TOLEDO — Over the past four seasons, Toledo Central Catholic’s Nyla King has worn down a path from the starting blocks to the finish line to the top step of the victory podium.
The Fighting Irish speedster recently capped her prep career by winning her eighth, ninth and 10th state titles at the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Division 2 championship meets, held June 6 at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Track Stadium.
While finishing in first place is nothing new for the Mississippi State University-bound runner, last week marked the first time King was able to capture the “sprint triple crown” by winning the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes at the state level.
“I actually did not sleep the day of states,” she said. “I really wasn’t nervous, but I struggled with going to sleep. I told myself, ‘This is the last day that I have to worry about.’”
Despite the lack of Z’s, King’s performance rated an A. Each race brought a unique achievement: her winning 100 time of 11.60 was the fastest recorded in Ohio this year. King’s winning 200 time of 23.76 set a Division 2 state record. And her winning 400 time of 54.36 was her best ever.
“This year was definitely harder (than prior seasons) — I had the 400 and had to get back for the 200, and that took a toll,” said King, who ran three preliminary races the day before in order the qualify for the championship heats.
Of the three wins, she was happiest about defending her title in the 100.
“I like the 11.6,” she said. “I was really hoping to run an 11.5 sometime this year, but 11.60 is pretty close, I guess.”
King was a multiple-event state champion in each of her four seasons, beginning with 4x200 and 4x200 relay titles in her freshman year. As a sophomore, she won the 100 dash and helped Central Catholic defend both relay crowns. King nearly pulled off the sprint triple crown as a junior, winning and 100 and 200 but finishing as runner-up in the 400.
“I like the individual events, but I really, really, really miss being on a relay,” she said. “I remember when I was on a relay and it was really fun to not have to depend on myself for everything.”
King also accomplished the triple victory at the Catholic League’s Cardinal Division championship meet in both 2024 and 2025, setting new league records in the 200 and 400.
Junior Victor Singleton was Central Catholic’s other Ohio state champion. He won the long jump in 23’ 6½”, besting the runner-up by half a foot. That mark was Singleton’s personal best in the event.
Several Catholic League athletes also claimed first-place finishes in Michigan’s state meets, held May 31.
At East Kentwood, Detroit Catholic Central junior Samson Gash won the 100-meter dash in 10.41 seconds — at Division 1 record, and the fastest time on the books since state meets went to fully automatic timing in the late 1980s. The all-time best, 10.4 seconds, was established by Jackson’s Corey Prior at the Class A meet in 1987.
The Division 2 meet at Hamilton was good for three existing Catholic League record-holders, who each won state titles in their specialty events.
Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard senior Cora Williams won the shot put in 43’ 4”, more than a full foot ahead of the runner-up, Aubree Deshetsky of North Branch. Williams, who has signed with Indiana State University, set the Catholic High School League record in the event last month with a throw of 44’ 4”.
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood senior Lynzi Evans, who set the Catholic League record of 14.77 in the 100-meter high hurdles last month, lowered her personal-record best time by winning the race in 14.63 seconds. She also lowered the existing school record with her state finals time. Incidentally, the state record in the event remains at 14.19 seconds, set by Ypsilanti’s Tiffany Ofili (Porter), who went on to compete in three Olympic games.
Dearborn Divine Child’s Aubrey Wilson defended her 100-meter dash title from last season, and picked up the 200-meter crown to boot — each in record time. The sophomore set new Division 2 state marks in 11.55 and 23.85 seconds, respectively. Last month, Wilson established a new Catholic League best in the 200 dash (24.61) and was part of the Falcons’ record-setting 4x400 relay.
The Catholic League’s lone champion from the Division 3 meet at Kent City was Grosse Pointe Woods University-Liggett senior Santino Cicarella. He won the 100-meter dash in 10.86 seconds, improving on his fourth-place finish from 2024. Cicarella also won that event at the Catholic League, regional and three invitational meets this spring.
In Division 4 at Hudsonville, Royal Oak Shrine junior Abenezer Cerone won the 800-meter run in 1:57.59. Although Cerone was also the Oakland County champion in that race, he finished first the 400 and 200 dashes instead at last month’s Catholic League meet.
The Riverview Gabriel Richard foursome of Antonio Sobush, Derek Lesko, Nick Sobush and Joey Calhoun won the 4x100 relay in 44.19 seconds. The same group was second in the 4x200 relay at 1:30.64, helping the Pioneers place fifth overall as a team.
Gabriel Richard had also won the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association’s Team State meet the week prior, following up a team regional championship.
