CONNOR BENDO

COLUMBUS – Union Local’s Connor Bendo ran to a state title during the opening day of the 119th annual Jesse Owens Ohio High School Athletic Association’s state track and field championships Thursday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University.

The Jets distance ace ran 9-minutes, 8.79-seconds to win the Division IV 3200-meter run. Finishing second was Rock Hill’s Nixon Snavely in 9:09.17.

Bellaire’s Landen Perdue placed ninth in 9:22.48.

In the 51st annual girls state meet, Bellaire’s Alyson Vingia took sixth in the Division V shot put with a heave of 40-feet, 3.5-inches.

Union Local’s Pazeley Whiteley qualified for a pair of Division IV state finals to be run on Friday. She is one of two competitors to run 14.87 in the 100-meter high hurdles qualifying heats on Thursday, along with Hannah Watson of the Columbus School for Girls. The time also smashed Whiteley’s own Union Local school record.

Also qualifying was Buckeye Local’s Jenna Delvecchio who finished fifth in 15.09.

The duo will compete in the state finals on Friday at 2 p.m.

Whiteley will also run in the 300-meter low hurdles finals at 3:10 p.m. after timing out in 46.44, which was ninth.

In Division V, Shadyside’s Jaylynne Johnson will run for a state championship in the 100-meter high hurdles. She qualified seventh Thursday with a time of 15.68. Her finals race is set for 5:55 p.m., also on Friday.

Also on tap today, Martins Ferry’s Alanna Williams will compete for state crowns in the Division IV 800- and 1600-meter races. She has the second fastest time in the 800 – which is set for 3:30 p.m. – while she is the third fastest qualifier in the 1600 – which runs at 2:35 p.m. She was all-Ohioan in both a year ago.