Howland 4x100 relay finally advances to state

The Tigers missed out last year and have been waiting for a second chance.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AUSTINTOWN -- If the season ended Saturday, Howland High senior Willie Davis probably could have walked away knowing his team had a good year.
He could point to the Tigers' league and county titles. He could talk about qualifying for the regional meet in the 4x100 relay.
But he wouldn't have been satisfied.
"We wanted to get to state," Davis said.
They did.
The Tigers placed fourth in the 4x100 relay at the Division I regional meet at Fitch High, good enough to earn the final qualifying spot in the event.
"Thank the Lord, thank the Lord," he said with a smile. "We're going."
But it was close.
Because of the rain, Davis said he almost dropped the baton handing off to James Justice on the second leg. The Tigers' final time (43.04) was worse than their qualifying time (42.51).
"We know we can do better," he said.
But after missing last year's regional finals, they'll take it.
"We waited all year," said junior Tony Davis, who runs the anchor. "We wanted to make it down there."
Strong showing
Woodrow Wilson senior Ed Fetuah won the 400 and placed second in the 200 to qualify in both events for the second straight year. He finished seventh in the 200 at last year's state meet.
"I usually like the 200, but for some reason I keep moving up in the 400," he said. "I'm going to try to pull out a victory in Dayton."
Wilson moved up from Div. II this year, but Fetuah has made a smooth transition. He lost to Uniontown Lake senior Dan Bailey in the 400 in Thursday's preliminaries, then edged Bailey by .06 on Saturday.
His only loss on Saturday was to Cleveland Glenville junior Theodore Ginn, who won three individual events and anchored a winning relay.
"I knew I would have more competition in the 200," Fetuah said. "I just tried to place the best I could."
Fitch senior Kevin Steele placed fourth in the shot put to earn his first trip to the state meet. His sister, Marian, qualified for the state meet the past two years, finishing fourth in the discus last year.
Close call
Boardman senior Mark Lipinsky placed fourth in the 110 hurdles -- the only Spartan boy to advance.
"It's just going to be me and the girls," he said with a laugh.
Ginn set a meet record in the event, but the remaining spots were closely contested. Lipinsky won by just .01 -- and wasn't totally sure he qualified until a reporter told him.
"Whew," he said. "That race was nuts."
Lipinsky ran the first event of the meet, which made for a difficult start given the lousy weather. But he said it didn't bother him.
"For me, it's more difficult physically than mentally," he said. "But I wasn't nervous. I came out confident and mentally prepared."
And now that he's moving on, he's not losing that confidence.
"I want to win it," he said. "Just like everyone else."
scalzo@vindy.com