Boardman High School will have plenty of representation this weekend at the 2026 OHSAA State Championship, with the boys track team set to compete in five events at Jesse Owens Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University.
The Spartans earned their place at state with a strong showing at the OHSAA Northeast Regional, where several athletes delivered career-best and season-best performances to punch their tickets to Columbus.
The 4×800 relay team of senior Adam Nigro, junior Dylan White, sophomore Jacob Turek and junior Tommy Sullivan will run in the state finals Saturday afternoon after posting a season-best time of 7:54.52, good for second place overall at the regional meet.
Boardman will also have two athletes competing in the state semifinals Saturday afternoon. Junior Robrick Taylor advanced in the 400 meters after placing second at regionals in 48.61, while junior Ethan Timblin moved on in the 300 hurdles after taking third in the region with a time of 39.16.
Sophomore Jacob Turek will also be busy on Friday, when he lines up in the 3200 meters after turning in a career-best 9:32.5 to place third at regionals.
Boardman opens the weekend with relay and distance strength
The Spartans’ state appearance is being led by a balanced group that has shown strength across both relays and individual races.
Turek is one of the busiest athletes on the trip, qualifying in both the 4×800 relay and the 3200, giving Boardman a strong presence in two demanding events.
The relay team’s regional performance was one of the biggest highlights of the week. Their second-place finish showed not only speed, but also consistency across all four legs, and it earned them a spot in the final round at state.
That kind of depth is a big reason Boardman arrives in Columbus with momentum. The team is not relying on one event or one standout athlete. Instead, it has multiple qualifiers capable of making noise across the weekend.
Chance to advance even further
Boardman may not be done after Saturday. Both Taylor and Timblin have a shot to advance to the state finals in their events if they finish among the top nine in the semifinals.
That gives the Spartans even more reason to stay locked in as the meet gets underway. A strong Saturday could add even more Boardman names to the final session at Jesse Owens Stadium, where the best in Ohio will be fighting for state titles.
For James Mitchell, the state trip comes after a big breakthrough in the shot put. The senior earned one of the three wild-card spots across the state after finishing seventh at regionals with a career-best throw of 53 feet, 6.25 inches. His qualification adds another event to Boardman’s state lineup on Sunday.
The result is a well-rounded showing for the Spartans, with sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners and field athletes all making the trip.
That kind of spread says a lot about the season Boardman has put together and the work that has gone into getting multiple athletes to the state level.
Boardman’s state run begins with high expectations and a strong sense of momentum. With five event entries and several athletes carrying career-best marks into the championship meet, the Spartans have a real chance to make the weekend count.
