Boardman duo ready for Dayton

Weight men Evan Beard and Steve Vallos have fun while they compete.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
They're known as "The Grillers."
Before every big track meet, Boardman seniors Evan Beard and Steve Vallos bring a cooler of food to eat before their events, the shot put and discus.
"We eat a lot," Beard said.
"We usually do good, too," Vallos added.
They have one more week to continue the tradition -- this time at Friday and Saturday's state meet at Welcome Stadium in Dayton.
Beard, who will play football in the fall at the Naval Academy, will compete in the shot put and discus.
Vallos, who will play football at Wake Forest, will compete in the discus. Vallos was this winter's Division I state runner-up in wrestling.
"He's a heck of an athlete," Beard said of Vallos. "He lives right next to me, about one street over and we've been friends for a long time. This season's been a lot of fun."
Third last year
Vallos finished third in the state last year in the discus. His main competition will come from St. Ignatius senior Ryan Franzinger, who won the event last year.
"Last year I went all by myself and it wasn't a great, world-class fun experience," Vallos said. "This year, I want to win, of course, but with Evan there, it'll be more fun."
And, while they want to do well, they also want to beat each other.
"In case you can't tell, we're pretty competitive," Beard said.
The only other Spartan boy to make it to state is senior pole vaulter Brian Zorman.
Bland eyes repeat
The Spartan girls are sending seven, including the reigning Division I high jump champion, sophomore Amber Bland.
"I want to repeat, but I know that since I won it last year, people will be coming after me," Bland, who will also run the 100 and 200, said. "But the one thing that track and basketball have in common for me is that, when I play, I'm real competitive. I don't like to lose."
Junior Monica Cuevas will compete in the 4x800 relay and the 800. Last year's winning 800 time was 2:10. Cuevas ran a 2:12 at regionals without anyone pushing her.
"There's a girl from [Cleveland Heights] Beaumont that's run 2:11, so I think she'll be my main competition," Cuevas said.
At every meet, Cuevas has a mini-cheering section of friends and family, but when asked who her biggest influence is, she doesn't hesitate.
"God," she said. "It's always going to be God."
Fitch is sending two athletes, senior Marian Steele (discus) and junior Davanzo Tate (200).
Harding sprinter
Warren Harding's boys team is sending six sprinters, including Treymayne Warfield -- whose father is the first cousin of NFL Hall of Famer and Warren native Paul Warfield -- in the 400.
"A lot of people have mentioned [Paul] and they've been cheering for me," Treymayne said.
Warfield hasn't paid attention to the 400 times around the state and said he has little left to work on.
"If I don't have it by now, I'm not going to have it this weekend," he said. "I just want to go down and run well."
Junior Tjawonkher Davis will run in the 100, 4x100 relay and 4x400 relay for the Raiders. He's been both dazzling and inconsistent this season, but has a clean slate down in Dayton.
"Everyone's equal down there," he said, smiling.
XThursday: Division II previews.