HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP —
The timing wasn’t perfect, but Josh Wilks was happy to be back in his hometown Saturday afternoon.
Wilks, who finished fifth in the 800 meters at the 2010 Division II NCAA Indoor Track Meet while running for Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, injured his hamstring several weeks ago and was unable to run his normal event during his first trip to the GaREAT Sports Complex for competition.
“Today, I’m just doing this as a workout,” Wilks said before running the mile in 4:30 and finishing second in his heat during a day of intense competition at the state of the art track.
Wilks said he is slowly healing and expects to run the 800 meters next weekend in New York City at the famous Armory which houses one of the most prestigious indoor track venues in the country.
He said he is in a fast heat next week with runners from Arkansas, Louisiana State University and other big school teams that will be traveling to Manhattan.
Wilks is also running the 400 meters on relays.
“Our 4x400 meter (relay) is looking pretty good,” he said.
The injury did come at a bad time for his trip back to Ashtabula County.
“I wanted to set the stadium record (for 800 meters) in my hometown,” Wilks said.
The quality of the GaREAT track was not lost on the young man who spent four years running everything from the 400 meters to cross country at Geneva High School. He even placed second in the Division I high jump at the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Track meet in 2007.
“This (track) is amazing. It is strange to me that it’s in Geneva,” Wilks said.
Wilks hopes to continue his running career after his graduation but first he hopes to compete in another indoor and outdoor national championship meet.
Wilks ran a 1:52 to finish fifth place indoors last year and a 1:50.78 to get eighth place outdoors. He said he hopes to go under 1:50 at some point this year.
Running at such a high level was not in the plans for Wilks when he was in high school.
“I never thought about this,” Wilks, who is now considering a post collegiate running career, said.
Don Shymske, Geneva head boys track coach during Wilk’s senior year, said the big challenge was trying to put together the right set of events for the talented young runner.
Wilks was a distance runner during his early running career and then gravitated to the mid-distance races and the high jump.
“We tried to convince him to be a 400 runner,” Shymske said.
A late-season blitz on high jump technique paid off with a trip to Columbus. Shymske said Wilks improved six inches in two or three weeks before placing third in the Division I high jump with a jump of six foot eight inches.
One thing that has not changed is effort level. “The work ethic was always there,” Shymske said.
“I might try and get sponsored for running. I’ll probably be back here next year training,” Wilks said.
The next portion of the running plan would be an attempt to reach the 800 meter Olympic Trials qualifying standard which is 1:48, Wilks said.
He said he only needs to take about three seconds off during the next year and a half to make a trip to the track capital of the United States in Eugene, Oregon, and would love to reach that goal while training in his hometown.
Sports
Related Photos
-
JOSH WILKS of Seton Hill University and a Geneva High School graduate (1443 facing) receives congratulations after finishing second in a heat of the mile Saturday during a college track meet at the GaREAT Complex in Harpersfield Township Saturday. WARREN DILLAWAY
Discussion
A small taste of home
Wilks competes at GaREAT Sports Complex
- Sports
-
-
Bound for Columbus!
The Grand Valley Mustangs have averaged 11.7 runs during a 2012 baseball season that has now covered 31 games.
-
A Vince Peluso column: GV finds a way, though that way is quite unclear
It’s tough to sum up what happened on Friday at Carl “Ducky” Schroeder Field at Massillon Washington High School when Grand Valley advanced to the Division III state semifinals by beating Ursuline, 12-11.
I can tell you that Stanley Sirrine delivered the game winning hit. -
Scholastic Statistics:
BASEBALL
DIVISION III
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Valley 12, Ursuline 11 -
Sandlot Roundup, with LeeAnn Farr
BASEBALL
Major
n Angels 7, Tigers 6
n WP — Grant Kingston.
n Other — Kyle Van Allen (T) 1 S, 1 D, Brandon Santiago (T) 1 D; Kingston (A) 2 S, Davey Amsdell (A) 2 S, Alex Tulino (A) 1 S, 1 D, Ethan Barker (A) 1 S. -
Scholastic Schedule:
SATURDAY, MAY 26
Track and Field
Regional
Division II
at Bedford High School
n Qualifiers from district (11:30) -
Mustangs move on!
The Grand Valley Mustangs used timely hitting, strong pitching and a dazzling play in the field to continue their impressive run through the Division III state playoffs as they knocked off the Orrville Red Raiders, 7-4, in a regional semifinal at Carl “Ducky” Schroeder Field at Massillon Washington High School.
-
A Vince Peluso column: GV a long way from satisfied
At this point in the baseball season, there are two types of teams remaining — those that are happy to still be playing, and those that expect to still be playing.
-
Scholastic Statistics:
BASEBALL
DIVISION III
REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
Grand Valley 7, Orrville 4
at Carl “Ducky” Schroeder Field, Massillon Washington High School -
Scholastic Schedule:
FRIDAY, MAY 25
Baseball
Division III
at Massillon Washington High School
Regional championship
n Grand Valley vs. Ursuline (5) -
PV’s Ratliff makes jump to state meet
Quintin Ratliff is Pymatuning Valley’s utlility player.
- More Sports Headlines
-
