Jun 7, 2025
Morning Journal/Ron Firth Southern’s Kiah Sloan competes in the Div. III long jump on Friday at the state track meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.
COLUMBUS — It took 50 years and one long jump to make Southern Local girls track history Friday.
Sophomore Kiah Sloan tied for sixth place in the Division III long jump to became the school’s first girls state track placer.
“It’s means so much to me,” she said. “Coming from a small school and to do something great in a big place like this.”
Sloan leaped 17-feet-0 1/4 on her first attempt and that was good enough to earn a spot on the podium. She was two inches away from second place.
“It’s decent,” she said. “Not my best, but better than last year when I placed 13th.”
She learned last year how to deal better with the pressure of the state meet.year.
“Whatever happens, do your best,” she said. “Don’t let it get to you. I was a nervous wreck last year.”
South Range junior Gabby Spooner was right behind in seventh place (16-11 1/2). Sloan was determined to finish ahead of Spooner after losing the regional title to her by one inch last week.
“It’s been competition since junior high when she was at Columbiana,” Sloan said. “We’re friends before and after the meet. Once it starts, it’s game mode.”
Coldwater senior Izzy Zahn repeated as state champ with a winning jump of 18-7 3/4. She accepted a full scholarship to join the University of Iowa track team.
The Southern girls thought they might have another state placer, but junior Maddy Jones did not make it the finals in both of her events — the Division III shot put and discus.
Jones, making her second trip to state in three years, was 14th in the shot put (37-3 1/2) and 15th in the discus (117-6).
Jones and Sloan are the only Southern girls in 33 years to qualify for the state meet.
A third Southern athlete — freshman Braxton Sloan — also competed at state Friday.
He ran in the Division III boy 400-meter dash, finishing ninth in heat and 18th overall (51.06).
The nine qualifiers to Saturday’s state final all ran under 50 seconds.
“He was gassed at first,” said Kiah, his sister. “Coming out as a freshman and doing what he’s done, he’ll be back. He has so much more. He’s something amazing.”
Kiah said she told him how much tougher the competition is at the state meet, but did he understand?
“Not really,” she said.
Their older brother, Brad Sloan, is the highest placer in Southern track history. Brad was the Division III state-runner in the long jump (21-10 3/4) in 2021 during the COVID season.
COLUMBUS — An East Liverpool relay team stood on the podium at the state track meet for the first time ever …
COLUMBUS — Beaver Local senior Savannah Nign got her first medal in the girls wheelchair shot put Friday. She …
Baseball stars to clash NILES — The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will host the High School Valley All-Star Classic …
Copyright © 2025 Ogden News Publishing of Ohio, Inc. | https://www.morningjournalnews.com | 308 Maple Street, Lisbon, OH 44432 | 330-424-9541
