Boys state track: Chris Johnson powers Brunswick to fourth-place finish in relay

DAYTON — Brunswick record-setting sprinter Chris Johnson was forced to make a decision to make on the first day of the Division I state boys track and field meet. The Brunswick District and Greater Cleveland Conference champion was the No. 5 seed in the 200-meter dash but had already competed in two races and knew he would be part of the 4x200 less than 24 hours later. He said the choice was easy because withdrawing from the individual 200 would allow him to be at his best for the team. Johnson took the baton in sixth place Saturday and ran an inspired anchor leg, powering Brunswick to a fourth-place finish in the 4x200 — matching the highest placement in school history in a sprint relay — in 1:26.81 on the campus of the University of Dayton. "I understood that we had a greater chance to share the experience as teammates if I saved myself for the relay," Johnson said. "And 100%, I'd do it again. I believe if we had one more race with this lineup, we could have broken 1:26." Junior Collin Kavulic and seniors Armel Robinson, Mark Semanco and Johnson matched their No. 4 seed with a solid race. Semanco ran the final leg and Johnson handed off to him in the preliminaries, but their coaching staff flipped them back for the final. "It's bittersweet, very bittersweet, to finish fourth in our last race together," Johnson said. "But overall, if I could do this forever with these guys, I would." The Blue Devils' showing tied for tops among Medina County boys at the meet. Cloverleaf senior Isaac Baltic was fourth in the pole vault and Black River's 4x100 finished in the same position in D-III. "We wanted top three, but it's still great to be fourth in the state," Semanco said. "It wasn't because a lack of effort. We gave everything we had and tried our hardest." Kavulic agreed, saying, "We definitely hoped to do better, but it was a great experience to come out and compete against these great athletes." Baltic cleared 15 feet, 8 inches, just 1 inch shy of his school record, as part of a very strong field. The first-time state medalist tied Sidney's Garrett Guinther and Whitehouse Anthony Wayne's Eric Pugh for second place but lost the tiebreaker based on fewer missed attempts. One week after winning the Port Clinton Regional title at 15-9, he almost matched that vault despite whipping winds at Welcome Stadium. "I had a little bit of a rough start, but came through in the end," said Baltic, who also was battling a sore left ankle. "The longer run-up you have, the more the wind can impact you, but I feel like I performed to the best of my ability." Wadsworth senior Tanner Sir Louis went a career-high 14-0 and wound up eighth. He flew 8 inches higher than at regionals but lost a two-person tiebreaker for seventh to West Chester Lakota West's Jonah Dangel. Medina's 4x100 of sophomore Jackson Riffle, senior Brayden Walker and juniors Darnell Davis and Tallen Hulvey rounded out the county medalists, finishing eighth in 42.45. The group ended the Bees' five-year drought in the sprint relays. "We kept it serious in every practice while building camaraderie outside the track," Hulvey said. Medina senior Jake Sebaugh set a PR for the second week in a row, placing 10th in the 3,200 in 9:11.76. Remarkably, he sliced 4.55 seconds off his time at Port Clinton. Wadsworth seniors Will Stack and Drew Jones, and Highland seniors Ty Sgambati and Matt Ciryak also took part in field events. Stack finished 11th in the long jump with a top effort of 20-10.75 and Jones was 17th in the high jump at 6-2. Sgambati was 14th in the 800 in 1:57.12 and Matt Ciryak was 14th in the long jump at 20-1. Contact Brian Dulik at sports@medina-gazette.com. Follow @BrianDulik on X.