Lisbon wins 4-x-100

Maplewood's Dave Pykare won the 1600 and Columbiana's Derek Garrod won the 100 and 200.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NAVARRE -- Lisbon track coach Kathy Reynolds did a little dance, threw her arms up in the air and yelled, "Somebody give me a hug."
Her Blue Devils 4x100-meter relay team of Todd Ramsey, Kevin West, Matt Feaster and Logan Pozenel took first in the event at Friday's Division III regional track and field meet at Fairless High School.
"I'm ecstatic," said Reynolds, who won her first regional title. "I think I sweated as much as they did."
Before the race, Reynolds promised the team that she would shave the sides of her head if they won. Lisbon responded with a season-best time of 43.92.
"That was just a little added bonus," Pozenel said of the haircut. "We ran a 44.2 a few weeks ago and since then our times have been dropping left and right.
"Now we're going down to win it."
Pykare
Maplewood senior Dave Pykare won the 1600 and was part of the winning 4x400 relay team with Derek Armstrong, John Palmer and Justin Cibik as the Rockets won the regional title. Maplewood sophomore Paul Moser won the 3200.
McDonald senior Kevin Stonestreet won the 800 to lead the Blue Devils to a second place finish. Warren JFK junior Ben Nolan won the 800 as the Eagles finished third.
Columbiana senior Derek Garrod won the 100 and 200. The top four in each event advance to state.
"This is a great way to go out, but my goal is to win state," Garrod said. "Today I took one more step toward that goal."
Garrod got sixth at state in the 100 as a sophomore and sixth in both events last year.
"I'm going to enjoy this for a couple days," he said. "But I've got to get back in the weight room and start running again."
Field
Western Reserve senior Rick Barbone threw 53-43/4 to win the shot put.
"I deserve this," Barbone, who finished sixth at regionals last year, said. "It's what I've been hoping and praying for. I didn't throw my best, but I threw consistent. I'm glad to finally make it to state."
Barbone set the school record last year with a throw of 54-31/2.
"I'm shooting for 55-56," he said. "My goal is to get in the top three."
Jackson-Milton sophomore Luke McCluggage finished fourth in the 1600.
"I didn't have anything left at the end so I just tried to put my head down," he said. "I didn't run all those hills [in practice] for no reason."
Leetonia senior Freddie Gray jumped 6-3 to win the boy's high jump.