runners with over 50 points to his credit, while guys like Landon Dalessandro, Travis Lang, Matthew Smotherman and Bronson Rogers (currently has the fastest 300 hurdles time in the area) are among the leaders in the sprints and hurdles.

‘Strong’ start

It has been a trying two seasons for Manny Strong. The Tuslaw sprinter, however, is making the most of his opportunities this spring as the junior has established himself as one of the premier speedsters in the area. At the recent Brian Armstrong Northwest Invitational, Strong clocked personal-record runs in the 100 (11.54), 200 (23.22) and 400 (52.06) — the area’s fastest time in each distance.

“Manny has looked much stronger this year it is apparent he had a great off season,” Mustangs coach Tom Barnes said. “He has the ability now to maintain and pull away toward the finish. The last two years he had some injuries that were hampering that part of his race. He is 100% healthy this year and it is showing down the stretch, as long as he maintains his health and remains injury free, I think he can be a state contender in all his events.”

** Rittman’s Evan Rastorfer is also back to full strength from a year ago and recently broke the Rittman school record in the high jump, clearing 6-5 at the Chippewa Invitational. The senior, who was an All-Ohioan in the long jump as a sophomore, also had an impressive mark of 20-0½ in the event.

Injury report

Norwayne junior thrower Brandt Morlock enters to the week with the third-best area marks in the shot (56-5½) and discus (personal-record 153-4) but will need wait a week in his quest to improve upon those numbers. According to Indorf, the All-Ohioan will not be competing this week as a safety precaution so that he can return a little closer to 100%.

** Speaking of All-Ohioans, Waynedale coach Shauna Pittman expects Jeremy Reber to return to the track in upcoming week. The senior was third in the 110 hurdles at the D-III state meet last June and also was a qualifier in the 300-meter event.

** Alex Rodriguez has been battling an ankle injury, but Chippewa coach Aidan Douglas expects the junior to be back to full strength soon. Rodriguez, who already has cleared 12 feet this season in the pole vault, was a state qualifier in the event a year ago.

Final laps

Chippewa sprinter Braydan Braswell is in his first season competing in the hurdles and the senior has progressed nicely. Braswell recently won the Chippewa Invitational in the 300 hurdles with an impressive 44.57. He also is among area leaders with a pair of career-best runs to open the year in the 100 (11.58) and 200 (23.6).

** A state qualifier last season, Waynedale's Jackson Varner already has broken the 10-minute mark in the 3,200, clocking a 9:57.83 in a recent meet, while teammates Nick St. John and Connor Reich each are nearing their PR times in the 800.

** Hugo Hawkins has not only set personal-bests in both the shot (40-0) and discus (142-2½), but the senior is playing a key role on both Rittman’s 4x1 and 4x2 relay teams.

** West Holmes’ Kyle Maltarich is undefeated on the young season in the high jump, the All-Ohioan clearing 6-4 in a recent win at the Knights Invitational.

** After each running on an All-Ohio 4x2 relay a year ago, Dalton’s Sammy Tomlinson, Kanoa Hevia and Colin Pearson have the Bulldogs’ sprint relay atop the area leaderboard again in the early going. The group, which also included Hayden Cecil, recently clocked a 1:33.75. Tomlinson and Hevia area also among the area’s top sprinters in the open 100, along with Pearson in the 200.

** Smithville’s Jake Hershey has the top time locally for the 110 hurdles, clocking a 16.33, while Triway’s Olley Krupp posted personal-best marks in the 400 (53.55) and long jump (18-9) this past week.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Boys Track: Norwayne's Morlock setting state records already