DIVISION I TRACK AND FIELD Widget, Fetchko qualify for state meet

Boardman won the girls 4x800-meter relay and smashed the school record.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AUSTINTOWN -- Chaney High senior Cameron Widget pulled a gray sweatshirt over his blue Superman T-shirt, walked over to the high jump official and asked, "Did I make it?"
"Well, we still have one jumper left," the official said. "But you're definitely in."
Widget smiled. Barely.
"I have some unfinished business," he said. "I haven't even come close to my full potential."
Maybe not, but he was plenty good on Thursday, jumping 21 feet, 91/4 inches to place second in event on the first day of the Division I district track and field meet at Fitch High.
"I'm happy because I'm going back to the big time, and any time you get to state is big time," Widget said. "I plan to jump in the high 22 range and get a top five finish, if not the best."
Experience helps
Widget, who finished just a half-inch behind Cleveland Heights senior Prince Williams on Thursday, placed eighth at last year's state meet. He thinks that experience will help him next week in Dayton.
"It helps because I know how to stay focused and not get down if I'm behind," he said. "I was All-Ohio last year for a reason, so I'll stay calm and pull through it."
His teammate, sophomore Clarence Howell, just missed making Thursday's finals, but Widget thinks he has a bright future.
"He's got the ability to compete at the state level," Widget said of Howell. "If he stays focused, I think he'll end up breaking my school record."
Howland senior George Fetchko placed fourth in the discus to qualify for the state meet (the top four in each event advance). It's his first trip to the state meet, but he threw at Dayton's Welcome Stadium in a Junior Olympic meet last summer.
"It's been my goal to get down there," Fetchko said. "I've got one goal fulfilled. I'll keep going from there."
Girls
Boardman senior Monica Cuevas has found the secret to running with a lead while anchoring the 4x800-meter relay.
She doesn't think about it.
"I just focus on everything but the 4x800," she said. "I'll think about stupid things like, 'Oooh turtles.'
"And I'll keep smacking myself," she said.
It's unusual. But it helps keep her mind off running alone -- especially when she's feeling tired.
And it seems to work.
The Spartans' relay team of Brittany Durkin, Sarah Grabert, Jessica Moore and Cuevas ran a time of 9:16.50 on Thursday, easily winning the event and breaking the school record by close to eight seconds.
"All I have to say is, 'We got it done,' " Durkin said.
Last year's team of Durkin, Gina Mavrikis, Grabert and Cuevas set the school record at the state meet with a time of 9:24.26. They placed fifth.
The Spartans, who placed second in the event at last year's regional, have set several meet records this year. They entered Thursday's regional as the top seed.
"We kind of expected to make it to state, but we didn't expect that," Grabert said of the record. "It's very exciting."
Cuevas also has a good chance of winning the 800 when the meet continues on Saturday.
"It's just a relief to know I'm going to state," Cuevas said. "The 800 gives me more individual credit, but the relay is more fun."
scalzo@vindy.com