Delaware Hayes High School junior Bobby Oliver realizes he has a difficult task Friday when the pole vault competition opens the Division I regional track and field meet at Pickerington North.

Oliver matched his personal record of 13 feet, 6 inches during the district 3 meet last Thursday at Dublin Coffman to finish third behind champion Jacob Blankenship (16-0) of Gahanna and Austin Hicks (15-6) of Olentangy.

The top four in each event in every district advanced. The top four at regional advance to state June 4-5 at Ohio State.

"Now, my best chance to make it to state is to go 16 feet," Oliver said in jest, a reference to Delaware County's top four vaulters in Olentangy Liberty's Joey Uhle and Chris Uhle, Big Walnut's Bret Myers and Hicks.

Joey Uhle (16-8) and Chris Uhle (16-7) have taken turns setting state records this season. Hicks and Myers have both cleared 15-6.

Joey Uhle won the district 2 meet with a 16-3, followed by Chris Uhle at 15-6. Myers won the district 3 meet at 15-0. In all, seven Division I competitors from central Ohio have reached at least 15-0 this season.

"My goal this season was to qualify for regionals," Oliver said. "My goal for my high school career is to break the school record of 14-9 (set by Steve Cyrus in 1987). I really thought I needed a 14-0 to advance from district, but I got through. It was a great feeling, especially after no-heighting last year."

Teammate Matt Swisher finished fifth with a 13-0, which was one foot better than his personal record.

"It's a heartbreaker to see him finish fifth," coach Greg White said. "But Bobby and Matt still have a year left. The great thing about Bobby making it to regional is that he won't be intimidated by the competition or the situation because he trains with those guys every Sunday."

In addition to Swisher, scoring last Thursday but not advancing to the regional was senior Kameron Holloway, who was seventh (19-8 3/4) in the long jump.

The running finals were last Saturday after prelims were last Tuesday.

Holloway was one of only two boys who advanced to the running finals. He qualified in both the 100 meters (11.56 seconds) and 400 (52.23), but was edged from the 200 final when he finished ninth (23.33) in a semifinal.

"He's been training for the district 400 all season and the school record of 49.9 is driving him," White said. "It's unfortunate he shut things down in qualifying when he went 50.85. I don't think he realized he was that close."

Also advancing to a final was Kyle Edwards who turned in a personal-record 2:03 in the 800.

Seniors Michael Corbett and Cortlynd Steele had rough days, as did the Pacers' relays. Corbett did not advance to the final in the 100 (11.68) as Holloway claimed the final qualifying spot. Corbett also did not advance to the semifinals in the 200 (24.39).

Steele was ninth in his heat in the 800 (2:07.63), as Central Crossing's Kyle Dyer (2:06.32) took the eighth and final qualifying spot in the race. In the OCC-Capital Division meet on May 15 at Hilliard Bradley, Steele was third in 2:02.1.

White said he changed the sprint relay lineups because he did not think Holloway, Corbett and Steele could find that fourth sprinter who would help them reach regional. So he let those seniors choose their events and gave other athletes experience in the relays. The times reflected that, as the 400 and 800 relays had the slowest times in the field.

The boys team finished seventh (40 points) in the league meet. Watkins Memorial won (184) and was followed by Big Walnut (137), New Albany (109), Olentangy Orange (71), Bradley (52), Mount Vernon (41), the Pacers and Franklin Heights (24). Oliver was runner-up in the pole vault (13-6), and Holloway was third in the 400 (51.17).

•The girls team did not have any regional qualifiers from last Thursday's field events, although Rebekah Younkin placed eighth in the shot put (30-11 1/2).

The Pacers also struggled last Tuesday. Only Tayler Reid, Emily Mengerink and the 1,600 relay advanced to the running finals. Reid had the eighth-fastest time (1:03.57) in the 400 and Mengerink had the fastest of 16 qualifying times (2:27.14) in the 800. The 1,600 relay of Kristin Yannacey, Reid, Tangi Hamilton and Mengerink had the fifth-best qualifying time (4:14.92).

"It was an interesting night," coach Andy Graham said.

The girls team finished last (25) in the league meet behind champion Watkins Memorial (145.5), New Albany (138), Mount Vernon (82.5), Orange (82), Big Walnut (72), Franklin Heights (62) and Bradley (56).
Mengerink was fourth in the 800 (2:24.58). The 1,600 relay of Yannacey, Reid, Hamilton and Mengerink was runner-up in 4:09.81.

•Senior Robert Homan competed in singles during the Division I district boys tennis tournament last Friday and Saturday at Hilliard Davidson.

The top four players, as well as the top four doubles teams, advanced to the state meet Friday and Saturday at Ohio State.

"Anything else that happens from this point on is just gravy," Homan said. "I reached my goal and that actually will take some pressure off of me. My goal was to qualify for district because I thought I could do it before now. But with this being my senior year, I just had to reach that goal."

Homan advanced to district by finishing fourth in the sectional on May 15 at Davidson. He qualified for his sectional placement matches by going 3-0 in the first day of the sectional May 13 at Davidson.

Homan lost his semifinal to top-seeded Hiromi Nakayam of Dublin Coffman 6-0, 6-0, then fell to Weston Niermeyer of St. Charles 6-4, 6-0 in his third-place match.

"The first kid was just too good," Homan said. "I played OK in the first set against (Niermeyer), but I just felt really drained and it caught up to me in the second set."

•The boys lacrosse team downed first-year Marysville 15-3 in a play-in game in the Club Division state tournament last Thursday.

The Pacers advanced to play a first-round game last Saturday against Fairfield.

Delaware, which beat Marysville 12-0 on April 21 during the regular season, led 11-2 at halftime and coasted. The Pacers improved to 7-4 before playing Westerville Central last Friday.

"We are playing aggressive defense throughout the field," coach Dick Sanfillipo said. "Our defensive poles are locking down, our midfield is playing strong and we're just making it difficult for teams to transition. I like our aggressiveness and hustle, but we need to shore up things on ground balls and improve our catching."

Griffin Kinney scored three goals. Phoenix Neitzelt, Dom Sanfillipo, Josh Bender, Charlie Darrough and Brian Johnson all added two goals each. Andrew Meiser and Paul Golden also scored and Michael Duffy made 10 saves.


Below are recent results and coming schedules for the Delaware Hayes boys lacrosse, boys volleyball and boys and girls track and field teams:

BOYS LACROSSE

1. May 15 - Lost to Watterson 15-2
2. Last Wednesday - Game against Bexley canceled because of postseason schedule
3. Last Thursday - Defeated Marysville 15-3 in play-in game in Club Division state tournament
4. Last Friday - Played Westerville Central in regular-season finale
5. Last Saturday - Played Fairfield in first round of state tournament. The winner plays Pepper Pike Orange, Ottawa Hills or Eastlake in a quarterfinal at 3 p.m. Saturday at a site to be announced.

Of note: The Pacers were 7-4 overall before last Friday.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

• Last Saturday - Lost to Olentangy Liberty 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-16, 15-3 in first round of Division I East Region tournament

Of note: The Pacers finished 8-13 overall

TRACK & FIELD

• *May 15 - Boys: Finished seventh (40) in OCC-Capital meet at Hilliard Bradley as Watkins Memorial (184) won; Girls: Finished eighth (25) in league meet as Watkins Memorial (145.5) won
• Last Tuesday, last Thursday and last Saturday - Boys, girls; Competed in Division I district 1 meet. The top four finishers advanced to the regional Wednesday and Friday at Pickerington North. The top four finishers at regional advance to the state meet June 4-5 at Ohio State.

*OCC-Capital contest