What a day for Fairfield Union’s Davis and Eyman at state track meet – Lancaster Eagle Gazette

COLUMBUS – What a day for a pair of Fairfield Union distance runners.

Senior Mackenzie Davis and sophomore Madison Eyman turned in incredible times in their events on Saturday at the Division II state track and field meet at Ohio State’s sun-splashed Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Davis ran a personal-best and broke a school record in the 1,600 with sizzling time of 4:59.82 to place third, while Eyman cut an amazing 27 seconds off her personal-best time and ran a 10:58.28 to place second in the 3,200.

For Davis, finally running a sub-five-minute mile has been one of her career goals and to do it at the state meet was everything she could ask for.

“That was my goal from the first time I started running the mile,” Davis said. “I wanted to be a part of the sub-five group and that’s what I did, and I couldn’t ask for a better way to end my senior year. “I worked hard for the past two years for this. I had goals and I didn’t want to let them slip by, so I buckled down and worked hard.

“I had workouts that left me in tears when I finished, but me and my coached talked all the time about those goals and what it would take to reach them. I had teammates pushing me like no other. How could I ask them to give 110 percent if I don’t do the same? The team effort really helped me and if it wasn’t for my teammates I probably wouldn’t have achieved what I did today.”

Davis stayed right with the two leaders for most of the race, and even though they pulled away down the stretch, she also had a strong finish to out-distance the fourth-place runner. He goal was to win, but she was still proud of what she achieved.

 “The goal was to win it, but those two top girls were just flying, so props to them,” Davis said. The girl that won it had already won indoor and outdoor cross country and she is just a beast. The goal was to just stick with those top two girls, because I knew they had already run sub-five and that was my goal to either win it or run sub-five.

“I just stayed with them for as long as could and when they pulled away, I just kept on pushing. I just wanted to secure third place.”

Davis, who qualified for the state meet on two relay teams, also ran the 800 after her 1,600 and placed 13th (2:21.70).

As for Eyman, her previous best time was 11:25, so for her to cut that much time in the biggest race of her career, was impressive to say the least.

“It feels amazing to know all the hard work and effort that I put into from the beginning of the season to the end has paid off,” Eyman said. “I always treat every race like it’s my last race and today was no different. I wanted to stay calm and collected and stay relaxed and maintain my position and work through it. I learned today that anything is possible never count yourself out.”

Other area athletes competing on Saturday included Lancaster junior Dalton Golden, who placed 14th in the Division I shot put (52-02.25).

In Division II, Amanda-Clearcreek senior Noah Smith just missed the podium with a ninth-place finish in the discus (154-08) and Fairfield Union’s Brittany Devall finished 18th in the shot put (34-07.50).

Bloom-Carroll had three runners in Division II, led by Caleb Belmont, who came up one spot short of earning All-Ohio honors with a ninth-place finish in the 3,200 (9:49.58). The Bulldogs’ Drew Monahan was 12th in the 1,600 (4:28.29) and Fairfield Union’s Trent Smith was 18th in the 3,200 (10”50.74). Bloom-Carroll sophomore Abby Matthews placed 16th in the 1,600 (5:31.44).

Berne Union junior Abi George reached the podium and earned All-Ohio honors by placing seventh in the 100 seated dash (31.61).

twilson@lancastereaglegazette.com

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