The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Good luck defeating this select dual team
It seems a 15th anniversary is marked by crystal. Instead of heading to the nearest Things Remembered or Hallmark to find crystal, though, in this case let’s have fun.
For the last 15 years, it has been an honor for me at The News-Herald to cover some of the very best track and field athletes in Ohio and, in a few cases, the United States.
We’ve had numerous state champions, area record holders, athletes with unique skill sets and narratives and class to match — a treasure trove of performances and memories for which I’ve felt privileged to have the best view in the house.
To mark those 15 years, I’ve selected all-anniversary area high school track and field teams — boys this week, girls next week.
The premise: If I could choose any News-Herald coverage area track and field athlete, by event and in the prime of their high school career since 2003, to win a mythical dual meet, who would it be?
Before unveiling my choices, a few caveats:
• Please read the disclaimer. When I’ve done similar exercises in swimming and hockey, it has been astounding how many people have concerns over issues that are addressed.
• This is athletes from News-Herald coverage area schools only — not the entirety of Greater Cleveland. So for example, while Ted Ginn Jr. is the best boys track and field athlete I’ve ever seen from Cleveland — Ginn Jr. in 110 hurdles was a work of art — we don’t cover Glenville, so in turn he’s not under consideration here.
• An athlete needs to have made it to state in an individual event at least once or was a prominent leg on a great state-placing relay.
• If you’re the area record-holder in your event, suffice to say you’re a lock in said event.
• Benedictine didn’t join our coverage area until 2009, so only Bengals athletes from that year on were considered.
With all of that said, here’s my team: SHOT PUT » John Maurins, Mentor and Reggie Browley, Harvey/Mentor DISCUS » Adam Patterson, Benedictine and Mike Gritz, Brush POLE VAULT » Matt Ludwig, Lake Catholic and Nick Lauria, Perry LONG JUMP » Randy Greenwood, Lake Catholic/Fairport and John Franklin, Euclid HIGH JUMP » Morgan Lewis, Harvey and Kenny Stephens, South 4X800: » Alex Clapacs,
Gilmour, Wade Coffin, South, Jordan Ciccarello, Brush, Joe Bistritz, Chagrin Falls
110 HURDLES » Connor Duricky, Lake Catholic and Paedyn Gomes, West Geauga
100 » Andy Isabella, Mayfield and Lorenzo Brazzell, VASJ
4X200 » Justin Chappell, University, Marcellus Embry, VASJ, Justinn Eddie, VASJ, Marquee Montgomery, Benedictine 1,600 » Joe Bistritz, Chagrin Falls and Matt Stratman, Chardon 4X100 » Travis Smith, Euclid, Marquee Montgomery, Benedictine, Lorenzo Brazzell, VASJ, Andy Isabella, Mayfield 400 » Brian Tillman, Euclid and Justin Layne, Benedictine 300 HURDLES » Matt Ludwig, Lake Catholic and Preston Hoge, Gilmour 800 » Alex Clapacs, Gilmour and Ben Robinson, Chardon 200 » Marquee Montgomery, Benedictine and Justin Chappell, University 3,200 » Nick Elswick, Chardon and Emil Heineking, Chardon 4X400 » Justin Layne, Benedictine, Matt Ludwig, Lake Catholic, Justinn Eddie, VASJ, Brian Tillman, Euclid
A list of other area athletes considered and — in turn — “on the team” can be found below this online
and in an accompanying box in our print edition. A few thoughts: • The argument beyond Maurins in throws could go a few ways. But Browley had 60-foot-plus capability and put together a nice career for himself at Harvey and later at Mentor, so he gets the second shot put nod.
• With discus, the golden age with Jason Caldwell and Dan Taylor going for 200s at the turn of the millennium has not been matched since. The guys here all had at least 160s in them up to 175. Patterson was a top-four state placer, and Gritz was a consistently good thrower with the size and technique to be a force.
• Pole vault? Way too easy, with the area recordholder in Ludwig and a state champion in Lauria. And by the way, if there were a captain for this mythical team, I’d go with Ludwig — an all-timer in event quality and maturity.
• For jumps, Greenwood and Franklin traded the area record twice in the same day at separate districts in 2009, and both could deliver consistent 23s.
• Lewis is — without hesitation — the most versatile field-event athlete our area has had. We may never see an athlete again who could walk into a dual and
go, say, 50 in shot put, 150 in discus, long jump 21 and high jump 6-5 with ease. Basketball was his primary focus, but he was an exceptional track and field athlete.
• For sprints, Isabella was a state champion with incomparable drive phase and top-end speed. Sometimes, football speed does not translate to the track, but it did in spades with him. Montgomery was pushing for lowto-mid 21s in 200, which hadn’t been seen in our area since Robert Smith, so that’s a no-brainer. And Brazzell and Chappell were big-meet performers who can also be trusted on relays.
• Distance is an embarrassment of riches. On a short list of great Ohio milers in the last 30 years, Bistritz deserves his place alongside the ilk of Bob Kennedy. Elswick is one of the most cerebral runners I’ve covered, with the talent to put it to its best use.
I could go on and on, but the bottom line is you’d be hard-pressed to hang with this group.
Forget crystal — this group is all diamonds.
And coming next week, the girls team is even better.
Stay tuned.