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Both CVC track team champions repeat
(by Steve Novak - May 20, 2010)
Both CVC track team champions repeat
By STEVE NOVAK
It's difficult for a team to repeat as champion two years in a row, but what are the odds of two teams repeating during the same day of competition?
That's exactly what the Kenston boys' and the West Geauga girls' track and field teams did. Both squads have the distinction of being the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division champs for 2009 and 2010.
Kenston and runner-up Orange were neck and neck during the two-day event. The Bombers prevailed with 139 points, followed by Orange with 131 points.
"It took the entire team. Before starting on Thursday, we thought we might be third," Kenston coach Chris Ickes said. "But we had a team meeting before starting on Thursday. We told the kids that champions bounce back. Then, as a team, the team moved up in points."
For the West Geauga girls' team, coached by Mike Taurasi, it was largely a case of retaining a strong core of athletes from the 2009 team to come back and give another good round of performances.
West Geauga won with 130 points, followed by Perry with 120 points and Kenston with 107 points.
"We've got more depth this year," Taurasi said. "We keep telling the team that we don't need just a winner in an event. We need everyone to contribute with their best."
Kenston had first-place finishes in the discus, long jump, 3,200-meter run and high jump.
In the discus, Lou Mantush won with a toss of 156 feet, 5 inches. In the long jump, Jack Rolf won with a leap of 21 feet, 5 1/2 inches. John Kolibab captured the high jump with an effort of 6 feet, 2 inches. In the 3,200 meters, freshman Ross Henry was the winner with a time of 10:01. He took the lead in the first lap and held it for the rest of the race.
"I went out fast, maybe a little too fast now that I think of it," Henry said. "But with all my teammates cheering for me, it was like a gut check. I knew I had to win that race."
Ickes agreed with his runner's description of his quick start in the first lap. "After just the first lap was over, I knew he was going to win that race. He was locked in," Ickes said.
West Geauga's Chantel Richardson was a double winner. She won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.39 seconds and the long jump with an effort of 16 feet, 8 inches.
West Geauga's girls had first-place finishes in the long jump, 100-meter hurdles, four-by-200-meter relay, 400-meter dash and four-by-400-meter relays. In the 800 meters, Aly Platek won with a time of 2:17.40.
West Geauga's other winners included Allison Tyree in the 400 meters with a time of 58.88 seconds. Tyree also was part of the winning four-by-200 and four-by-400-meter relay teams.
In the four-by-200, Tyree, Richardson, Stephanie Brinning and Kelly Williams turned in a time of 1:46.21. In the four-by-400, Savannah Gabram, Williams, Aly Platek and Tyree crossed the line first in 4:03.00
Tyree said her victory in the 400 meters wasn't certain until the final few strides of the race. Second place in the race went to teammate Stephanie Brinning in 59.13 seconds.
"I had to pull ahead in the home stretch. I didn't take the lead until about the last 10 meters of the race," Tyree said.
Orange's boys team had six individual winners. Orange coach Njiah Harvey said the team has won several invitational meets this season, and he felt his athletes were one of the favorites to win the CVC.
"Going into the CVC meet, we thought we had a chance to win. But there's always variables with athletes, and second is pretty good," Henry said.
Orange won the 110-meter hurdles with Fred Roberts posting a time of 15.51 seconds. Roberts also won the 300-meter hurdles in 39.65 seconds.
Other Lion victors were Jacob Brister in the 100 meters in 11.60, Michael Martin in 1,600 meters in 4:29.24 and Nate Terhune in the shot put with a toss of 50 feet, 10 inches.
"That 50 feet, 10 inches was my best throw of the season. My best before that was 50 feet, 3 inches at the Orange Relays," Terhune said. "This is my first year on the track team. One of my football coaches, Thomas Rodriguez, suggested I try out."
Orange also won the four-by-100 relay in 43.92 seconds. Team members were Cameron Grays, Matt Clinkscale, Brister and Matt Jones.
Among other area schools in the boys' division, Chagrin Falls finished in fourth place with 76 points and West Geauga was seventh with 32 points.
For West Geauga, Ryan Kochert was a winner in the pole vault with a best effort of 14 feet. Joe Drockton of West Geauga was second with a jump of 13 feet, 6 inches. Kochert also won the pole vault title in 2009 with an identical jump of 14 feet. Drockton was third last year, with a jump of 12 feet.
Among other area schools in the girls' competition, Chagrin Falls was fifth with 81 points and Orange was sixth with 76 points.
For the third place Kenston girls, Kim Gallavan won the shot put with a toss of 37 feet, 6 inches. The Bombers also won the four-by-100 relay as Brianna Washington, Jazmin Stokes, Cailin Bartalone and Jasmine Gentry posted a time of 51.38 seconds.
Chagrin Falls won the four-by-800 relay as the foursome of Aurora Chaffee, Kate Girouard, Susannah Shelley and Kirsten Stevenson combined for a clocking of 9:58.53.
For Orange, Amber Young won the 100 meters with a time of 13.33 seconds. Young also won the 300-meter hurdles in 46.18 seconds.
Metro Division
In the Metro Division, the Hawken girls placed second with 121 points. Cuyahoga Heights was first with 141 points.
The Hawken boys placed fourth behind Independence, Cuyahoga Heights and Beachwood.
Winners for the Hawken girls included pole vaulter Julie Bramante with a leap of 8 feet. Alexandra Markovich won the 1,600 meters with a time of 5:47.50 and the 3,200 meters in 12:25.34.
On the boys' side, Hawken won the four-by-100 relay with the foursome of Jake Willen, Aaron Hayes, Jeremy Simmons and Brian Vogt. They turned in a time of 44.50 seconds. Vogt also won the 800 meters in 1:59.72.
Hawken coach Jeff Farroni said the Metro CVC competition could provide his athletes with some additional confidence going into to the beginning of postseason competition this week.
"This will give us some more experience, to hopefully get a win or score high in the districts," he said.
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