PREP TRACK Valley's best get put to test in Mahoning, Columbiana

The 101st Columbiana County track and field meet will be held at Salem's Reilly Stadium Tuesday, while the 92nd Mahoning County meet will be at Fitch High's Falcon Stadium Wednesday.
Both meets will begin at 4:30 p.m.
East Liverpool's boys and girls will defend titles at Salem, where 11 schools are participating.
Dom DeFillipo of Lisbon, Dan Kinsey of Beaver Local and Aaron Merrill of Leetonia will be featured in the throws, while Matt Vujakla and Kinsey, Jason Carter of Wellsville and Drew Matak are the best athletes entered in the long jump.
Salem's strength will be in the middle and distance runs and the relays.
Paula Ferry of Beaver Local, the girls field events MVP last year, returns to defend in the long jump with the area's top effort of 17 feet, 2 inches.
She will also compete in the high jump, 100 hurdles and 100 meters.
Aubree Horning of Salem is the athlete to beat in the shot put with the area's top effort (39-2).
Sophomore Deirdre Clay of Salem returns in the 1600 and 3200.
Mahoning County
The Mahoning County meet, with 16 schools, will be scored in three divisions, with some of the area's top performers in many of the events.
Mark Lipinsky of Boardman and Derrick Stewart of Ursuline are entered in the hurdles, with Darren Johnson of Campbell, Ty Campana of Struthers and Scott Streiner featured in the sprints.
Nick Panezich of Springfield, Sam Cassano of Fitch and Dave Sedlacko of Struthers are entered in the throws.
Luke McCluggage of Jackson-Milton, one of the best distance runners in the state, returns to defend the 1600 and 3200 titles.
The girls events will feature Carrie Zorman and Gina Higbee of Boardman, Tiffany Betras of Canfield and Alyssa Bowman of West Branch in the hurdles.
Emily Wollet of Canfield, Cierra Bennett of Ursuline, Latalia Jones of Chaney, Dominque Clark of Campbell, Ellen Midgley of Poland and Jenna Agnew of Boardman are entered in the dashes.
Stephanie Jarvis of Canfield, Darla Wilson of Boardman and Megan Dobstaff of Fitch will compete in the pole vault, with Andrea Murdock of Canfield, Brittany Averhart of Ursuline, Natashe Kassim of Canfield and Amanda Barbone of Western Reserve, some of the area's best athletes, entered in the throws.