Salem’s Lucas Adams competes in the high jump on Thursday at the Columbiana County Track and Field Meet at Sebo Stadium. (Photo by Gary Leininger)

SALEM — When Salem’s boys were told they’d be running more events with top sprinter Josh Mayhew out with an injury, what did they say?

“They were honored,” Salem boys coach Austin Noel said. “That’s the benefit of having seniors who have been here before and know what you have to do to win a meet like this.”

The Salem boys got a record-setting performance from senior Lucas Adams and two wins from senior sprinter Will Harmon capture the 122nd Columbiana County Track and Field at Sebo Stadium on Thursday. The Quakers have won 16 of the last 17 county titles and 68 overall.

“We had to come in here and do what we had to do,” Adams said. “We delivered and did what we wanted to do.”

The Quakers scored 165 points to surge past Beaver Local with 132 points.

“It was close until the end,” Noel said.

The Beavers are seeking their first county title after 10 runner-up finishes.

“We kind of knew what was going to happen,” Adams said. “We’re always talking about the county meet.”

The Quakers posted seven victories, outscoring Beaver Local 44-18 in the field events.

“A lot of guys stepped up and did more than we expected them to do,” Noel said.

Salem wrapped up another title as Harmon and junior Max Zacharias finished first and second.

“We got a huge performance in the 200,” Noel said.

Adams repeated as the county long jump champion by setting the lone boys meet record with a leap of 22-feet-10, breaking the record of 22-4 3/4 set by East Palestine’s Glenn Young in 1950. Adams also leaped 22-8 1/2 on his fourth and final attempt.

“I put some pressure on myself,” Adams said. “It helps get my adrenaline going.”

He also was second in the high jump and ran on the Quakers’ second-place 400- and 800-meter relay teams. It was the first time he did those four events in one day.

The lineup changes came because Mayhew is out with an injured hamstring.

“That was a tough thing,” Noel said. “We told the guys it would be a challenge and they would have to be running some events they don’t normally.”

Harmon swept the 100 dash (11.37 seconds) and 200 dash (23.35), while junior Luke Stephens repeated in the 3200 run (10:31.47) and Colton Hall, Alex Rea, Jackson Dowd and Sam Yakubek won the 3200 relay (8:45.04) for Salem victories in the running events.

Salem added wins in three of the four field events. Besides Adams in the long jump, senior Hunter Owen won the shot put (49-6) and freshman Colt Stockman the discus (159-6).

“We gained a lot of ground in the field events,” Noel said. “That’s how you kick off the meet and gain momentum.”

Meet notes

¯ Beaver Local junior Luke Warrick was a four-time winner.

He swept the 800 run (2:01.09) and 1600 run (4:30.65). He also joined Nolan Irving, Luke Rettos and Zachary Redman on the winning 800 relay (1:34.84) and 1600 relay (3:33.72).

Richie Wyss joined Irving, Rettos and Redman on the winning 400 relay (44.44).

¯ Beaver Local junior Landon Wheatley won his second straight county high jump title (6-6). He also was second in the 300 hurdles and third in the 110 hurdles.

¯ East Liverpool sophomore Meshach Harris won the 110 hurdles (15.76) and 300 hurdles (40.59).

¯ East Palestine junior Braydon Plum was first in the 400 dash (50.93).

¯ East Liverpool’s Maddox Roach was not at the meet because of a senior class trip to Williamsburg, Va. He is one of the top milers in the state and set the county meet record last year (4:19.96).

The East Liverpool seniors left Thursday morning and won’t be back in time for the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference finals on Saturday.