The Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) track and field landscape continues to be dominated by two powerhouse programs. Centerville and Wayne once again proved why they're the teams to beat, capturing the girls' and boys' team titles respectively at the 2026 GWOC Track and Field Championships, hosted by Beavercreek on Wednesday. This marks the third consecutive year these two schools have claimed the conference crowns, solidifying their supremacy in the league.
For Wayne head coach Mike Fernandez, the victory was a testament to his team's depth and resilience. "This was a tough one," Fernandez said. "You've got to make sure the next guy is ready. My hurdler, Keng [Martin], was coming off soreness in his leg and told me it was up to me, so I took him out and Sean Heisle wins [the event]. When you see people step up like that, it just makes you smile." The Warriors edged out Beavercreek 150-141, winning eight of the 17 events and securing their seventh boys' title in the last eight league meets.
On the girls' side, Centerville's performance was equally impressive. The Elks outscored Beavercreek 169.5-143.5, making them the only team to score points in every event. Head coach Mike Somerlot acknowledged the pressure of maintaining the school's recent athletic success. "It's been such a good Spring at Centerville between the softball and baseball teams winning conference, and tennis teams winning, lacrosse teams winning, and it's like we knew there was pressure on us to hold our end up," Somerlot said. "We told the girls, you gotta be able to compete. The conference is really good, it's balanced, there's a ton of state contenders. We knew we had to really take advantage of our spots we had and then fill in those gaps."
The meet, held on a chilly and windy evening, saw six league records fall. Wayne senior Key'Shawn Garrett was the standout performer, breaking a 20-year record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.56 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark set by Piqua's Brandon Saine in 2006. Garrett also won the 200 meters and the long jump, and was part of the winning 400-meter relay team, making him a triple-threat on the track.
Beavercreek sophomore Enora McEllroy and Centerville freshman Ellie Davenport also made history in the seated division. McEllroy broke her own record in the 100-meter dash seated, while both athletes shattered McEllroy's 400-meter dash seated record by nearly 20 seconds. McEllroy also set a new mark in the shot put seated, joining senior Zoe Roll in surpassing last year's distance. Additionally, the Centerville girls' 800-meter relay team and senior Ethan Ireland in the boys' pole vault set new meet records.
Beavercreek junior Faith Brown was a force on the girls' side, winning three races: the 100 meters, and the 100 and 300-meter hurdles. With the Division I Super Regional meet beginning Tuesday with prelims, these athletes are poised to carry their momentum into the next stage of the season.