Milton-Union’s Payton Mayfield flies past the finish line at the D-II state track and field championships Saturday in 200-meter dash.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Milton-Union’s Payton Mayfield flies through the air in the D-II boys long jump at the state track and field meet at Welcome Stadium. Mayfield finished fourth.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Miami East’s Jacob Marker hands off to Gabe Cathcart in the 800 relay Friday.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Bethel’s Cade Schweikhardt runs in the 800 Saturday.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
DAYTON — Milton-Union junior Payton Mayfield had a completely different feeling leaving Welcome Stadium Saturday at the D-II state track and field championships than he did at Jesse Owens Stadium a year ago.
As a sophomore he failed to make the finals of his only event — the 200 meter dash.
This year, he qualified in four events, competed in three events and made the podium twice.
“Definitely, it is a much better feeling,” Mayfield said. “Last year was pretty disappointing.”
Mayfield capped his state meet with a third-place finish in the 200 Saturday in 22.25.
“Running into the wind was tough,” Mayfield said. “So, the time wasn’t that great. But, to finish third. I am pretty happy with that. And I still have one more year.”
On Friday, he had finished fourth in the long jump.
“It feels better than last year,” Mayfield said about when he competed in the 200 and didn’t make finals. “It is nice to get up on the podium.”
Mayfield got off to a fast start in long jump, going 21-3 3-4 on his first jump.
That put him in second place where he remained until finals.
“I think I was just excited to be here with crowd and everything,” Mayfield said.
After his first jump, he had to leave to go run the 100-meter dash, before taking his final two jumps in prelims.
“It was kind of tough,” Mayfield said. “I didn’t run very well in the 100. I got off to a bad start.”
Mayfield had the 14th fastest time in the 100, 11.24.
After the first jumps in the finals, he was still second, before finishing fourth.
“It was a little disappointing, but I just have to focus on coming back here and winning it next year,” Mayfield said. “And we will see what happens in the 200.
Mayfield, who scratched from the 400, didn’t disappoint in the 200.
It was a very different outcome from a year ago as he turned in the fourth fastest qualifying time of 21.92 to advance to Saturday and earn another trip to the podium.
The Miami East 800 relay (Jacob Marker, Gabe Cathcart, Ryan Neff, Brian Laughman) missed by less than a second of advancing to the finals.
They had the 10th fastest time of 1:30.54.
Miami East’s Devon Vastine finished 18th in the high jump.
On Saturday, Bethel sophomore Cade Schweikhardt finished 16th in the 800 in 1:59.98.
Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]
