Eastmoor boys track team building on past success
Monday, April 16, 2023
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Senior Christian Monroe is the top sprinter for the Eastmoor Academy boys track and field team. Photo: Jarrod Ulrey
Already familiar with the Eastmoor Academy boys track and field team’s coaching staff after growing up nearby, it was an easy decision for Christian Monroe to enroll at the school and come out for the sport as a freshman in 2020.
It didn’t hurt that the Warriors have had the most distinguished program in the City League for most of the past two decades.
For Monroe, a senior with two seasons of experience running in sprinting events at the Division II state meet, Eastmoor’s desire to be more than just the best in its league is what he believes has helped build the program’s “legacy.”
“I would practice with (Eastmoor) when I was in middle school and I already knew who coach (Jason) Lewis was,” Monroe said. “We want to win the City and we’re concerned about it obviously, but we also want to win states. That’s all we’re really focused on.”
Lewis, who competed for Dayton Dunbar’s Division I state championship teams each year from 1988-90 including running on the 3,200-meter relay in 1990 that was state runner-up, is in his 20th season.
In 2005, his second season heading the Warriors’ program, Eastmoor won its first City championship since 1999. The Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2008 and ‘’09, Brookhaven won it in 2010 and Eastmoor has captured the championship every year since then.
The Warriors will attempt to win their 12th consecutive league title in May.
“Eastmoor is just a strong community on the east side of Columbus, and the connection between the alumni and the current teams every year is such that everybody is motivated each year to carry on the tradition,” Lewis said. “Because of that, we get good participation in the school. Our saying is ‘the standard is the standard.’ (We strive to be) good in every event, not just in the City, but when we go into other conferences.
“We want to represent Eastmoor in the highest regard, and they buy into it. Being a Dunbar graduate, that was how we were raised and that was always my vision for Eastmoor to be like, and it’s happened. Most of the kids haven’t run summer track. I don’t get the top AAU guys running for me. I get a guy where you look like you can run, so let me teach you. I’ve had the privilege of seeing kids do it and be amazing, and that’s been a privilege.”
Senior Nahshon Parks competes in the 110 hurdles for the Eastmoor boys track and field team on April 12. Dallas Hodge (right) is a top central Ohio thrower. Photos: Jarrod Ulrey/Kevin Rouch
Monroe and senior Dallas Hodge have been leading the way.
Hodge threw a personal-best 153 feet, 6 inches to win the discus and 44-1 1/4 to finish second in the shot put April 6 in the Tiger Relays at Columbus East as the Warriors scored 82 points to finish runner-up behind Independence (84.4).
Hodge was a regional qualifier last season in the discus.
“With repetition and being sort of a vet, for the most part I’ve got everything down and I’m just critiquing the small stuff as of now,” Hodge said. “We did a great job of lifting in the offseason. I decided not to play basketball and did indoor track and that helped me hone my craft.”
While Hodge is considering competing in either football, track or both at the college level and is interested in both Kentucky State and Ohio State, Monroe has aspirations of competing collegiately and beyond.
Monroe qualified for state on two relays and in the 200 in 2021 and last year turned in an eighth-place finish in the 200 (22.15 seconds), was 11th in the 100 (10.857) and helped the 800 relay finish third (1:28.1).
One of his brothers, junior Tderyan Lewis, also ran at state on the 800 relay last season.
Senior Aaron Dickson, juniors Rashard Brown and Javon Colvin and freshman Donovan Delph have been other key sprinters and junior Jairus Johnson has provided depth in the shot put and discus.
Preston Davis (middle distance) and Nahshon Parks (hurdles) are other key seniors.
“Things have been going great,” Monroe said. “I haven’t been injured, and usually at the start of the season I’m injured, so this has been pretty good. My little brother, Tderyan, was on the track team and he wanted me to do it with him, and it turns out I was pretty good at it. I feel like we always have good sprinters.”