PREP TRACK & amp; FIELD Boardman's Crogan eyes jump marks this season

He's already bettered his career marks this season at indoor meets.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Last year's final list of the area's top track and field marks showed Andy Crogan of Boardman High tied for second place in the high jump, having made 6 feet, 4 inches, and he had the best effort in the long jump at 21-91/2, which was a second-place finish at the regional meet.
He placed sixth in the long jump at the Division I state meet, going 21-8.
A senior this year and with the season set to open at the end of March, Crogan could be one of the top Division I track and field athletes in the area.
He has already bettered those marks, having cleared 6-91/4 in the high jump and 22-3 in the long jump at a recent indoor meet in Columbus.
Top hurdlers back: Regional qualifiers in the 110-meter high hurdles, senior Shawn Carlson (14.6 seconds) and teammate, sophomore Rich Lapore (14.8), both of Boardman, finished in the top 10 of the area's top marks.
Boardman's Jim Irwin, a senior, was second at the district meet in the 300 intermediate hurdles in 38.8.
Tom Albani of Boardman was fifth at the district in both the 1600 (4:38.7) and 3200 (10:04). The Spartans' Evan Beard, a junior, returns in the shot put (49-9 3/4).
Rayen's Dennis Reed, a senior, had one of the area's top times (14.6) in the high hurdles. Teammate Joseph Fuller, a junior, was a regional qualifier in the 800 (2:02).
Webb Cory of Fitch, a senior, was a regional qualifier in the 800 (2:01.3).
Warren Harding sprinter Tjawonker Putman, a sophomore, finished third in the 100 (11.1) at the district. He had one of the area's best times in the 200 (22.6).
Travis Stanford of Niles, a junior, finished third in the district in the 200 in 22.6.
Howland returns distance runners, Jeremy Kellerman and Dan Cuesta. Cuesta was third in the 1600 (4:34.5) at the district.
Salem had two athletes advance to the regional. Robert Vogt, a junior, qualified in the 3200 (10:06.2) and Garrett Sevek, a sophomore, did so in the high jump (6-0). Jason Greenamyer of the Quakers, a junior, had a best time (40.0) in the 300 intermediate hurdles. He also competes in the highs.
Cuevas returns: Monica Cuevas, a sophomore at Boardman, had a tremendous season as a freshman. Although she didn't qualify for state, she set a record in winning the 400 at the Steel Valley Conference meet in 58.6 seconds, was a district champ in the event and was timed in 58.4 at the Optimist meet.
She also competed in the 100 (12.8) and the 200.
Senior Erica Kachmar of Boardman, also a sprinter, had one of the area's best times in the 200 (27.1). Teammate Ashley Kohler, a junior, gives Boardman a veteran in the field events. She was among the area's best in the shot put (35-4 1/2).
Boardman's Lauren Craig, a sophomore, went 16-11/2 in the long jump and competed in the high jump last season.
Austintown Fitch's Marian Steel, a junior, had the area's third best discus throw (128-10); she also competed in the shot put. Junior Kaitlin Kempe was a regional qualifier in the 3200 (12:21) and the 1600 (5:39).
Jennifer McClusky of Canfield, a senior, was a regional qualifier in the long jump (15-5 1/4), as were teammates Kristen Piersante, a junior, in the 1600 (5:39) and Lindsay Cobey, in the discus (117-8).
Warren Harding senior Jeanne Cunningham, who had one of the area's top 200 times (25.9), was a regional qualifier, and senior Jamila McGee of the Raiders had one of the area's top efforts in the long jump (16-9 1/4).