Harris, Keith set Norwayne standards
Pair are first four-timers at state for Bobcats
Norwayne’s Brevin Harris sprints toward the finish in the 200-meter dash state final. Photo by BRUCE BILLOW
It’s not so much that Brevin Harris and Kasey Keith piled up state track meet appearances over their four-year careers at Norwayne. It’s the ways in which they did it.
The pair this year became the first four-time state qualifiers from Norwayne. Harris made it in four events this year alone, which made him the first Bobcat to do that. He did it in two individual sprints, a relay and in the long jump. Keith never made it in more than one event in a year until this year, but her athleticism can be defined in the three career events in which she competed at state – the high jump, discus and shot put. Those are as likely a combination as vegans and prime rib.
Keith, who physically still looks like she could high jump, competed this year in both the shot and disc, and nearly made the podium in both.
“It feels special. I’m happy,” said Keith, who earned All-Ohio status with a seventh-place finish in the shot put, courtesy of a throw of 40 feet, 3 inches. “It’s a little more than 2 feet less than my PR. It’s OK. I’m happy with that.”
In the discus Keith turned in her best throw of 123 feet, 5 inches to make the finals, but was passed by one thrower to drop to ninth and off of the podium.
Keith was competing with a heavy heart, her father Tim having died less than two weeks before the state meet.
“My faith takes me a long way,” Keith said. “I’m at peace with where my father is at right now. I know I wish he was here but I know he’s still watching. I know he’d be proud of me either way.”
Harris, meanwhile, had a nice little meet for himself, finishing on the podium two times for the second year in a row.
The first came in the long jump. With a best leap of 22 feet, 3.25 inches, Harris placed sixth. He was within 10 inches of state champ Justin Dreyling of Reading.
In the 200-meter dash, Harris finished fourth with a time of 21.79 seconds. Wayne Lawrence Jr. of Meadowdale won in a Division II Record time of 21.29. His final trip to the podium made him a six-time All-Ohioan; Harris made the podium all four years in at least one event.
“I feel like I ran pretty well, even after having the long jump and the 100 prelims and the 4x400 prelims,” Harris said. “I came back pretty well in one day and gathered myself pretty well and recovered pretty well.”
Harris finished 11th overall in the 100-meter dash, winding up 0.08 seconds from making the final.
Running with senior Elmer Zollinger, junior Traevon Alford and sophomore Owen Sullivan, Harris was part of a 4x400 relay team that finished 11th overall.
“I’m pretty happy doing four events,” Harris said. “It’s rare to see kids that come in four events. Just getting here with my teammates and being able to compete with them is a blast. Last year I was by myself and didn’t have anyone to hang out with.”
The pair this year became the first four-time state qualifiers from Norwayne. Harris made it in four events this year alone, which made him the first Bobcat to do that. He did it in two individual sprints, a relay and in the long jump. Keith never made it in more than one event in a year until this year, but her athleticism can be defined in the three career events in which she competed at state – the high jump, discus and shot put. Those are as likely a combination as vegans and prime rib.
Keith, who physically still looks like she could high jump, competed this year in both the shot and disc, and nearly made the podium in both.
“It feels special. I’m happy,” said Keith, who earned All-Ohio status with a seventh-place finish in the shot put, courtesy of a throw of 40 feet, 3 inches. “It’s a little more than 2 feet less than my PR. It’s OK. I’m happy with that.”
In the discus Keith turned in her best throw of 123 feet, 5 inches to make the finals, but was passed by one thrower to drop to ninth and off of the podium.
Keith was competing with a heavy heart, her father Tim having died less than two weeks before the state meet.
“My faith takes me a long way,” Keith said. “I’m at peace with where my father is at right now. I know I wish he was here but I know he’s still watching. I know he’d be proud of me either way.”
Harris, meanwhile, had a nice little meet for himself, finishing on the podium two times for the second year in a row.
The first came in the long jump. With a best leap of 22 feet, 3.25 inches, Harris placed sixth. He was within 10 inches of state champ Justin Dreyling of Reading.
In the 200-meter dash, Harris finished fourth with a time of 21.79 seconds. Wayne Lawrence Jr. of Meadowdale won in a Division II Record time of 21.29. His final trip to the podium made him a six-time All-Ohioan; Harris made the podium all four years in at least one event.
“I feel like I ran pretty well, even after having the long jump and the 100 prelims and the 4x400 prelims,” Harris said. “I came back pretty well in one day and gathered myself pretty well and recovered pretty well.”
Harris finished 11th overall in the 100-meter dash, winding up 0.08 seconds from making the final.
Running with senior Elmer Zollinger, junior Traevon Alford and sophomore Owen Sullivan, Harris was part of a 4x400 relay team that finished 11th overall.
“I’m pretty happy doing four events,” Harris said. “It’s rare to see kids that come in four events. Just getting here with my teammates and being able to compete with them is a blast. Last year I was by myself and didn’t have anyone to hang out with.”