GlenOak High School boys track and field team golden again at OHSAA regionals

AUSTINTOWN — Don't look now, but the GlenOak boys track and field team is peaking when it matters most.

The golden trophy the Golden Eagles brought home with them from Austintown Fitch offers proof.

GlenOak won its second straight Division I regional championship Friday night. The win comes on the heels of a victory at last week's district meet and a regular season that saw the Golden Eagles share the Federal League's overall title.

HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD: Hoover long jumper Isaiah Barker, Jackson boys 3,200 relay win regional championships

"We always aim to win, but we don't always look for that in the postseason," senior sprinter Ryder Greenwood said of the team titles. "If it happens, it happens. We have a really good team to do it."

Head coach Scott Ferrell always talks about putting his athletes in the best position to advance in the postseason. if first-place finishes are a result of it, so be it.

Greenwood will be heading to next week's state meet in four of them. He won the 200, finished second in the 100 and anchored the Golden Eagles' winning 400 and 800 relays.

Euclid's Lamonte Hamelin edged Greenwood by eight one-hundredths of a second in the 100. Greenwood returned the favor in the 200 when he nipped Hamelin by eight one-hundredths of a second. He won in a personal-best 21.86 seconds.

"My start in the 100 was bad, so I wanted redemption in the 200," Greenwood said. "I knew I could do it. I did it Wednesday (in the prelims)."

Both of GlenOak's winning relays survived big tests from familiar opponents.

Greenwood, Ja'Brailon Wilcox, Javi'ion McClendon and Jamier McClendon beat Massillon by six one-hundredths of a second in the 400 relay. Lake finished just over half a second behind the Golden Eagles.

Greenwod, Wilcox, Javi'ion McClendson and Sean Leahy held off runner-up Perry in the 800 relay. Hoover came in third.

"We came in here knowing we could do it," Greenwood said.

Perry's Connor Reed shocks himself by winning 1,600

Graduation weekend kicked off in style for Connor Reed.

Two days before receiving his high school diploma, the Perry senior received a winner's medal at a regional meet for the first time.

Reed rallied to win the 1,600 in 4:15.70. He overcame Jackson's Sean McNulty and Kenston's Kyle McMahan, who ran personal bests.

"I was telling myself 'Just get a spot,'" Reed said. "It doesn't matter if you get first, second, third or fourth.

"Halfway through the race I'm like 'I feel too good to not go for the win.'"

Reed finished fourth in the 1,600 in his first regional appearance last year. He went on to place 14th at state.

"This year I think I shocked myself with this win," Reed said.

Reach Mike at mike.popovich@cantonrep.com

On X: @mpopovichREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ryder Greenwood leads GlenOak boys track and field to regional title