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Lady Lancers finish second in state track
(by Steve Novak - June 09, 2010)
Lady Lancers finish second in state track
By STEVE NOVAK
Gilmour Academy's Bekka Simko came home from Columbus last weekend a little bit heavier than when she arrived, and it had nothing to do with the refreshments offered to athletes after the races.
The extra weight came from the medals. In her senior year at Gilmour, Simko won a pair of first-place medals, along with two-second place medals, during the Division III state track and field finals at Jesse Owens Stadium on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus.
Simko won the 800-meter run and came in second in the 1,600 meters. She was also a member of the victorious four-by-800-meter relay team and the runner-up four-by-400-meter relay quartet.
The Lady Lancers finished second in team standings in Division III. Versailles was first with 47 3/4 points, while Gilmour had 36 points.
Simko finished second in the 1,600 meters with a time of 5:02.62.
Shortly after that, she had to hit the track again for the 800 meters. Simko said she was behind the leader in this race until about the final turn.
"I had been second most of the race until about the last 150 meters," Simko said. "That was when I made a move for the front, and I finished ahead by a few steps."
Her winning time was 2:12.62, while Katie Bunker, of Cedarville, finished second in 2:13.75.
In the four-by-800 relay, Gilmour's team of Alexis Anton, Meghan Pryatel, Grace Brennan and Simko won the event with a time of 9:31.28.
Gilmour placed second in the four-by-400 meter relay. The team of Kathryn Drew, Anton, Brennan and Simko covered the course in 3:59.85. Miami Valley was first in 3:58.45.
Simko, who will run cross country and track at Penn State University next season, said she was happy with her performances despite being aware that this was the last time she would see her teammates.
"It's really going to be sad. I'm going to miss them. They're like a family to me," she said.
For the Gilmour boys, Bart Merkel finished fifth in the 3,200 meters in 9:38.61 in Division III.
Hawken School's Alex Markovich finished in eighth place in the 1,600 meters in 5:11.62.
Division II
Chagrin Falls' Ryan Kochert finished second in pole vault. His best effort of the weekend was 15 feet, 4 inches. The winning jump of 15 feet, 8 inches belonged to Jamie Robson, of Mansfield Ontario.
The Chagrin Falls boys' finished sixth in the four-by-400-meter relay. The foursome of Matt Digel, Bradley Munday, Ricky Kochert and Bill Cale finished in 3:32.26.
Chagrin Falls' Kirsten Stevenson finished second in the 800 meters in 2:15.98. The winner of the race was Taylor Hatfield, of Chillicothe Zane Trace, in 2:08.91.
Division I
West Geauga's Kori Chapic finished in seventh place in the 300-meter hurdles in 44.44 seconds.
The Wolverines' Chantel Richardson was fifth in the long jump with an effort of 17 feet, 10 1/4 inches.
Several Solon athletes finished in the top eight of various competitions.
A.J. Hicks was fifth in the shot put and third in the discus. His throw in the discus measured 180 feet, 1 inch. His toss of the shot was 56 feet, 8 1/4 inches.
Caden Johnson was second in the high jump with an effort of 6 feet, 7 inches. This was the same height that was cleared by Strongsville's Deverian Muff, who was declared the champion based on fewer misses.
In the 400 meters, Robert McNair was second in 49.12 seconds.
The Solon girls' four-by-100-meter relay team finished in fifth place in 48.50 seconds. Members of the relay team were Alex Paskell, Bethany Lobaza, Paige Yeager and Kristen Baldwin.
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