CROSS COUNTRY Fitch teams sweep first Suburban meet

East Palestine's Corey Chick and Lisbon's Lindsay Brickner finished in first.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AUSTINTOWN -- The Austintown Fitch High School boys and girls won their first regular-season Suburban League cross country meet Tuesday at Austintown Township Park.
The Falcon boys edged Canfield 27-29, with Ross Lenehan, a freshman, placing third in 18 minutes, 11 seconds. Fitch had five runners finish in the top 10.
"We are very young," Fitch coach Rick Kempe said. "Only one boy has run a full year of high school cross country for us.
"The kids are energetic, eager, willing to learn and have an unlimited potential," he added.
Junior Corey Chick of East Palestine (17:34), who recorded his best time of the season, beat Anthony Fusco (17:38) of Canfield to take first place.
"I stayed with him all the way, then passed him with about a 100 meters to go," said Chick.
"I made it to the regional my freshman and sophomore years and now I want to make it to state."
East Palestine coach John Daubenspeck said, "Aaron Allison was the first kid we ever had to win a Division II district championship [last year] and go on to compete at state, and Chick wants to follow in his footsteps."
Both Allison and Chick won their first Suburban League races a year apart at Austintown Township Park.
"Chick put in a summer of hard work," said Daubenspeck. "He pushes himself, is becoming physically stronger and is starting to learn how to run smart."
The Falcon girls scored 30 points, with Canfield (42) second, as five schools competed in the distance run.
"This is an excellent group of girls that blends experience with new runners and they are very coachable," said Kempe.
"With two of our top five out with injuries, a freshman, Ashley Phillips, stepped it up and had a big race."
Senior Lindsay Brickner (21:23) of Lisbon won the girls run as she ran away from the field.
When she graduates, she plans to attend the University of Akron or Kent State University.
"I want to get better and make it to state [Div. III]," said Brickner. "My coach [Kathy Randolph] told me I had Div. I and II competition to run against today and that made me try harder."
With Brickner a regional qualifier the past three years, Randolph said, "Last year she always chose to chase someone and this year she goes out and gets right in front.
"She's starting to go in the right direction; she works very hard and has faith in herself."