Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Lowellville junior Josh Pazel takes off the block during the prelims for the boys Division III 400-meter dash at the state championship meet. He earned eighth in the finals, clocking a time of 50.35 seconds.

COLUMBUS — Coming off its team state runner-up performance in Dayton, the standard was set high for the Lowellville track and field program. Despite graduating key athletes such as former state champion Michael Ballone and traversing through injuries on their roster, junior Josh Pazel still sought to represent the Rockets at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

While he’s a former state champion himself — climbing the podium following the boys 4×400-meter relay last season — and he took silver as a freshman during the 4×200 two years ago, Pazel still searched for that individual medal.

He checked that box off on his resume. Pazel earned eighth place in the Division III boys 400-meter dash with a time of 50.35 seconds.

“It felt like I was with a lot of great upperclassmen and people in my own group. We push each other at practices, and I feel like it just carried over this year,” Pazel said. “I learned from the best, they passed on everything they knew. I’m just trying to do the same and carry on the tradition of good runners in Lowellville.”

The 400 is one of the tougher events, requiring an almost perfect balance of speed, endurance, power and stamina. The challenge isn’t lost on the Lowellville junior.

“It’s very tricky, depending on the level of training and how fast it is, it’s all different body types and everything that runs completely different,” Pazel said. “Normally you get out to just try to finish with whatever you have, but if you’re real fast, you need to get out, PR in the first 200 meters and just hang on. If you’re very conditioned, you can kind of keep the same pace. It’s just a very strategic race.”

The pomp and circumstance wasn’t lost on Pazel, especially as former US Olympic Gold medalist Butch Reynolds was on hand to present medals while Pazel stood on the podium following the 400.

“The atmosphere gives you a lot of adrenaline, I can tell you that much. It feels great to run out here … great weather, great community, great environment. I love how the whole stands are packed. It’s really fun to race in,” Pazel said.

With making the trek to the podium replaced the standard of just qualifying for state, it makes the journey much more difficult, but also more rewarding.

“My goal this year was to make it as a solo, and I did. I didn’t run the best, but I still made it,” he said. “I’m still grateful, but next year, I’m going for gold. All my life, I’ve got told how I’ve only made it because of these people and that people, that I’ve got carried in relays, but I proved to myself and everyone that I was able to make it in a solo event.

“That’s literally what it is, let the outside noise fuel us and then everyone can say something, but that’s what hard work does and gets you here.”