The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Akron Hoban ends Cougars’ postseason
Led by Mia Knight and Leah Roter, the Beachwood girls claimed their first regional title in program history during the Division II Austintown‑ Fitch Regional with 51 points, ahead of Akron Buchtel (46).
YOUNGSTOWN >> Beachwood is known in part for the luxury-car dealerships that can be seen from Interstate 271.
But if you take a journey to the corner of Richmond Road and Fairmount Boulevard, there’s some speed in that showroom as well. And just like any car dealer, they don’t mind displaying the awards they earn.
The Beachwood girls claimed their first regional title in program history May 27 during the Division II Austintown-Fitch Regional with 51 points, ahead of Akron Buchtel (46).
Mia Knight won the 100-meter dash, was second in 200 and anchored the winning 4x100, and Leah Roter won 3,200 and was 1,600 runner-up to lead a charge toward history.
Knight was in her usual big-meet form, overcoming an uncharacteristic block start in 100 with first-class stride home to win in 12.11 seconds. The junior dropped .10 from her 2016 runner-up time to West Geauga’s Brittni Mason.
“I was about fifth or sixth out of the blocks, and it’s really what I’ve been seeing as this season has progressed, how my close has gotten so much better than what it would be,” Knight said. “Normally, if I was fifth out of the blocks, I would normally stay around there but now I’m able to keep my composure, keep my form, bring my knees up, push through and I could get a win.”
What may have brought Knight the most joy before the team success was clinched later in the meet was the work of a new-look 4x1, which secured a regional title with a 48.70.
Beachwood won a state title in the event a year ago with a 48.45 but turned over half the relay, with freshmen Ashley Perryman and Ayla Gambrell performing admirably to go with returnees Ashaunti Griffin and Knight on the anchor.
“It’s actually been amazing,” Knight said. “Our popoff is a freshman (Perryman), and she really popped off the 4x2 at indoor state. So I knew if anyone was going to be popoff, it was going to be her. Her curve is amazing, she breaks the stagger and we give it to our second leg, who is also a freshman. She’s amazing, too.
“And then you have the veterans, Ashaunti and me. She gets me that baton,
and it’s amazing to just fly past everyone and get a win.”
Roter has some experience with that with her dominance in 3,200. She ran a — for her lofty standards as a three-time area two-mile record-breaker in 2017 — solid 10:44.96.
“In two-mile, I wasn’t aiming to break any of my records or anything like that,” Roter said. “It’s just another day of practice for me. I’m saving it all for state. That’s my goal.
“Usually, I just do my own race. I stay at a comfortable pace, especially this week — like I said, I’ve been getting ready for state. I don’t want to push it too hard this week. I’m saving my energy for next week. My goal is to be state champion for two-mile, and I’m really aiming to do that.”
In a highlight battle, Chagrin Falls’ Annie Zimmer pulled away from Beaumont’s Ashley Rulison and Roter for a 1,600 title in 5:07.80, becoming the first Chagrin girls mile state qualifier since Christine Collins in 2002 and 2003.
“I think it’s really special, because the past few years I’ve been kind of going for the two-mile,” Zimmer said. “And so this year, I kind of switched it up, and I love the mile — it’s probably my favorite race.
I think it’s so fun. So it’s really special to be able to go to Columbus next week to run and try to run a really fast time.”
Chagrin’s Halle McClintock repeated in 800 with a 2:13.24, dropping .54 from district last week. The Georgia signee, who will seek to become Chagrin’s first-ever girls 800 state champion next weekend, was paced well on the back end and comfortable.
“I was kind of looking to go out a lot faster than I did today, so I definitely need to fix that,” McClintock said. “But to go out way slower than I wanted and to come back with that good of a second lap, I’m really happy with that. There’s pros and cons to everything. You’ve got to take something from this race and hopefully turn it into something better next week.”
Perry sophomore Leah King helped lead a dynamic day for the Pirates, capturing her first regional title in 100 hurdles (14.54), taking third in 300s (44.60) and running on a 4x1 that took third (49.56) to net the Pirates’ first girls 4x1 state berth in at least 25 years.
“It’s so special,” King said of 4x1. “All of us are sprinters, and we’re working on our handoffs a lot — a lot of practice, a lot of speed work getting ready. We’re going to zone in at state. We’re ready.
“The back half of (100 hurdles), I just went into it and I drove and had my trail leg going real quick. The first two hurdles weren’t necessarily as good as they could have been, and I definitely had a stronger start at trials. But I made it, and I’m so excited.”
For more from Day 2 of the Division II Austintown-Fitch Regional, including comments from West G’s Alison D’Alessandro and Beaumont’s Ashley Rulison, read Chris Lillstrung’s blog at NewsHerald.com.