Murray breezes to 100 crown at Optimist meet

Lisa Davies of West Branch captured both the 1600 and 3200 distance races.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AUSTINTOWN -- Don't get the wrong idea. Girard High sophomore Cachet Murray doesn't hate dual meets. She uses them to practice technique and work out some of the kinks in her form. There are all kinds of positives.
But the thing is, they're a little boring.
"Some days when I'm being lazy, I'll get back into some old bad habits," Murray said. "That's when I have to straighten myself out."
It's as much mental as physical, and sometimes all she needs is a little motivation to bring out her best.
At Saturday's Optimist Meet, she got it.
While standing at the starting line of the 100-meter dash, the announcer introduced Murray as the defending Division II state champion and record holder.
"That really pumped me up," she said with a smile. "I was thinking, 'OK, this is mine.'"
Was it ever.
Runs 12.29 into wind
Murray ran the 100 in 12.29 (into the wind) to win the event by four-tenths of a second. Jericha Mann of Canton GlenOak was second (12.69).
She place third in the long jump (17-7 3/4).
Canton GlenOak won the team title with 84 points and Cleveland Collinwood was second with 58.
"I just feed off the pressure," Murray, who also won a state title in the 200 last year, said. "Now I'm ready to defend my titles."
As Murray was winning the 100, West Branch senior Lisa Davies was dominating the distance events, winning the 1600 and 3200.
Davies was so far ahead in the 3200 (she won by 24 seconds) she probably had time tie her shoes and stop for a cup of coffee.
Afterward, Hudson's Ann Araps walked over to her and said, "You're amazing."
She finished with a time of 11:08.74, which was two seconds faster than her personal best time she set as a freshman.
"I'm pretty good at pushing myself when no one's around because I've done it in dual meets," Davies said. "I just felt really good and I really pushed myself."
Davies, who should easily qualify for this year's state meet, will run at YSU next fall.
"I wanted to stay close because I have a lot of friends and family around here," she said. "My [future] teammates are really nice and I really love Mill Creek Park. All in all, it was a good fit."
Rayen's Wilson wins jumps
Rayen senior Erica Wilson won both jumping events, jumping 5-feet-3 to win the high jump and 17-11 1/2 to win the long jump.
Two of the area's best high jumpers, Boardman's Amber Bland and Western Reserve's Anna Marie Ricciardi, were not at the meet. Ricciardi jumped 5-9 earlier in the week to set the Division III state record.
Michelle Rossio of Warren JFK took first place in the discus with a throw of 134-5 and she was fourth in the shot put (37-3).
scalzo@vindy.com