T-L Photo/SETH STASKEY AREA DISTANCE runners Ben Shields (St. Clairsville), Tyler Jenkins (Barnesville) and Caleb Noble (Steubenville) race in the 1600 meter run during Saturday's Division II Eastern District meet at Meadowbrook High School in Byesville. All three advanced to the regional meet.

BYESVILLE — Survive and advance.

It’s a cliche quite applicable for tournament-style track and field.

And several area Division II track and field athletes took the first step toward what they hope will take them to Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Stadium for the Division II State Track and Field Championships.

Before any reservations can be made in the state capital, area athletes had to take care of business, which included a top-four finish at the Eastern District Championship meet held at sun-splashed and hot Meadowbrook High School Saturday.

St. Clairsville, which always seems to find itself in the thick of the team chase, fought off Steubenville, 100-90, to win yet another district team title.

John Glenn’s girls were the top finisher, fending off runner-up Steubenville, 157-118.

BOYS

The Red Devils were impressive with their depth since they captured just two district titles. However, they advanced to next week’s regional in Chillicothe in 10 events.

The Red Devils’ lone running win came in the first running event of the meet, on Thursday, when the team of Ben Shields, Jack Gasber, Nate Thornburg and Gannon Kazmirski ran 8:22.52 to win the 4×800.

Junior Rece Spomer advanced in the 400 with a fourth-place effort and a time of 52.19.

The Red Devils had a pair of 800-meter run qualifiers in seniors Kazmirski, who was third in 2:03.03 and Thornburg, who was fourth in 2:03.80.

Shields advanced in the 1600 with a 4:34.20 and a bronze medal. He was also third in the 3200 in 10:19.36.

The Red Devils’ 4×4 survived to the next round by placing third in 3:34.25. The team consisted of Spomer, Gasber, Kazmirski and Thornburg.

In the field, Kyle Stoner was fourth in the high jump at 5-8 to advance. He had already advanced in the pole vault by finishing fourth with a vault of 12-feet.

During the opening day of action, junior Karl Kain won the pole vault with a 13-6 clearance.

In the throwing circle, sophomore Perry Patrone continued his late-season surge. He was second in the shot put with a personal-best mark of 51-6. He also punched a ticket in the discus by placing fourth with a twirl of 143-3.

Steubenville was impressive en route to the runner-up trophy. Big Red claimed six events.

Fueling Steubenville was the double win of senior Brenton “Inky” Jones. He won the 200 (22.67) and the 400 (49.41).

Big Red also received impressive scoring in the hurdles thanks to the duo of junior Micah Mitchell and Savior Faulks. They finished one-two in both the highs and intermediates, respectively.

Mitchell clocked 15.17 and 40.12. while Faulks checked in with a 15.20 and 40.77.

The Steubenville 4×2, which includes Faulks, Jalen Minniefield, Mitchell and Jones prevailed with a 1:30.23. The same foursome put a bow on the meet by claiming the 4×4 in 3:31.95.

Senior Caleb Noble qualified in the 1600 by finishing fourth in 4:38.27.

Junior Bryce Huff was fourth in the shot put to advance, launching the iron ball to a mark of 48-10 3/4.

Bellaire had a strong showing, placing sixth with 53 points.

Senior strong man Colt Sechrest led the way. He won the discus throw on Thursday and added the shot put to his workload by virtue of finishing third with a mark of 50-10 1/4.

Sophomore Mayson Sochor is headed back to the regional in the high hurdles after placing third in 15.25.

Junior Ray Ray Pettigrew advanced with a second-place effort in the 200 with a time of 22.94.

Pettigrew joined speed forces with Mac Mac Pettigrew, Khalil Kimbro and Maurice Webb to finish fourth and advance in the 4×200 relay in 1:33.83.

Joining Sechrest, who set a discus record in the district met with a toss of 182-3, in the platter event is senior Nick Materkoski, who finished third in 148-6.

Union Local had a strong showing, especially in the field where they won a pair of events.

Junior Carter Blake soared over a personal-best 6-2 to win the high jump.

Sophomore strong man Johnny Sabinski continued his brilliant season in both throwing circles. He won the shot put with a mark of 54-feet. He had advanced earlier in the meet in the discus with an impressive throw of 161-4 to garner a second-place showing.

Junior Hayden McCrate moved closer to a return trip to state in the high hurdles. He placed fourth in the highs in 15.39.

Martins Ferry senior Francis Toohey claimed the 800-meter run title with a 2:00.60 effort.

