SIDELINES

More hurdles to clear for Scott-Glover

Rogers junior looking to reach state meet for 3rd straight year

Rogers junior Brianna Scott-Glover, center, has swept titles in the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles three straight years in the City League and district meets.

Brianna Scott-Glover cleared her first hurdle when she was in grade school growing up in Mansfield.

Now she's one of the best high school hurdlers in Ohio.

Scott-Glover, a Rogers junior, is heading to the Division II regional track meet in Lexington looking to qualify for state competition for the third straight year.

"I'm pretty confident with what I'm doing," Scott-Glover said.

There's also plenty of talent that gives her the confidence she can win every race.

She enters the regional as a favorite to sweep the 100 and 300-meter hurdle events. She owns some of the top times in the state. The Rogers girls team is in Division II this year after competing in Division I in the past.

Yet, Scott-Glover, who recently ran personal-record times in both events -- 14.5 in the 100 and 43.2 in the 300 -- to sweep the events at the City League meet, hasn't changed her approach.

"It's a big change, but we just accept it," Scott-Glover said. "I don't think any less of the competition in Division II. I just try to zone out when it's time to run."

When Scott-Glover won both events at the CL meet, it marked the third straight year she accomplished that feat.

A week later at the D-II district meet at Oak Harbor, she had little trouble sweeping the events to again secure titles for the third consecutive year.

With times of 15.34 and 44.83, her victories helped carry the Rams to their first D-II district championship.

First-year coach Zukeya Lawshe doesn't believe Scott-Glover requires much outside input from others to have her focus.

"She has put it in her mind that anything is possible," Lawshe said.

She placed sixth at state in the 300 hurdles as a freshman.

She showed quite the determination as a sophomore to return to state when she ran at the regional on an injured foot and qualified in both events -- finishing second in the 100 hurdles third in the 300 hurdles.

Scott-Glover failed to place at state last season, but the experience served as motivation for this season.

Her top time this year for the 300 hurdles -- her top event -- is tied for third-best in the state while her 100 hurdles time ranks fifth.

Scott-Glover does more than show up a meets and compete. She studies her competition.

Fully recovered from last year's injury, Scott-Glover has worked on trying to become better at the end of this season compared to last season.

In particular, she believes her best showing will take place in the 300 hurdles. Scott-Glover prefers that race over shorter sprint races, including the 100 hurdles. She considers herself not the fastest runner, but has enough speed to compete at middle-distance events.

"The 300 hurdles are my specialty," she said. "It's a good distance for me.''

She has already started to attract attention from some schools in the Big Ten and Mid-American Conference, and would like to continue running in college.

Rogers boys track coach Eric Browning has witnessed Scott-Glover's steady progress

"I think she could be a big-time college hurdler and she could go to about any school and be on the relays," Browning said. "The sky is the limit."

It is just another hurdle for Scott-Glover to clear.

Contact Donald Emmons at: demmons@theblade.com or 419-724-6302.