The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Columbia revives track and field team
After years of not fielding a team, the Raiders, coached by Adam Bailey, are competing in invitational meets in a bid to revive the program. Fuad Shalhout’s track and field notes.
“We’ve had pretty good numbers for the first year coming back. You always worry because a lot of these kids have picked up other spring sports and you worry about experience.”
— Columbia coach Adam Bailey
The Columbia track program is fielding a team this season for the first time in quite a while. A part of the Patriot Athletic Conference and with 19 boys and 13 girls, first-year coach Adam Bailey said he doesn’t recall exactly the last time Columbia had a track team, but it has been at least five years, because none of the seniors had it available to them when they entered high school.
He wants it to be the birth of a program that will continue.
“We’ve had pretty good numbers for the first year coming back,” Bailey said. “You always worry because a lot of these kids have picked up other spring sports and you worry about experience. Over the next couple of years, we will continue to grow.”
The weather has been cold, and there have been only a couple of meets so far, but Columbia has had a few athletes on its roster stand out that people can look out for this year.
Most notably, the girls team has sophomore sprinter Serena Goode, who Bailey says has “potential to go to state.” Goode finished sixth at the Avon Lake Invitational in the 100 (13.95) and fifth in the 200 (29.34).
Her fastest time in the 100 so far has been a 13.4.
“She’s just a really hard worker and I coached her in basketball as well,” Bailey said. “She never takes an interval off. She has a gymnastics background and really understands what it takes commitment-wise to be good. She’s put in that effort.”
On the boys side, freshman Matt Pettegrew was a 2016 Division III regional qualifier in cross country. Sophomore sprinter Brandon Coleman, who also is the Raiders’ running back in football, has high potential.
Columbia, for now, is only competing at invitationals. As Bailey continues to further implement his system in the program, the key will be enticing athletes to participate.
“We are very much a baseball and softball school,” he added. “We’re traditionally very strong in those two sports. But that’s not for everybody and track kind of provides something for everyone, no matter what your skill set is. Once kids realize that they can do this and be successful. we’ll get more kids out.”
Columbia is entering these meets not expecting to score much. Bailey is hoping to send a few of his athletes to at least the regionals.
“The expectation right now is to build a program and gain experience,” Bailey said. “Because we are freshmen and sophomores, and it’s a sport dominated by juniors and seniors, we’re just trying to learn the techniques at a lot of the field events and hurdles. Learning how to train and compete because this is new for all of us. We’re trying to be one of the top teams in the next couple of years.”
Cross nears return
Lorain junior Zion Cross, a D-I state champion in the 100 and runner-up in the 200, has missed the early part of the season because of a hamstring injury he suffered prior to the indoor state meet last month. But he tweeted on April 4 that he plans to make his season debut at the Lorain County Invitational at Amherst on April 13.
School record
Bay junior pole vaulter Mary Kinsey broke the school record clearing 10 feet, 10 inches on March 29 against Holy Name. Kinsey then finished second at the Avon Lake Invitational (10-0).
Around the track this weekend
• The Bay Invitational on April 7 has been canceled due to expected poor weather. Rocky River will be at the Tallmadge Invitational.
• April 8: Avon will be at the Chardon Hilltopper Invitational; Brookside, Elyriaand Lorain will compete at the Bedford Kimberly Relays; Columbia and Lutheran West will be at the East Canton Invitational; Open Door will go to the NEO Lew Speece Invitational, and Vermilion and Wellington will be at the New London Invitational.
Reminder
Coaches are encouraged to email Fuad Shalhout (fshalhout@morningjournal.com) Player of the Week nominations.