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BYESVILLE - It was a bittersweet moment for track and field athletes at the Ohio Division II Regional track meet at Meadowbrook High School Saturday.

The top four athletes in every event get to go for the pinnacle of high school track - a state title at next week's Ohio state track meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

"It's just the best of the best athletes going on," said Warren senior Justin Roush, who qualified for the state in the 800-meter run.

But for every one of the athletes who made it into the top four, there were four more individuals and relay teams that watched their season come to an end.

For the Warren Warriors and Morgan Raiders some of their athletes found themselves in that top four, but others were on the outside looking in.

"I tried my best, but it didn't work out for me," said Warren sophomore high jumper Cameron Cowan, who finished in a tie for eighth, earning regional honors but not moving on to state.

Warren's Roush and Tyler Cox both advanced to state in events Saturday as did Morgan freshman Kristie Marcum.

Others, however, did not advance, making the day bittersweet for those who have one more week.

"It was a good meet. I just wish Wes (Richards) would've been able to go with us," Roush said.

Richards was unsuccessful in his bid to make the state meet in the 3200-meter run, finishing in a time of 10:41.30.

Warren junior Emily Foy was 13th in the pole vault, clearing 8-6 before bowing out.

Roush edged out Martins Ferry's Cedric Martin in the 800 in a hard fought race down the backstretch.

"He kept his head and did what he's supposed to to qualify for state," said Warren boys' track coach Al Riffey.

With his finish in the 800 Roush joined Cox in a bid for the state meet after Cox qualified for his second event, placing third in the 110 hurdles.

Qualifying for the pole vault with a second place finish on the opening day of regional competition Cox added to his meet itinerary at Jesse Owens by placing third in the 110 high hurdles with a time of 15.41.

"It really hasn't hit me. Probably when I get back on the bus it'll hit me. I'm going to Jesse Owens for two events," Cox said after his finish.

To make it to the state meet in two events after placing third in the pole vault a year ago had a special meaning for Cox, but it will be far surpassed if he can claim the state title in the event that escaped him last year.

"There's nothing I'd like more than to have a gold state medal for that (pole vault)," Cox said with a smile.

Cox and Roush will be joined at the state meet by Marcum, who established a new school record for the Lady Raiders by leaping 17-feet-2 inches in the long jump.

Entering the regional meet Marcum's longest jump was just 15-feet-9.5 inches but that all changed with one leap Saturday afternoon.

""We're still scratching our head trying to figure out where that came from," laughed Morgan girls' track coach Mike Beam.

Marcum's leap had the freshman jumping in the air from excitement after completing her final jump, knowing she had made it to the top four.

"Kristie stepped up today," Beam said.

The Lady Raider freshman will be the lone representative for Morgan at the state meet.

Sophomore Cassie Copeland, a state qualifier last year, appeared to get clipped by another runner that fell going over a hurdle in the 300 hurdles and finished in sixth with a time of 48.78.

Even though athletes like Copeland, Cowan and Richards might not have made it to the state meet, reaching the regionals is a feat of its own.

"To get this far is quite an accomplishment for any of them," Beam said.

Ohio Div. II Regional track meet at Meadowbrook High School

Boys' team standings:

1 Warsaw River View 56.5; 2 Dover 50.5; 3 Circleville 43; 4 Piketon 42; 5 Byesville Meadowbrook 37; 6 Cambridge 30; 7 Vincent Warren 27; 8 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 26; 9 Chillicothe Unioto 25; 10 Chillicothe 24.5; 11 W. Lafayette Ridgewood; 12 Ironton 22; 12 Steubenville 22; 14 Pomeroy Meigs 17; 15 Magnolia Sandy Valley 15; 16 Lancaster Fairfield Union 13; 16 Belmont Union Local 13; 18 Philo 12; 19 Martins Ferry 10; 19 The Plains Athens 10; 19 Thornville Sheridan 10; 19 Uhrichsville Claymont 10; 19 Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 10; 19 Coshocton 10; 25 St. Clairsville 9; 25 Wheelersburg 9; 25 Barnesville 9; 28 Cadiz Harrison Central 8; 28 McDermott Northwest 8; 30 Circleville Logan Elm 7; 30 New Concord John Glenn 7; 32 Rayland Buckeye Local 6; 32 Bellaire 6; 34 Millersburg West Holmes 5; 35 Proctorville Fairland 4.5; 36 Portsmouth 4; 36 Richmond Edison 4; 38 West Portsmouth West Portsmouth West 3; 38 Chillicothe Zane Trace 3; 38 Carrollton 3; 38 Cheshire

River Valley 3; 42 Waverly 2; 42 Hillsboro 2

Boys' individual results from Saturday:

110 hurdles: 3 Tyler Cox (W) 15.41

800: 4 Justin Roush (W) 1:59.38

High jump: 8 Cameron Cowan (W) 5-10

Girls' team standings:

1 Gallipolis Gallia Academy 82; 2 St. Clairsville 53; 3 Granville 46; 4 Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 38; 5 Steubenville 29; 6 Byesville Meadowbrook 28; 6 Dover 28; 6 Chillicothe Zane Trace 28; 9 Sunbury Big Walnut 26; 10 Circleville Logan Elm 23; 11 Lancaster Fairfield Union 22; 11 Washington Court House Washington 22; 13 Thornville Sheridan 19; 14 Columbus Bishop Ready 17; 15 Coshocton 16; 15 South Point 16; 17 Proctorville Fairland 15; 17 Philo 15; 19 Cambridge 12; 19 McConnelsville Morgan 12; 21 Lewis Cen. Olen. Orange 10; 21 Albany Alexander 10; 21 Richmond Edison 10; 24 Caledonia River Valley 9; 24 The Plains Athens 9; 26 Magnolia Sandy Valley 8; 26 Millersburg West Holmes 8; 28 Uhrichsville Claymont 7; 29 Rayland Buckeye Local 6; 30 Zanesville Maysville 5; 30 East Liverpool 5; 32 Warsaw River View 4; 32 Marion Elgin 4; 32 Zanesville West Muskingum 4; 35 Minford 3; 35 Lisbon Beaver 3; 37 Newark Licking Valley 2; 37 Cadiz Harrison Central 2; 37

Circleville 2; 37 Whitehall-Yearling 2; 37 Chillicothe Unioto 2; 42 Waverly 1

Girls' individual results from Saturday:

300 hurdles: 6 Cassie Copeland (M) 48.78

Pole vault: 13 Emily Foy (W) 8-6

Long jump: 3 Kristie Marcum (M) 17-2