The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mayfield’s Casey heading to Akron
It was a pretty good week for Bobby Casey.
The Mayfield senior unleashed a long jump of 23 feet, 11 inches to set the area record April 13 during the South Invitational. He also won 110-meter hurdles, was second in pole vault and turned in a sturdy 4x400 leg on a busy night.
Casey proudly walked around South sporting the hat of the school he’ll represent at the next level. The returning first-team NewsHerald all-star committed this past week to compete for the University of Akron.
Casey has long held the hope of taking on decathlon once he gets to college with a diverse skill set across the facility, and that has now come to fruition.
“Oh, it’s awesome,” Casey said after the South Invitational. “Coach (Dennis) Mitchell is just an awesome guy. Akron is just a sweet atmosphere — I love jumping there. I was kind of (upset) indoor state got moved, but it’s an awesome place. They have a really good history in multi. It’s really where I want to go.
“It is truly awesome. Me and my dad talk about it every day. It’s just an awesome experience.”
Akron has had its share of familiar faces through the years, currently with Lake Catholic and all-time area great Matt Ludwig in pole vault as the reigning D-I NCAA outdoor national champion in the event.
The Zips have had six area athletes on their roster in the last five seasons — Ludwig, Kayla Whitlow (Euclid), Alex Bowers (Berkshire), Quentin Cieslinski (Madison) and Cierra Rembert (Euclid).
Bison honored
The Beachwood girls track and field team would enjoy nothing more than another successful trip to the state capital in Columbus once June rolls around.
But April 11, the Bison were instead treated to a trip to the state capitol — this one for special honors.
State Sen. Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights, Ohio’s senate minority leader, presented two resolutions to the traveling contingent from Beachwood that included longtime Bison coach Willie Smith, his staff and several athletes.
One was for the team capturing the Division II state team championship last spring. The other was presented to 2017 News-Herald girls track and field athlete of the year Leah Roter for her D-II 3,200 state crown.
In 2017, the Beachwood girls got state titles from Roter in 3,200 as well as their 4x1, a runner-up in 100 from Mia Knight, a fifth from Roter in 1,600 and a sixth in 200 from Knight.
“It’s my privilege to recognize the hard work and dedication of these tremendous athletes,” Yuko said in a prepared statement. “I applaud these outstanding young women for their talent, drive and commitment. It’s those characteristics that will set them up for success far into their bright futures.”
While in Columbus, the team also received a resolution in the Ohio House from state Rep. Kent Smith, D-Euclid.
Both titles marked firsts in school history — the team’s in girls track and field and Roter’s for a girls track and field athlete from Beachwood. Prior to 2017, the Bison had 22 top-four finishes all-time at state in track and field, including four state champions — Ted Friedman (1973 Class AA two-mile), Scott Cooper (1991 Division III shot put) and their girls 4x100 in 2000, 2001 and 2016.
Around the track
A look at a few of the top performances by area athletes from meets held this past week:
• At Cuyahoga Heights’ George Gross Invitational, area winners were Hawken’s Michael Snyder (high jump and 800), Ella Gilson (400), Juliana Metz (3,200), boys 4x400, girls 4x800, girls 4x200 and girls 4x400, Beachwood’s Langston Gaines-Smith (400), Ashley Perryman (long jump, 100 and 200), Maddie Alexander (high jump and 100 hurdles) and girls 4x100, Cardinal’s Kaylee Klepper (shot put), Anna Avalon (discus) and Taylor Zeigler (300 hurdles) and Kirtland’s Jenna Sayle (800 and 1,600).
• North’s Savannah Engbert (100 hurdles), Joe Ginter (discus) and Chris Beemiller (shot put) were individual winners during the Aurora Greenmen Invitational.
• Area individual-evemt winners at the South Invitational not already featured in coverage were Chardon’s Emily Phillips (pole vault) and Nate Kawalec (3,200), Mayfield’s Maurice Monroe (pole vault) and Josephine Conti (100 hurdles), South’s Katherine Mendenhall (high jump) and Christina Znidarsic (discus), Mentor’s Scarlet Chesbrough (shot put), Zach Bazdar (300 hurdles), Sarah Lane (800), Nick Kozlowski (800) and Nolan Vernon (200) and Lake Catholic’s Chloe Keating (400).
• The Hawken girls won the team title at the Grand Valley Twilight meet with 160 1/2 points. The Hawks’ Mikhail Stiffler (100), Gilson (800 and 1,600), Snyder (800), Metz (3,200), Laura Bucchieri (high jump), William Lindsey (discus) and Alex Turi (pole vault) and Cardinal’s Anna Blubaugh (400) took individual titles.
• Gilmour’s Katie Engle was a double winner at St. Thomas Aquinas’ Big Ox Invitational with fine times in 800 (2:23.73) and 1,600 (5:16.06). In his outdoor meet debut for 2018, longtime Lancers standout sprinter Dylan Henry won 100 with a 10.75. Other area champions were Gilmour’s Tyler Clark (800) and boys 4x800 and NDCL’s boys 4x400.
• Euclid’s Caisja Chandler earned running event MVP honors during the Eagle Elite meet at Canton GlenOak. Chandler set the stadium record in 100 with an 11.95, broke the meet record in 200 with a 24.42 and anchored the winning 4x100 (48.95) and 4x200 (1:43.00).
Beachwood’s Mia Knight competed in her first outdoor meet of the spring and was second in 100 (12.25) and third in 200 (25.36). The Panthers’ Nicholas Rice was second in 300 hurdles with a 40.47.
• At the Mansfield Mehock Relays, Brush’s Jasmyn Allen captured 100 hurdles with a 14.33, The News-Herald coverage area’s top time so far in 2018. The Arcs’ Andre Franks won long jump (22-8 1/4).
• In a unique twist at the Perry Relays, the winners of the Division B long jump relays came from two Harvey households — boys by the pairing of Duane Grimes and Daylin Davis and girls by their younger sisters, Cynthia Grimes and Asia Davis.
Other noteworthy performances at Perry not already mentioned in coverage: Geneva’s pole vault relay of Bri Aveni and Deidra Marrison each cleared 10-0 in frigid conditions. The Eagles’ Cheyanne Santiago had the best individual long jump in Division A at 16-4, and freshman Charlie Taylor had the top throws in shot put (45-7) and discus (120-0).
Chagrin Falls’ girls 4x800, with returnees Annie Zimmer and Catherine Coffey from their two-time D-II state champion quartets, was impressive with a 10:14.22. Wickliffe’s Isaac Pettway recorded a 20-5 in long jump, the best individual effort in Division B.
• Benedictine’s Matthew Dinovo won 300 hurdles with a 39.49 during the Walsh Jesuit Relays.