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Jarrett, Eisenbraun staying United for trip to Columbus

United’s Camryn Jarrett (left) and Mariah Eisenbraun are headed to Columbus to compete at the state meet this weekend. (Photo by Wayne Maris)

HANOVERTON — United state qualifiers Camryn Jarrett and Mariah Eisenbraun embrace the pressure that comes with this time of the season.

“The pressure is greater trying to get to state,” Eisenbraun said. “When you’re at state, there’s a feeling of accomplishment. I made it and I’m still going to try my hardest, but if I don’t get on the state podium, you still feel that accomplishment.”

“There’s more pressure to compete at state because I got fifth last year,” Jarrett said. “So my goal is try to do better than I did last year.”

Both will competing in the Division III state track meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Friday — Eisenbraun in the 200-meter dash at 11:20 a.m. and Jarrett in the high jump at 4 p.m.

Both ran on the Eagles’ 400-meter relay team last year, while Jarrett capped off her first trip to Columbus with a fifth-place finish in the high jump.

“It was awesome,” Eisenbraun said. “Being able to watch my teammate, not only did she qualify, but she also made it on the podium. I have that excitement. I was happy for her.”

Jarrett cleared a personal-best 5-foot-4 in her state debut as a sophomore.

“It was nice to know that I PR’d (personal record) and I got on the podium,” Jarrett said. “Going in I was hoping I’d get maybe eighth, but I didn’t I would PR. It came out of nowhere.”

“I think we expected her to be on the podium, but for her to get fifth, that was pretty exciting,” United girls coach Denise Ward said.

That is why expectations are high this year.

“It’s tough though,” Ward said. “We saw this time and time again with Cris Heim and Dawn Woolf. Once you go to state, the expectation is for you to be there every year and to always improve. So there’s always that pressure, whether it’s self-inducted or not, to get back on that podium. I’m sure she’s putting pressure on herself, so I’m trying not to put that pressure on her. I’m just excited that she’s there.”

The top six finishers from last year return in the high jump, including two-time defending state champion Brooke Mangas from Ottoville.

Jarrett had a regional-winning jump of 5-0, but the rest of the state was loaded as six qualifiers got over 5-5 last week and four others got 5-4.

“There was a bunch at 5-5 and above, so I’ve got to PR and do better than last year,” Jarrett said. “I always try to do my best. I have good days and I have bad days. It’s disappointing knowing I got only 5-foot (at regionals) when I know I can do 4 inches better.”

“She did 5-4 at the ITCL — that’s the first time and we’ve seen it all season and we haven’t gotten it since,” Ward said. “She having problems with shin splints. I think she’s in more pain than she’s letting on because she’s that kind of athlete. She’s a competitor. I think she’ll rise to the occasion. She said she’s saving it, so we’ll see.”

Jarrett knows what she has to do.

“You just want to do your best because you know that’s the end,” she said. “There’s no where else you can go.”

There’s no place Eisenbraun would rather be for her final high school race.

“From day one, it was like, ‘I’m going to state. No ifs, ands or buts, I’m going,'” Eisenbraun said. “I knew that if I had any doubts whatsover, there would be doubt in me going. So I had to stay confident the whole way though and I did and I made it through.”

Eisenbraun finished third in the 200-meter dash at regionals in 25.70 seconds, breaking Dawn Woolf’s 1998 mark.

“I’m pretty confident in her after Friday night,” Ward said. “That was a huge boost for her. Even if she doesn’t get where she thinks she wants to be, she’s had an unbelievable season. To finish at regionals the way she did, that was one of the best sprint races I’ve seen our girls be in in years.”

Eisenbraun comes in with the sixth-fastest time in the field. Thirteen of the 16 runners are in the 25-second range.

The top two in each heat plus the next five fastest times advance to Saturday’s state finals.

“I’m just going to go out there and give it my all,” Eisenbraun said. “Anything can happen. I’m not even going to say that I won’t make it to the podium because I wasn’t supposed to make it on the podium at regionals. Anything is possible.”

Meet notes

• Eisenbraun doesn’t know Woolf, but has heard her name a lot.

“I’ve compared her to Dawn Woolf so many times — just a bulldog and determined and tenacious,” Ward said. “She doesn’t expect anything else but the best from herself.”

• What is it like competing at the state meet?

“Amazing,” Eisenbraun said. “The stands are always full and everybody is going crazy, yelling and cheering. You get so much adrenaline from it. It’s an amazing feeling.”

¯ Not only did Jarrett finish fifth at state last year, but teammate Emily Ellyson also took 10th place.

“It’s different not having Emily with me,” Jarrett said. “She always encouraged me to do my best. There’s still support from everyone else on our team and the community.

“I know she was at the ITCL Meet. When I jumped 5-4, she ran across the track to give me a hug. She might be there (this weekend).”

Ellyson recently received the Outstanding Freshman Award on the Muskingum University track and field team.

” She was a great mentor to Camryn last year,” Ward said. “You couldn’t have asked for a better person to mentor her along.”

¯ Tuesday’s practice had a slight delay as the second-grade field day was being held at the track.

“They’re fun to watch,” Jarrett said.

Maybe one of those little girls there will be challenging Jarrett’s and Eisenbraun’s marks 10 years from now.

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