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Camden Bentley helps Gahanna Lincoln breeze to Ohio track and field state title, but 3.1 mph wind blocks national record

Her 13.25 in the 100 hurdles would have set the U.S. mark, but it was 1.1 mph away from being wind-legal.

By Aaron Blankenship | Photos by Gabe Haferman

Camden Bentley had plenty of personal reasons to feel motivated heading in the 2022 Division I state track and field meet.

The Gahanna Lincoln junior not only was looking to defend her state title in the 300-meter hurdles, she also wanted to win her first 100 hurdles state title after finishing second last year.

After Bentley accomplished both of those goals and helped Gahanna’s 800 relay team finish first — leading the Lions to their first team state championship in four years — she said she was more inspired to perform well for other people than herself.

Moments after Bentley and her teammates posed for pictures with the state championship trophy, she pointed out the purple ribbon in her hair — worn in honor of her grandfather, Richard Herbst, who passed away last summer, just a few months after watching her win her first state title in the 300 hurdles.

“I’m really happy that I was able to win my races here, but this was more about my team this year, because we wanted to win this championship,” Bentley said. “I really wanted to do it for my grandpa, too. I wore this ribbon for him, since he couldn’t be here to watch me run this year.”

Bentley made her entire fan base proud with her dominating performance at the state meet Friday and Saturday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. She helped account for 30 of Gahanna’s 47 points, as the Lions easily finished ahead of runner-up Westerville Central (31).

She opened the finals by winning the 100 hurdles with a nation-leading time of 13.25 seconds. 

That time surpassed her own state record of 13.41, but it was not deemed eligible to become a state record because of a plus-3.1 mph wind gauge reading. A 2.0 reading is the allowable limit to obtain a record in sprints and long jumps.

“I wanted this one the most because I was so close to winning last year (against best friend Marissa Saunders of Westerville South),” Bentley said. “I was kind of in the zone. I was trying to go for 13.3, but I wasn’t expecting to go this fast. I think running in front of such a big crowd made me go faster.”

Bentley also won the 300 hurdles in 42.82 to clinch Gahanna’s third state team title in seven seasons. 

The Lions captured championships in 2015 and '18, finished second in 2016, '17 and '21, and placed third in 2014 and '19. There was no state meet in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I knew that winning that race would be big for my team,” Bentley said. “I was a little overwhelmed, so I just went into autopilot.”

Bentley, Amryne Chilton, Keena Sanders and Ayana Stafford combined to win the 800 relay in 1:38.32.

“Camden really shined for us here, but we have a well-balanced team, and this was a team championship because a lot of girls contributed, including the kids who ran on our relays in the preliminaries so our stars would be rested for the finals,” Gahanna coach Roger Whittaker said. “One thing I’m really proud of is 11 of our 13 girls were Academic All-Ohio because they have a 3.5 grade-point average or higher and participated in a state event.”

Madison senior Madelyn Moretti ended her career in spectacular fashion, capturing her first state titles in the shot put (44 feet, 6 ¼ inches) and discus (134-8).

Howland’s Courtney Clark fired the shot put 42-8 ¼ to take the lead away from Moretti on her sixth and final attempt, but Moretti responded by winning the event on her last attempt.

“I knew as soon as it left my hands that it was gone, so I threw my arms in the air,” Moretti said. “I didn’t get my PR (personal record) in either event, but I just wanted to win. This is really good for our school and our community because this is the first time we’ve had a girls state champion.”

Lakota East senior Azariyah Bryant wowed the crowd by bringing home state titles in the 100 (11.6) and 200 (23.94).

“The 200 is my favorite because I try to get people off the curve and then hold my lead and stay strong,” Bryant said.

The Illinois recruit finished third in the 100 at state a year ago.

“Winning the 100 means everything to me, because I had a great start and I got my PR,” Bryant said. “I had a groin injury last year, so it was great to have a healthy season. It was an amazing moment to work my way up from third to first.”

Hathaway Brown senior Morgan Monesmith captured championships in the 1,600 (4:53.9) and 800 (2:09.09).

Beavercreek freshman Kayleigh Keyes won the 400 (55.27) after finishing fourth in the same event in the middle school state meet a year ago.

“I really wanted it,” Keyes said. “I’m known for my kick, and I used it to pass people over the last 200 meters.”

Josephine Davis, Ava Musgrove, Cassidy Shrimp and Teresa Christian won the 400 relay for Olentangy Orange in 47.55 after they entered the meet seeded eighth.

“We were just trying to get our handoffs perfect so we could accomplish our goal of breaking our school record, and then we won,” Musgrave said. “We shocked ourselves.”

Rachel Smith, Jenna Razavi, Kayla Kutcel and Mia Heine of Medina won the 3,200 relay in 9:11.01, and Briasia Allen, Kierra Morris, Kelise Rabb and Jade Stinson of Cincinnati Princeton won the 1,600 relay in 3:50.64.

Also winning state titles were Cincinnati Sycamore’s Lauren Barnes in the high jump (5-8); Olmsted Falls’ Katie Clute in the 3,200 (10:28.97); Massillon Perry’s Kendal Fisher in the pole vault (13-2 ¼); and Wayne’s Sanai Lynch in the long jump (19-1/4).

“I ran about a minute faster than I ran here last year when I finished 12th, so I’m really happy,” Clute said. “I worked hard to build my base, and I did the little things right, like having a snack after a run, better hydration and getting enough sleep. All of that made a difference.”

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