The Purple Riders’ 4×1 earned its way to Chillicothe by finishing third in 44.53. The team consists of Tev’n Williams, Mitchell Tickerhoof, Jackson Carte and Kaden Archer.

Ferry’s 4×4 posted a 3:34.81 to advance as the fourth team. The squad consisted of Carte, Trent Lewis, Mitchell Tickerhoof and Toohey.

The Riders’ 4×4 team of Lewis, Dominick Shrodes, Toohey and Ryan Theaker were fourth on Thursday in the distance relay in 8:47.32.

In the field, Carte finished third in the long jump with a mark of 19-8 3/4.

Barnesville will be led to the regional by senior distance ace Tyler Jenkins. He finished second in both the 1600 and 3200-meter runs, running 4:34-flat and 10:13.03, respectively.

Jenkins will also join Connor Warrington, Vincent Phillips and Logan Dodd as part of the 4×8 team, which garnered a third-place finish in 8:31.65.

Senior Caiden Thornton was third in the intermediates hurdles in 42.80.

Indian Creek’s Roan Kovach qualified fourth in the long jump by marking the sand at 19-8 3/4.

GIRLS

Steubenville’s girls finished second to John Glenn. Big Red accumulated 118 points over the course of 17 events, qualifying in 12 events to next week’s regional.

Steubenville’s speed once again led the way.

Sophomore Sabria Jones, who continues to nurse a hamstring she injured during the OVAC meet earlier this month, advanced in four events. She was third in the 100 (12.76), fourth in the 200 (26.79) and

Senior Isabella Yetts put forth a strong showing. She was fourth in the 100 (12.82) and the 400 (60.93).

Big Red’s 4×1 and 4×2 teams both finished second.

The 400 team consisted of Meleah Crownover, Madalyn Criss, Aniyah Warner and Mya Stackhouse. It posted a 51.58.

The 4×2 team, which ran a 1:46.80 to finish second included: Stackhouse, Criss, Warner and Yetts.

Senior distance runner Anastasia Crisante had a strong meet. She won the district 1600 meter crown in 5:28.52 and finished fourth in the 800 in 2:34.02.

Big Red added another relay runnerup in the 4×4 when the team of Aubrey Duggan, Crisante, Criss and Stackhouse turned in a 4:20.20 to finish second.

In the field, Steubenville was led by senior Amya Livingston, who claimed the shot put with an impressive toss of 43-5 1/2. She was

Freshman high jumper Alivia Vostatek advanced with a 5-foot clearance.

Freshman Sena Smith was second in the long jump with a solid mark of 16-0 1/2 and Jones was a spot behind her at 15-9 1/2.

St. Clairsville had a strong showing and sophomore speedster Emma Henry did a bulk of the damage.

She claimed the district championship in the 100 with a blazing personal-best time of 12.37. She was second in the 200 with a 26.08. She also anchored a district championship 4×1 team.

The Red Devils’ 4×1 team, which also included Madie Stock, Haven Brak and Emily Thompson passed the baton to a 51.40.

Thompson advanced in the pole vault on Thursday and added the high hurdles to her individual event list by finishing fourth in 16.83.

St. Clairsville’s 4×8 advanced with a fourth-place finish during Thursday’s action.

Buckeye Local will send a pair of females to the regional.

Junior Rylee Glover advanced in the 200 by virtue of a third-place finish in a time of 26.70.

In the field, Pam Kandrach finished second in the shot put (39-1) and third in the discus (106-1).

Indian Creek’s Madison Conrad was the Redskins lone qualifier. She finished second in the 800 with a time of 2:26.86.

Union Local received another solid effort from junior speedster Josie Goodson, who dipped under the coveted 60-second barrier for the first time. She posted a 59.82 to finish second in the lap dash.

The Jets’ 4×4 team of Jaci Reynolds, Emilie Blawut, Faith Moore and Goodson placed third with a solid 4:22.13.

In the discus, senior Keira Gregor advanced with a mark of 99-6.

AT WEST HOLMES, Harrison Central competed and produced the district champion in the shot put.

Hunter Boals claimed the title with a mark of 46-11.

The Huskies’ only other male qualifier was Grayden Sproull, who was fourth in the discus with a mark of 140-2.

Harrison Central will be represented in the 400 by Nadia Tweedy, who finished third in 1:02.90.

Edison’s lone qualifier is Jacob Cusick in the 400. He finished fourth in 52.36.