Siler II to complete Warriors athletic school year at state
· Yahoo Sports
Paul Siler II’s first athletic season at Edgewood has been a memorable one.
The junior, who played important roles in the school’s football and basketball seasons, will close it out in the state track and field tournament this weekend at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.
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Siler is scheduled to compete in the Division III discus at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
“This is my first year at state, I’m happy I made it,” Siler said. “My goal was to make it state, and throwing at Ohio State, I’m blessed with this opportunity.”
He is seeded sixth statewide in the event after throwing a 163’6” in the Austintown Fitch Regional over the weekend.
“Being sixth in the state gives me confidence,” Siler said.
He placed second at Fitch, finishing after Firelands sophomore Brett Beury with a 174’6”.
Siler is making his first state appearance.
He has leaned on one person who was instrumental in getting him started in track and field.
“My Dad, Paul Siler, said to treat it like a normal meet,” Siler II said. “I went to a couple of his meets. I threw one time and started throwing and started to get better.”
Siler also credits his uncle, Reggie McHenry, who died in 2014, for helping him reach state.
“My uncle threw at Lakeside,” Siler said. “I’ve always wanted to get better.”
Siler is grateful for all the support he’s received.
“I want to say thanks to my dad and coach [Beth] Simpson for getting me to where I am today, and to my uncle in Heaven for inspiring me in track,” he said. “The people I hang out really believe in me.”
Siler had a big throw at regional, but even a bigger one at the Chagrin Valley Conference Lake Division with a school-record 168’2”.
“Paul has been consistently in the 160s since early May,” Edgewood boys coach Anthony Cardaman said. “He was able to keep that consistency and control [last Thursday] in a pretty competitive and more challenging stage. We’re so proud of him, and excited for the weekend.”
Siler continued to fine-tune his skills earlier earlier in the week with practices.
Then, he made the trek to Columbus to get a feel of Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, including the ring where he’ll throw.
During the 2025 football season, Siler recorded 25 pancakes and graded out at 85% from the guard position.
On defense, he registered 49 total tackles, three sacks and returned an interception for 55 yards for a touchdown.
Edgewood also made the postseason for the third time in the past four seasons in the 2025 campaign.
“Just being able to play in the playoffs for the first time was fun,” Siler said.
In the basketball season, Edgewood and CVC foe Jefferson faced off three times during the season.
The last one was a Warriors’ 59-52 win to capture a Division IV sectional championship.
“The last game was back-and-forth,” Siler said. “It was fun.”
Even though he still has one more athletic year left, Siler said Walsh, Mount Union, Lake Erie College and Baldwin Wallace are among the schools already looking at him.
“Lake Erie was the CVC Lake meet,” he said of the tournament at Jack Britt Stadium in Painesville.
But for now, his focus on making the best throws as he can in that 8’2.5” ring.
“All the hard work and dedication, I throw every day,” he said. “I’m definitely happy where I am.”