Salem sweeps county

Beaver Local senior Paula Ferry won four events to earn MVP honors.
By ERIC HAMILTON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SALEM -- Competing in just its third meet of the season, the Salem High track and field team looked to be in mid-season form during Tuesday's Columbiana County meet at Reilly Stadium.
Taking advantage of dominating performances in the distance running events and the relays, the Quakers pulled off the sweep, as the girls scored 142 points to outdistance East Liverpool (87), while the boys turned in a surprise 131-94 victory over second-place Beaver Local.
While the Salem girls' win wasn't that unexpected, the boys' victory came as a shock to Quaker coach Todd Huda.
Surprised
"I really didn't know what to expect today," said Huda. "We only ran three seniors, and we are a very young team. I wasn't sure we could win the county title this year, but obviously we're excited about how things turned out, both with the boys and the girls.
"This is Zac Grey's first year running track, and he goes out and wins the 100 and the 200," he continued. "We had some relays step up and do better than expected, and our distance runners were as good as usual. We're just hoping to use this as a springboard for the rest of the season."
Grey led the Salem boys' win with victories in the 100 (11.37) and the 200 (23.24). He was also part of the Quakers' 4x400-meter relay team that finished third. The senior was named the meet's MVP in the running events, scoring 26 points.
On the girls side, Salem was led by Aubrey Horning, who took first in the shot put (40-1) and second in the discus. She earned MVP honors in the field events.
Salem's Ashley Shea was also critical to the girls' county title, as she won the 800 and competed on the Quakers' winning 4x200-, 4x400- and 4x800-meter relay teams.
MVPs
Individually, a pair of Beaver Local athletes stole the spotlight. Senior Paula Ferry and junior Dan Kinsey combined to score 78 points. Both were named MVPs of their respective meets.
Ferry, a University of Louisville signee, won all four of her events to score 40 of the Beavers' 70 team points. She earned victories in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 100 meters and the long jump. Her time of 15.08 in the 100 hurdles broke the meet record of 15.40 set in 1997.
"It feels really good to win all four in one day," said Ferry, who will compete in the hepthalon (shot put, javelin, long jump, high jump, 100 hurdles, 200 and 800) in college. "I've been working toward this goal for four years and it's nice to finally attain it.
"I'm pretty tired though, so four events in one day is enough. We're watching 'Lord of the Rings' in my cinema analysis class [this] morning, so since I've seen it a bunch of times, maybe I can get a nap in."
After his performance, which included three firsts and a second, Kinsey was just as fatigued. The recently-named high school All-American in the decathlon took home county titles in the 110 hurdles, discus and long jump. He finished second in the 300 hurdles.
Takes it in stride
"I'm used to running around like this," Kinsey said. "My events are always bunched up together, so I haven't gotten much rest today. It was harder than the decathlon, because your events are split up over two days.
"This will just help me get better," continued Kinsey, who is being recruited heavily by Tennessee and Kentucky. "You have to be really dedicated to be a good athlete and I try to work hard. It pays off on a day like today."