The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Avon girls are district champs
Eagles take title for second year in a row; Frombach wins mile and helps relay team take second; Sharer shines
Make it a repeat. The Avon girls won their second consecutive district championship at Amherst on May 18, scoring 164.50 points, well ahead of Amherst’s 107.5.
The Eagles’ depth came through in several running and field events, and the program has cemented itself as one of the best in the state in Division I.
St. Ignatius (148) won the boys title, and the Comets were second (63.50).
Jules Frombach, a junior, took home the mile title with a 5:20.21, and she also helped the 4x400 relay (Sydnie Firment, Lexie Firment, Frombach, Evelyn Pelfrey) take second (4:02.97) and Frombach took third in the 800 (2:20.44). Pelfrey won the 800 (2:18.06).
On Wednesday, the 4x800 relay took the district title led by the same quartet.
“I felt super good,” Frombach said. “We have a super well-rounded team this year and our coaches have coached us so well between sprints and distance and
putting us in events they know we’ll succeed in. We have a super good dynamic right now and it’s going to be hard next year losing seniors like Kamryn Sharer and the Firments. But we’re going to do as much as we can this year.”
Sharer won the 100 hurdles title (15.37), took second in the 300 hurdles (46.77) behind teammate Juliet Goodelle (46.69) and second in the long jump (17-8.75) behind North Ridgeville’s Isabella Geraci (181.25).
“This is a really tough, compact meet,” Sharer said. “I’m so excited about the district title. This is the best our team has ever been and we’ve worked really hard this season.”
Senior Juliann Walker claimed the discus title (126-0). Coach Sam Ulrey said the title signals that the Eagles have arrived as a track program in Ohio.
“It’s a big step forward,” he said. “For nine years, we’ve always talked about how we’ve got to catch this team, and that team. But doing it back-to-back shows that we’ve arrived on the scene as a pretty good track program in this part of the state. It’s awesome because you have so many
kids that are having success and you’re not counting on one or two kids. Hopefully we can continue that momentum next week and on hopefully to Columbus.”
Lorain senior Zion Cross’ season is over after not competing in the 100 and 200 sprints. The 2016 100 state champion was expected to win both titles and compete for a state title, but according to Titans coaches, had a violation of school rules and did not compete. Lorain freshman Mikiya Hermon won the girls 100 (12.67).
Amherst senior Josh Hill broke the meet record in the 3,200, clocking in at (9:15.04), breaking the 2016 record from St. Ignatius’ C.J. Ambrosio of 9:16.11.
Hill had over a 25-second lead and had his strongest kick of the season, sprinting toward the finish line. He pulled out of the 1,600 race to allow a teammate the opportunity to qualify.
“I wasn’t planning on running fast but I saw the opportunity when the wind died down so I took out a little faster than I would have liked with a 65,” Hill said. “But I’m happy, it’s a good day. I really wasn’t pushed in the race and I had a lot left in the end. I’m not even close to peaking yet. The goal is to go sub-9 at the state meet.” Devin Baumgartner won the 800 (1:57.16).
Senior Gracen Siegenthaler helped the 4x400 relay of Tori Kubasak, Alexis Alston and Leah Drost take first (4:02.20) and the 4x200 relay of Alston, Brooke Armbruster and Kubasak (1:45.25).
Siegenthaler won the open 400 with a PR of 58.88.
“My logic going into the 400 was starting a little faster and then hang on in the last 100,” she said. “It worked and I have to perfect it a little next week.” Amherst’s 4x100 relay of Kylie Olney, Audrey Fayer, Armbruster and Kubasak also won their relay title (49.96).
Westlake’s Samantha Thomas won the 200 title (25.96), breaking the school record and runner-up in the 100. The boys 4x200 of Anthony Fusco, Austin Norrisa, Josiah Smith and Kevin Walls won in the closest race possible (1:29.99) over Elyria (1:30.00). Dom Bauer won the high jump (6-3).
Rocky River junior Michael Shoaf won the shot put (62-9.75) after taking second in the discus.
Elyria’s program had a strong showing on both sides, most notably with the 4x400 relay of Devin Barbee, Tayvion Benton, Jayvion Benton and Malik Holt repeating as champs (3:25.45).
“We do a lot of 800s in practice and it helped me out here,” Tayvion said. “We got a senior (Barbee) and I wanted to make sure he qualified for regionals. I’ve already qualified for three events and I told him I was going to make sure he qualified.”
Jayvion said their will to win was second to none.
“I told my team that we were going to get a district championship again,” he said. Both Bentons finished second on the 4x200, and Jayvion took second on the 4x100 relay and 400 and third in the 100.