State track and field: Avon's Max Hauck wins discus title with first attempt no one can match

COLUMBUS — Max Hauck set the bar high right out of the gate and nobody could top it. The Avon senior launched the discus 180 feet, 10 inches on his opening throw Saturday, and it held as the high mark throughout the rest of the Division II state championship at The Ohio State University's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Hauck will try to bring home the shot put title today, taking the highest-seeded throw into the event. "I just had to hit my rap," Hauck said. "I got my technique down, had a big one on my first one and it set me up good. To take the lead that early and throw a big personal record really takes the pressure off of you. You can just focus on your form and have fun." Hauck wasn't the only one from Lorain County to line up in the discus. Teammate Lance Dawson took fourth at 173-11 and Amherst's Camden Simo took 13th at 153-03. In Division III, Keystone's Luke DeVore took seventh in the shot put at 54-06. It's the cap to a big senior season for Hauck and Dawson, who were members of Avon's state championship football team. "Playing in the state tournament in football is a lot of pressure," Hauck said. "You have to work with the nerves. You're always nervous when you come out to compete, but you can use that to make yourself better." Dawson's best distance came on his second throw. After tossing 148-10 in the third round and fouling on what looked to be a strong attempt on the opening throw of the final round, he resettled in for solid attempts of 172-3 and 172-11. It looked going into the final round as if Dawson would take third, but Trace McAllister from Chillicothe put up a personal-best 174-5. Ivan Sinkowski of Dublin Scioto took second at 174-9. Dawson and Hauck did not qualify for the state meet last season. "It feels good," Dawson said. "Not making it to regionals last year and having that fire set under me. Coming in here, having that killer mindset and doing the best I could. It's a team event, me and Max placed really high, so we should set a high standard for all the runners who are going to compete. "I was looking forward to winning with Max. We didn't one and two, but we were close enough so it feels great." Try as they might, nobody in the field came close to topping Hauck. He went on to post two more throws exceeding 174 and, after Scioto couldn't take the lead on the penultimate throw, he capped his day with a no-pressure attempt of 173-5 to a standing ovation from the crowd. "I want to give all glory to God," Hauck said. "To come out here and compete with my teammate Lance and my coaches. This was my last time throwing discus, so just coming out here and giving all thanks to my coaches and coaching. Walking in knowing I had won was the best feeling in the world. I had to take glory on my last throw." Contact Chris Sweeney at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Follow him @CSweeney1686 on X.