Photo/KRISTIN MAZGAJ SHADYSIDE SENIOR sprinter Mason VanNest anchors the Tigers’ 4x100 relay to a victory in the Division III Eastern District Championship meet held Friday at St. Clairsville’s Red Devil Stadium. VanNest also won the 100 and 200 meter dashes and was part of the winning 4x4 team. The Tigers rolled to the team title.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Shadyside’s boys track team has proven multiple times this season that it’s the premier small school squad in the Ohio Valley.

The Tigers showed they’re premier small-school squad in the Eastern District on Friday.

Fueled by victories in eight of the 17 events, the Tigers ran away from the field at windy Red Devil Stadium, accumulating an astonishing 118 points, which was 59.5 points better than runner-up Buckeye Trail to win the district championship.

“Our kids did an amazing job this week,” Shadyside head coach Jeff Campbell said. “We set some really lofty goals at the start of the season and winning the district was one of them. I can’t say enough good things about how this team has performed and how hard these guys have worked.”

On top of its victories, Shadyside will enter the regional in 10 total events.

“We have a nice group of veterans along with some guys going to the regional for the first time,” Campbell said. “Our biggest goal is to get as many guys as possible to Columbus. We want to do well enough (at the regional) that we have to take a bus to the state meet.”

The Tigers wasted little time in getting the scoring started on Friday. They won the first two running events of the day.

Sophomore Nathan Booth won the high hurdles in a 16.01 despite a significant headwind. He edged out his twin brother, Dylan, by 21 hundredths of a second. Dylan, however, added a second individual regional event when he placed third in the intermediates in 43.78.

Senior speedster Mason VanNest continued his masterful campaign in the short sprints by winning the district title in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes. He made it four-for-four by running on two victorious relay teams, too.

In the 100, VanNest posted an 11.54 despite the aforementioned headwind. He came back to capture the 200 in 23.11.

The Tigers’ next win came in the 4×1 when the team of Wyatt Reiman, Kooper Chimley, Andrew Osman and VanNest teamed for a 44.84 to win the lap relay by nearly two full seconds.

Chimley got into the individual winning mode in the ensuing event. He circled the track in 52.22 to claim the 400.

The Tigers put the finishing touches on their track efforts when the team of Reiman, Osman, VanNest and Chimley turned in a 3:33.81 to win the 4×4.

Reiman got an individual victory in the field on Friday when he cleared 6-2 to capture the high jump. He was a state qualifier in that event a season ago.

Shadyside’s 4×2 team nabbed the fourth and final spot when the team of Dylan Booth, Mark Waggoner, Caiden McCutcheon and Jayden Carmichael passed the baton to a 1:38.60.

The Tigers’ domination actually got started on Tuesday when Osman won the pole vault with a season-best 14-foot clearance.

The 4×8 team punched a ticket to the regional, grabbing the fourth and final bid with a team of Landen Salgat, Jacob James, Lee McKitrick and Holden Salgat posted a 9:02.11.

“Honestly, we didn’t run our best (Friday),” Campbell said. “We’ve ran faster times this season in most events. What makes the coaching staff so proud is the fact that as excited as our guys were to win and/or advance, they were frustrated that they hadn’t ran faster. These guys have a great mentality because all they want to do is get better and they’re never satisfied.”

Steubenville Catholic Central will send a solid delegation to the regional at Massillon Perry.

The Crusaders will be led by senior George Harris, who won the 300 intermediate hurdles in 42.33. He was third in the highs in 16.97

Senior Matthew Schmiesing was fourth in the 200 in 24.20. Earlier he placed second in the 400 in 53.52.

Sophomore Evan Long was third in the 800 thanks to a 2:09.77.

Toronto will send just one individual, but he’s headed as a district champion in two events.

Senior strong man Josh Fancher won the shot put on Friday with a heave of 58-9 ¼. That went along with the discus crown he captured during the opening day of action with a mark of 167-5.

River will enter a pair of events next week.

Junior Clee Mitchell advanced in the intermediate hurdles, posting a 43.95 to get fourth.

Sophomore Maddox Mozena was fourth in the 400 with a 54.56.

Beallsville’s lone qualifier is a strong entrant. Senior Brandon Louden advanced in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes, finishing second in both. He posted an 11.57 in the shorter race and 23.36 in the longer sprint.

Bridgeport saw senior John Tully qualify to the regional in the 3200 meter run by virtue of his fourth-place effort. He ran a 10:36.31.