Indian Valley’s state champion leads county athletes at state meet

COLUMBUS (WJER) (June 6, 2022) – Indian Valley’s David Adams won the Division II OHSAA state championship Friday in the pole vault at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

“It feels really good; definitely exciting, and I’m glad I pushed through to the end and got over that last bar,” Adams said.

Adams was the only competitor to clear 16 feet, 2 inches, beating the defending state champ from Perry High School, who bowed out after 15 feet, 10 inches.

“Our school district, our community, and all of our coaches, we’re very proud of him,” Indian Valley Coach Bill Palma said. “He’s a great leader and just a great example for our younger kids. He has worked his butt off to earn this. That’s what you need to do if you want to get to state and reach that podium. You have to put the time in. He is No. 1 at that.

“We’re very happy, very proud of him, and he’s going to go on and do great things in college.”

Adams graduated this spring. He will attend Dartmouth in the fall. He says his family, his girlfriend, and his coaches were all in attendance and were probably more excited than him.

“Because I came into this meet with full confidence that this was going to be the outcome,” he said.

Adams says he’s had his sights on a state title since his freshman year. He credited his coaches.

“Coach Dave Bell – he and Tom Addy from Newcomerstown,” Adams said. “We worked a lot in the offseason, and they really brought it together for me. We got to work and hit the grindstone and it all worked out.”

Other state meet results

In Division I, New Philadelphia’s Owen Brady placed eighth in the 1,600. Dover’s Ryan McVicker place 12th in the shot put.

In Division II, Tusky Valley’s Hannah Wyler placed fifth in the 3,200 and seventh in the 1,600. She also ran in Tusky Valley’s 11^th-place 4-by-400 relay team. Her teammate, Brook Stookey, placed 14^th in the shot put and 16^th in discus.

Claymont’s Grady Mooneyham placed seventh in the 300 hurdles. Teammate Alec Terakedis placed 15^th in the 100.

Garaway’s boys were in four events. Brendan Chapman placed 14^th in the 400, Quinten Schwartz placed 11^th in the 800, Bobby Palmer placed 9^th in the 1,600, and the Pirates’ 4-by-400 relay team finished 17th.

In Division III – Tuscarawas Central Catholic’s Jackson Triplett placed second in the 1,600 and 14^th in the 3,200.

Newcomerstown’s Braxton Wilson placed fifth in the high jump. Tusky Valley’s Silas Miller was sixth in the same event. Newcomerstown’s Caitlin Green finished 10^th in the pole vault.

Garaway’s Mikayla Sitzlar was 15^th in the shotput and 12^th in the discus. Teammate Kenadi Yoder finished 14^th in the 300 hurdles.

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