State Meet a Huge Success for Oakwood Track Athletes

May 18, 2026|Boys Track

HILLIARD, OH — It was a historic Saturday for our Oakwood Middle School Track and Field program as our State Qualifiers traveled to Hilliard Darby High School to compete against the absolute best in the OHSAA 7th & 8th Grade State Championships. This year, teams were divided into two divisions, based on geography, with our athletes competing in the "A" Division. Below are the results and highlights from our athletes.

Derriona Jones Dominates the Sprints: 100m State Champion!

Derriona Jones put on an absolute clinic in the sprint events for the Golden Eagles. Derriona blasted out of the blocks in the 100 meter dash to cross the finish line ahead of the entire field, officially crowning her the STATE CHAMPION!

She wasn’t done there, though. Derriona doubled back in the grueling 200-meter dash to capture a phenomenal 2nd place finish, cementing her status as one of the fastest young athletes in the entire state of Ohio.

Madison Speakman Races to the Record Books

The record books had to be rewritten on Saturday thanks to a breathtaking performance by Madison Speakman in the 800 meter run. Madison ran a perfect race, sticking to the game plan set by her and Coach PJ. She was able to stay toward the front of the pack and finished in 5th place overall! In the process, she absolutely shattered the school record by an incredible 3 seconds, which had stood untouched since 2018!

Relay Teams Excel at States

Our relay teams had a fabulous showing at the State Meet, many outperforming their previous personal bests!

Boys 4x800m Relay (8th Place): Brody Baxter, Will Foltz, Warren Offineer, and Henry Stephan kicked off the meet running a great race to secure 8th place, earning themselves a well-deserved spot on the state podium.
Boys 4x200m Relay (5th Place): Caleb Pellegrino, Ruben Chaney, Ka'Dhen Strebel, and Avin Hatchett absolutely flew around the track. They didn't just take 5th place overall, they did it by dropping a massive season PR, beating their previous best time by a staggering 2 seconds!
Boys 4x100m Relay (9th Place): The speedy crew of Ka'Dhen Strebel, Ruben Chaney, Avin Hatchett, and Caleb Pellegrino just barely missed the podium with a heartbreakingly close 9th place, but they left it all on the track, running their fastest time of the season by a half-second.
Girls 4x100m Relay: While Mackenzie Speakman, La'Rhae Hubbard, Arianna Freeman, and Journey Harris didn’t quite have the day they wanted on the clock, their season remains a definite success. We are incredibly proud of this group, who already etched their names into school history by breaking the 4x100m school record earlier this season at the Stark County Meet.

Girls Finish in Top 5 as a Team

Our Oakwood Girls team finished tied for 4th out of 62 teams in the overall team scores for Division A! This is a major accomplishment and a true reflection of just how talented our girls have been all season.

A Phenomenal Finish

To make it to the State Championship is an honor in itself, but to perform the way these athletes did under the highest pressure is a testament to their hard work and dedication.

Congratulations to all of our athletes on a spectacular end to an unforgettable track and field season! You represented our school with pride, grit, and excellence. Go Eagles!