A number of area track athletes made their marks before and during the NCAA championships last weekend in Eugene, Oregon.
Leading the way was Gahanna graduate and Tennessee senior Jake Blankenship winning a national title in the pole vault (18 feet, 4½ inches).
-- Lancaster grad Brannon Kidder capped his career at Penn State with a school record in the 1,500 meters (3 minutes, 38.82 seconds) and eight combined indoor and outdoor Big Ten championships. He placed fourth in the NCAAs (3:40.67).
Kidder’s teammate, freshman Chisom Ifedi of Centennial, placed third in the Big Ten in the high jump (7 feet, ½ inch) and qualified for the East Regional.