The HHS track team saw phenomenal success this spring. In his first season as track coach, Hoover American Government teacher Mr. Rob Motz sent seven boys in four total events to the State Championship in Dayton May 31-June 1. Two relays qualified for states, with the boys 4×200 meter relay being one of them. They placed fifth in the state with a time of 1:27.45 and included 2024-25 seniors Isaiah Barker, Will Kostur, Jr Linn and Grant Walker. The boys 4×400 meter relay also qualified for states, placing 12th in the state, with a time of 3:22.42 and included Barker, senior Grant Linn, junior Carson Morris and Walker. Junior Joey Smart was able to qualify for pole vault, placing ninth with
a height of 13’6”. Barker qualified for long jump and placed fi rst, with a 23’ 7” jump.
Barker [pictured, center] is the 2024 long jump state champion. He describes the experience of states as a “10/10,” with the whole atmosphere just being “energizing” helping people’s performance and makes events “closer and more nerve wracking.” The boys also broke two school records, one in the 4×100 meter relay and another in the 4×200 meter relay.
The girls team also saw success of their own, sending four girls to states including sophomores Savannah Tindell and Peyton Waldorf, Ashland commit senior Lexi Wims, and Murray State commit and 2024 graduate Amahrie Harsh. The four girls qualified for the 4×200 meter relay placing seventh with a time of 1:41.20.
These four girls also broke the school record for this event. Harsh also qualified for the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dashes, placing eighth in the 100, 10th in the 200 and ninth in the 400. She broke the school record in these three events as well. Wims’ success last season and preparation for this year involves her personal trainer in the winter, who helped her become better by training her speed and strength. She also rated the 2024 state experience as a 10/10.
“Those three days with my team were very fun and the experience of running at the state level has inspired me to be the best I can in order to return next year,” she said. In regard to her goals for herself next season, she “plans to
break 25 seconds in the 200-meter dash” and to return to states in the 4×200 meter relay — “but to make it as an individual in the 200-meter dash.”
“I think the [girls] team might have some challenges, since we are losing some huge point scorers from last season, but I think the rest of the varsity runners will step up in their place,” Wims added.
Motz spoke about his plans for the 2025 season.
“I’m changing our winter training a little bit to focus on explosive speed,” he said, adding he also wants to push 400-meter training more. “Additionally, our cross country team is young and pretty good, so I think we are going to have a lot of depth from the 200 all the way up to the two mile.”
Regarding his keys to success and how he managed to keep athletes focused throughout the season, Motz highlighted the role Walker played in keeping his teammates motivated, as well as his fellow coaches.
“Winning is fun; seeing yourself get better is fun,” he said. “[The coaches are] awesome, [and they] “make the team go.”
There are also some up-and-coming athletes who may help Motz meet his goal “to get as many kids to Columbus as possible.”
“We had a group of sophomores and juniors who took track seriously and they got results,” he said.
Overall, the goal for this upcoming season involves earning 30-35 points, which could mean a state championship. Barker spoke about his achievements, obstacles and aspirations.
“The year before, which would be my sophomore year, I didn’t do the best at districts and was very disappointed with the results,” he said. “[This spring], I had way higher expectations for myself and met those so I was very satisfi ed.”
Barker credits his success to the rigor of “the workouts coach put us through.”
“We always went hard in practice and pushed ourselves to our limits everyday and that’s why we were so successful this year,” he said.
His goals for next season include wanting to be better than he was last season and chasing another state championship — trying to break as many records as he can. His expectations for the team is “to be better than last year and to have multiple relays and individual people to be state champs.”
With a majority of these athletes returning, they are coming with big goals and big expectations, so keep an eye out for the Hoover boys and girls track and fi eld teams next spring.
“[The boys track team is] the best Hoover track has been in a long time,” Barker said.
