MACEDONIA: The rivalry between Nordonia and Twinsburg continued Friday in the Division I district track and field meet at Boliantz Stadium.
Along with Hudson, Stow, Firestone and Walsh Jesuit, it made for a competitive meet with Summit County schools vying to continue their seasons.
Nordonia topped the girls side with 117 points. Twinsburg (93), Hudson (82), Walsh Jesuit (80) and Stow (69) rounded out the top five in the 13-team field.
Twinsburg won the boys title with 87 points. Hudson (79), Walsh Jesuit (74.5), Brecksville (63.5) and Shaker Heights (62) rounded out the top five in the 14-team field.
Nordonia won the girls 800-meter relay in 1:42.74 with the quartet of Carmen Licht, Aja Duvall, Lizzie Imrie and Faith Banks, and the Knights also won the 1,600 relay with Licht, Imrie, Lizzy Gurko and Banks combining to clock a 3:57.88.
Banks, a junior, contributed a first-place finish in the 400 in 56.28 seconds.
“The girls were competitors and that is what they have been all year,” Nordonia coach Scott Barwidi said. “We ran a lot of races today and our motto was to be ferocious competitors, and they did that today. We saw that in some finishes and on the relays. It was exciting to watch.”
Barwidi praised Banks, Duvall, Licht, Gurko and Imrie for their contributions, along with Sunny Starcher, Sarah Shedroff and Grace Coghill.
Twinsburg junior Christian Edgerson (long jump, 22-11) and sophomore Etaijen Easter (high jump, 6-0) each won a boys individual event.
“The boys put a lot of hard work into the season,” Twinsburg coach Dalanda Jackson said. “We had a lot of bumps in the road along the way, but today they showed up on the big stage and did what they had to do to advance to the regional meet.”
Jackson lauded Edgerson and Easter for their efforts, along with Sean Silas, Khalid Thornton, Kaleb East, Gilbert Campbell and Omar Perrin.
The top four in each event advanced to the Austintown Fitch regional meet next week.
Stow seniors Kayla Thompson and Scott Cunnington each won two events Friday. Thompson took first in the girls 100 hurdles in 15.12 seconds and the long jump at 17-10. Cunnington placed first in the boys 100 in 11.11 seconds and the 400 in 48.97.
Elsewhere in the girls meet, Hudson won the 3,200 relay in 9:38.95 with Kalli Barrett, Grace Turner, Hannah Teed and Emily Akin on Wednesday, and then the Explorers’ Megan Boyda, Guliana LaMarca, Abby Petty and Jenna Reitenbach won the 400 relay on Friday in 50.39.
Walsh Jesuit seniors Allie Stern (pole vault, 12-6) and Mary Figler (800, 2:16.62) each won an individual event, as did Hudson’s Brynn Meyer (high jump, 5-2), Twinsburg’s Nya Bussey (100, 12.20 seconds), Stow’s Ariana Poteat (300 hurdles, 47.19) and Firestone’s Ciara Gisstand (200, 25.23).
Hudson won the boys 3,200 relay in 8:03.87 on Wednesday with the baton going from Blake Roberts, Connor Sinko, Lucas Lay and Adam Beucler. On Friday, seniors Sinko and Roberts were first in the 1,600 (4:22.98) and the 3,200 (9:17.780, respectively.
Firestone juniors Darshun Williams and Kevon Louis went 1-2 in the 300 hurdles. Williams crossed the finish line first in 39.50 seconds and Louis was second at 39.76.
Other area boys who won an event were Nordonia’s Raymond Kovalchick (pole vault, 15-0) and Spencer Coppedge (110 hurdles, 14.66); Brecksville’s Tanner Watson (discus, 162-6) and John Jesser (800, 1:55.58); and Stow’s Jeremiah Gyulai (shot put, 53-3.75).
Bedford senior Savion Sales compiled an impressive meet with four first-place finishes — the 800 relay (1:29.31), 400 relay (42.99), 200 meters (22.3) and 1,600 relay (3:24.18).
Michael Beaven can be reached at 330-996-3829 or mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the #ABJVarsity high school blog at www.ohio.com/preps.