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Warren All-Ohioan Yost to run track at Kent State

Photo by Ron Johnston Sitting, left to right: Justin Yost (father), Ethan Yost and Jessica Yost (mother). Standing, left to right: Caleb Yost (brother) and Josh Yost (brother).

VINCENT — Ethan Yost, a five-time All-Ohio Division II honoree in track and field, is planning to run with the Golden Flashes after prep graduation.

As flash-fast as Yost is on the oval track, it is a fitting choice.

The Warren senior standout signed a National Letter of Intent Friday afternoon in the Warrior Coliseum to continue his education and run track at Kent State University in the fall of next year.

“I went into my college search for a school where I can make great improvements academically and athletically, and Kent proved to be the best for me,” said the 17-year-old Yost.

Yost also considered the University of Pittsburgh.

At KSU, Yost is planning to major in criminal justice. He owns a 4.0 GPA at Warren.

Kent State is an NCAA Division I school and a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Golden Flash thinclads are coached by Bill Lawson.

Yost did not start running track until his sophomore season at Warren.

“I was always one of the fastest guys on the soccer field, so I just decided to give track a try,” Yost recalled. “I was mainly a sprinter in the beginning. But towards the end of the season, I ran the middle distances, like the 400 and 800.”

At Warren, Yost has an impressive T&F resume, which includes five school records (individual and relay) in the 400 (49.64), 800 (1:54.04), 4×200 (1:31.01), 4×400 (3:20.02), and 4×800 (7:47.60).

When Yost was a sophomore, he first earned all-state honors in Columbus with an eighth-place finish in 49.64 in the 400 and as a leg on the Warriors’ runner-up 4×8 relay team (7:48.03).

Last spring, Yost stood on the state podium three times with a third-place finish in the 800 (1:54.04), second-place finish in the 4×8 (7:47.60) and fourth-place finish in the 4×4 (3:20.02).

“There’s no better feeling,” Yost said. “I mean, there’s your parents and the crowd cheering for you. And, then, you know that you’ve done something for your school. It’s great.”

Yost is also a six-time Ohio Valley Athletic Conference (OVAC) champion in the 400, 4×8 and 4×4 (2019) and 400, 4×8 and 4×4 (2018).

He was also a district champ in both his sophomore and junior seasons in the 4×4 and 4×8 (2018) and 800, 4×2, 4×4, and 4×8 (2019).

An all-around athlete, Yost was a four-year letter winner in soccer. In his junior season, he was a second-team all-stater. During his sophomore year, he scored 24 goals and had 15 assists for the Ekrem Eksi-coached Warriors.

“I probably could’ve played soccer at a D2 or D3 school but I want to run D1 track,” Yost said.

Yost is the son of Justin and Jessica Yost. He has three brothers (Nick, Josh, and Caleb).

Ron Johnston can be reached at rjohnston@mariettatimes.com

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