PREP TRACK Liberty's Smith has a big day

She won the 100 and 200 dashes and anchored two record-setting relays.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
EAST PALESTINE -- Jasmine Smith entered Saturday's Bulldog Invitational with a couple easy tasks.
All she needed to do was replace the best sprinter in school history in two relays, contend for two individual titles and do it against some of the area's best runners in just her third track meet of the season.
No pressure, though.
"I didn't really know what to expect," the Liberty High senior said. "I was hoping I'd do well, but I had really only run one dual meet and then the Girard relays, so I wasn't sure how I would do."
She did well. Real well.
Smith won the 100- and 200-meter dashes and anchored two meet record-setting relays to earn the first MVP of her career. The Leopards, who lost standout Jessica White to graduation, set meet records in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
"Without Jessica, I knew I had to step up," Smith, who has won a state title in both relays, said. "A lot of people are saying we won't be as good this year. We might not be quite as fast, but there's no reason why we can't be up there with the rest of them."
She barely edged Trinity's Dayna Smith in the 200 -- her final event -- and afterward spent several minutes catching her breath.
"The 200 takes a lot out of you" she said with a laugh. "I knew [Dayna Smith] was a 400 runner, so that endurance and stamina was going to help her. I just tried to kick it in at the end.
"I knew after that, I could go home and sleep."
Strong showing
Poland's girls team dominated the distance events, winning three individual events and finishing second in the 4x800 relay, to cruise to its first Bulldog Invitational title since 1995.
"This is a huge confidence builder for us," said Poland coach Troy Massey. "We had a lot of girls step up and we did really well in everything, not just the distance events.
"It was an all-around great day."
Beaver Local senior Paul Ferry won the long jump and placed third in the high jump to claim the field MVP. She also set a meet and stadium record in the 100 hurdles (15.2) and placed third in the 200.
She was also one of the few who didn't enjoy the sunny weather.
"Actually, I think it hurt me a little," she said. "The sun sort of drained me and I didn't really jump as well as I would have liked. I never really get a chance to stop and rest."
Ferry placed second in the long jump at last year's state meet and wants to win the event this year.
"I definitely want to win it," she said. "I always say my goal is not to go [lower] on the podium. Now there's nowhere else to go."
Boys
Struthers' boys team set a meet and stadium record in the 4x100 relay (43.7) and won the 4x200 relay to earn its first meet championship since 1992.
"We came here anticipating a lot of good competition," said Struthers coach Mark Carden. "I told my team, 'Today is the day.' "
The Wildcats, who have just two seniors who score, have a lot of talent in the junior and sophomore classes, so the future is bright.
"When these guys were freshmen, they were making it to the semifinals and I just told them, 'Be patient; your time will come,' " Carden. "Now they're making it to finals and getting in the top three and scoring. Everyone's doing very well."
High hopes
Beaver Local senior Pat Woods, who placed second in the high jump at last year's state meet, set a meet record on Saturday with a jump of 6-feet-8.
"I was happy to set the record, but my best is 6-9 and I'm always looking to beat that," said Woods, who missed on three attempts at 6-10.
Woods would probably need to jump 6-10 to win the title, but he's already dreaming about breaking the state record of 7 feet.
Is that possible?
"I think so," he said. "I've just got to work at it."
Springfield junior Nick Panezich continued his impressive spring by dominating both the shot put and the discus on Saturday to earn field MVP, while Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy's Ryan Crocker won the running MVP.
scalzo@vindy.com