DIVISION II TRACK Despite past mishaps, Davies wins state title

West Branch won a D-II state championship in the 3200 and 4x400 relay.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORT STAFF
DAYTON -- Her arms were tingling, her stomach hurt and her lungs ached.
West Branch senior Lisa Davies felt like she was going to pass out at any moment.
In short, she felt wonderful.
"It feels amazing," Davies said after winning the state title in the 3200-meter run at Saturday's Division II state meet at Welcome Stadium.
"It's just so wonderful."
Before the race, West Branch's 4x400 relay told Davies they were going to win the school's first track championship.
"I told them, 'Maybe I'll do it 10 minutes before you," said Davies, who will run at Youngstown State University next year.
She did. Then, 10 minutes later, the Warriors won the relay.
Double the fun for Warriors
As relay anchor Jen Weingart crossed the finish line, Davies threw her hands up in the air and cheered.
"That got us going," West Branch junior Ashley Armstrong said of Davies' win. "We relaxed because we knew we could do it."
The Warriors entered Saturday's race with the best qualifying time, but they figured they would have to break four minutes to win. They ran 3:59.21.
"The last 100 [meters] are the worst for me," Weingart said. "I just tried to kick harder."
Davies finished second in the 3200 as a freshman, but struggled over the next two years. She was sick at last year's state meet and didn't finish in the top eight for the first time.
What was the difference this year?
"I didn't have the stomach flu," Davies said with a laugh.
Sticking with it
Even though she did well the past few years, she felt frustrated. At one point over the past two years, Davies wasn't sure she even wanted to keep running track and cross country.
"But running is a part of my life," she said. "I stuck with it."
Davies also qualified for the 1600 this year, but scratched it to focus on the 3200.
She figured she would have to run under 11 minutes to win. She ran 10:52.46 -- shattering her own school record.
"I tried to have a strategy, but once you start running, it's hard to have a strategy," Davies said. "I just run how my body feels, and when you do that, you're gonna run your best."
When she crossed the finish line, she nearly collapsed. But the pain went away -- her smile didn't.
"It feels great," she said. "I don't know what to say."
That's also amazing. Davies is never at a loss for words. She's one of the most talkative, cheerful, confident and likable athletes in the area.
And she's one of the best.
On Saturday, she showed why.
scalzo@vindy.com