Salem's Div. III 200-meter state champion Chaya Murray, pictured with parents Holly and Eric, was honored by the Curbstone Coaches on Monday. (Photo by John Butera)

CANFIELD – The Mahoning Valley was well-represented during the recently completed state athletic competition this past spring, both individually and teamwise.

Four area individuals, along with one of the area’s top relay teams, earned the right to stand atop the podium after capturing their events and the good news is six of the eight champions are still underclassmen.

Their goal becomes simple and that is to keep training in the off-season, have another outstanding regular season and return to state in ’27 to defend their titles.

Honored for their efforts Monday by the Curbstone Coaches was the Division IV Cardinal Mooney 800-meter boys relay team (sophomores Tyree Dawson and Donovan Whetstone, and seniors Dre Riley and Ike Lake), Salem High’s Chaya Murray, who captured the Division III girls 200-meter dash, Kellan Shipman of Howland, who won the boys seated division shot put competition, Cooper Grim, Heartland Christian boys Division II tennis singles champion and Claire Liposky, also of Heartland Christian, who captured the Div. V girls discus event.

Murray was just a freshman this past season, winning her first state championship with a personal best 24:52 effort in the Division III girls’ 200.

It was the Quakers’ fifth state title in the past 25 years.

“I was running 25:12 in the middle of the season and was able to improve on that number over the last few weeks,” Murray said. “The goal at the beginning of the season was to get to state. I finished second at district so I just needed to concentrate, be myself and just have fun. It’s incredibly special to now be listed among the other state champions from Salem High School.”

Grim, a junior who won the school’s first tennis state championship by defeating West Milton Milton Union junior Levi Brumbaugh, 6-3, 6-1, and Liposky, a sophomore, were represented by assistant tennis coach Riley Grim, sister of the state champion netter.

Also honored but unable to attend were Heartland Christian athletes Cooper Grim, who was the Division II boys singles tennis titlist and Claire Liposky, the Div. V girls discus winner with a throw of 144-06 feet.

“Cooper and Claire are relentless when it comes to training and it is so nice to see both players achieve their goals,” Grim noted. “This was special for Heartland Christian. We are such a small community, so to have two players represent the school and then go out ands win both events, it’s such a great feeling.”

Riley, Lake (anchor), Dawson and Whetstone combined to capture the Div. IV 800 relay with a 1:27.75 clocking.

It was the Cardinals’ first state title in a little over a decade.

“This group was special because of all the time we spend together, both on and away from the track,” Riley told the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s final meeting of the season at Avion Banquet Center. “We felt like we could win something at state as far back as the beginning of the season, but to actually win it all was a surreal feeling. It was tough to explain.”

Riley will attend Malone University this fall on a track and field scholarship where he expects to major in accounting

Dawson on the other hand is a sophomore and key cog of the unit who will be looking to lead his teammates to a repeat performance and defense of their title next spring.

“This group had excellent chemistry, which is why everything clicked from start to hand-off to finish,” he said. “The key was dedication in both practice and at meets, always giving 110 percent and our trust in God.”

Shipman is believed to be the first ever seated division champion from the Mahoning Valley after winning the shot put competition with a 22-05 foot heave.

“I put in a lot of work, training five to six days a week all year long so it was great to see that hard work pay off,” Shipman added. “The goal now is to break the state record, which currently stands at 25-8 feet. It was extremely exciting to win, a good day and fun experience overall.”

The 2026-27 season gets underway on Sept.r 14 with Ron Strollo, Youngstown State University vice-president for intercollegiate athletics, set to serve as guest speaker.