Salem junior Macey Troy (left) and senior Maddy Andres will throw in the Division III shot put state finals Friday. (Salem News/Ron Firth)

Salem juniors Peyton Colbert (left) and Madolyn Gorby are in the Division III high jump state finals Friday. (Salem News/Ron Firth)

LUCAS ADAMS
Jumps

COLT STOCKMAN
Discus

HUNTER OWEN
Shot Put

KARLIE SAMPSON
Long Jump

SALEM — The Salem Quakers are fielding a bunch of winners.

The Quakers are sending eight athletes in to seven field events at the Division III state track and field meet in Columbus on Friday and Saturday.

“We’ve prepared them all year,” Salem girls coach Ted Yuhaniak said. “Sometimes I think field events are ignored. Our coaches take those events seriously.”

The Quakers and their fans will be busy at 4:30 p.m. Friday as they are in four field events at the same time.

Senior Lucas Adams is in the long jump and freshman Colt Stockman in the discus. The girls will feature juniors Madelyn Gorby and Peyton Colbert in the high jump and junior Macey Troy and senior Maddy Andres in the shot put.

“I’m going to try to hit all of them,” Salem senior Angie Hoffaker said. “It’s so amazing we have so many there.”

“I’ll be hopping back and forth,” Yuhaniak said. “I’ve been doing it all year. It’s a good problem to have.”

It will more of the same at 9:30 a.m. Saturday when senior shot putter Hunter Owen and senior long jumper Karlie Sampson compete along with Adams in the high jump.

“Knowing the time schedule, I’ll be finding the best vantage point to see them all,” Salem boys coach Austin Noel. “You’ll usually find me on top of the bleachers.”

Salem’s strength in the field events give the Quakers an early advantage in most meets.

“We dedicate time to every event group. That’s why we have event coaches,” Noel said. “It gives us good momentum going into a meet.”

Owen and Sampson both jumped from eighth to fifth place on their final attempts at the Austintown regional finals on Saturday to claim the final state berths.

“When I jumped, I didn’t feel any different,” Sampson said. “But then I looked and saw my coach’s face.”

“Karlie popped a long jump and I was impressed how Hunter went all the way from eighth on his last throw,” Adams said.

Adams comes in the with sixth-best long jump at 22-feet-0 3/4, but the top six are less than a foot apart.

The top three long jumper came from the New Concord regional with Columbus Eastmoor Academy senior Donovan Delph (23-0), Wheelersburg senior Kenyon Evans (22-11) and Edison junior Brett Worrels third (school-record 22-6 3/4).

Delph was fourth at state last year and Adams was ninth.

“I was one spot off the podium, but made it to the finals,” Adams said. “It aggravated me really bad.”

“He’s jumped 22-11 at the indoor and outdoor seasons,” Noel said. “He’s been so close (to 23 feet) and he’s worked so hard.”

Adams was second at regionals to Cleveland Glenville senior Jay’vier Kerr (22-3 1/4) in a matchup of two indoor state champions.

“I think I could catch him,” Adams said. “We’re all neck and neck. With the long jump, you never know what is going to happen. One of those guys could really pop one. I’m hoping I’m one of those guys.”

Adams also will get another showdown with Beaver Local junior Landon Wheatley, who was sixth in the state high jump last year.

“I’m going to see him again,” Adams said. “At the F.E. Cope, we put on a crazy show. We push each other really good.”

At the Cope, both cleared 6-foot-6 with Adams taking the top spot.

“Everybody who jumps with me is in a running event,” Adams said. “I’m one of the only ones who doesn’t, so that should help me.”

“We’re expecting big things out of him without running the sprints and the relays,” Noel said. “When our top sprinter, Josh Mayhew, went down, Lucas stepped in and did everything we wanted him to and more.”