The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Brookside girls excel at Margaretta Invitational
The Cardinals girls finished second to Edison at the Margaretta Invitational. Jordyn Shawver led the way in the hurdles and Lauren Sheehan won in the shot put.
Brookside’s girls team had a big showing at the Margaretta Invitational on April 27, scoring 85 points and taking second place behind Edison (126.5).
The Cardinals had a standout performance from junior Jordyn Shawver. She took third in the 100 hurdles (17.2), anchored the 4x100 relay that came in first (53.8) and won the 300 hurdles, breaking her own school record (49.6). It was the first time in her high school career she broke 50 seconds.
“She’s been getting stronger as the season has gone on,” Brookside coach Brad Barhorst said. “She’s running really well right now.”
Shawver is a three-sport athlete, also playing soccer and basketball. Barhorst also coaches her in basketball. She was hurt during soccer season last season and missed most of the season.
“She came in this season in great shape and now you’re seeing her form and technique getting stronger,” Barhorst added.
Sophomore Lauren Sheehan won the shot put (345.75) and teammate Ellexis Tracy was behind her (345.25). Tracy also won the discus (113-2).
Senior Madissyn Valdez took second in the 100 meters (13.5). One of the big surprises on the Cardinals this season has been freshman Alicia Fike, who took fourth in the 1,600 (5:51.4). She set the school record in the 3,200 (12:35.47) the week before.
“We’re really excited to have some scoring come from our distance,” Barhorst said. “On the girls side, it’s a lot of sprinters with Jordyn and Maddy Valdez and of course we do really well in the throws with Ellexis and Lauren. That was cool that the two of them went 1-2 in the shot.”
On the boys side, senior David Chambers won the 400, setting a meet record (50.6), edging Vermilion’s Zack Kelly (51.9). Chambers lost to Kelly the week before at the Brookside Invitational.
He also anchored the third place 4x800, fourth place 4x200 and second place 4x400. Earlier in the week, Chambers competed in the 800 for the first time and won (2:04.08) at the Bedford Relays.
“He wanted to get some revenge because Kelly beat him the week before,” Barhorst said. “So this week we go to the Vermilion Invitational and it’ll be the rubber match. So we’ll see which one wins the 400 this week.”
Chambers was a regional qualifier in the 400 last season and runs with swagger. He always wears a bandana and has gotten his relay teams to wear the same thing.
“We call him the king of the power pose,” Barhorst added. “He’s always jumping and flexing. He gets excited. A lot of kids that run track run to stay in shape for their sport, but David is just all out all the time. He doesn’t hide his emotions and gets super amped up for every race.”
The Patriot Athletic Conference meet takes place May 8 and May 10 at Oberlin College.
“When we go into each season, early in the year we try to find out who we are,” he said.
“We want to do well in our last three big invitationals, which is our meet, Margaretta and Vermilion Invitational. So that way we go into the conference meet knowing who we are and challenging them to do more and more things.”
Around the track
Here are a few notable performances for this past weekend track and field meets:
• Amherst junior Josh Hill won the 3,200 with a season-best 9:16.99 at the Berea Relays. Rocky River’s distance medley of Jack McDonough, Ryan O’Donnell, William Thesken and Riley Robinette placed first (10:49.66).
• Elyria brothers Jayvion and Tayvion Benton had big days at the Sandusky Invitational. Tayvion won the 200 (23.10) — edging Jayvion (23.31) — won the 4x100 relay (43.20) and both were part of the 4x200 relay (1:30.80). Jayvion also won the 400 (50.70) and both placed second in the 4x400 (3:37.20).
• Midview’s Gretchen Hack set a PR at the Margaretta Invitational, placing fourth (32-9.75). The boys 4x200 team of Edwin Ralat, Nick Crum, Ben Gendics and Isiah Johnson broke the school record for the third time this season (1:32.9).
• The North Ridgeville boys won the Buckeye Relays and the girls placed second. Senior Cianna Bright threw a personal record 36 feet in the shot put to place first.
• Lutheran West boys finished second at the Joseph King Longhorn Invitational, and the girls placed third. Sophomore Kristin Groppe placed first in the 1,600 (5:30.07) and the 4x400 relay of Zania Norman, Paris Mather, Groppe and Raiyah Johnson in a season-best 4:15.37.
• Columbia’s Matt Pettegrew took first in the 3,200 and 1,600 at the Lutheran West Invitational. He also took first in both in a trimeet against Brookside and Lutheran West.
Reminder
Coaches are encouraged to submit Player of the Week nominations and other information to fshalhout@morningjournal.com by Mondays at 8 p.m.