TAC TRACK Lakeview boys, girls dominate

Girard's Cachet Murray is back in form winning the 100 and 200 dashes.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NEWTON FALLS -- Girard junior Cachet Murray ran under the Newton Falls High stadium steps, smiling and yelling, "My girls said we're going home! No 4x400, baby!"
Well, not on Tuesday anyway.
Lightning stopped the Trumbull Athletic Conference meet with one event left -- the 4x400 -- but the suspense was already gone.
Lakeview clinched both titles, repeating as outright boys champions while winning the girls title outright after sharing last year's title with Girard. The meet will finish today at 4 p.m.
"It's a pretty good feeling," said Lakeview girls coach Diane Neighbarger, whose team led by 13 points entering the final event. "We had a few surprises and a few disappointments, but these girls are really hard workers and they've got a great attitude.
"They deserve everything they get."
Seniors lead way
Lakeview's boys team -- which also led by 13 points -- pulled away from Newton Falls and Liberty over the final few events thanks to superior depth and the help of strong senior class.
"We expected it to be really close," said Lakeview boys coach Tom Pavlansky, who specifically praised seniors Jarred Grzywna, Ryan Kuppler, Josh Province and Justin Rush. "Our seniors were tremendous today."
Murray, meanwhile, took a big step toward regaining her state championship form after missing most of this season with a hamstring injury. She won the 100 and 200 -- the latter in a meet-record time -- and, most importantly, felt no ill effects from the injury.
"I feel great," she said. "The leg is back to 100 percent. I'm happy to be back on the track."
Tries for third straight
Murray, who has won state titles in both events the past two years, is still a little rusty from the layoff, but should be favored to defend her titles when she get to Columbus in early June.
"I'm determined to win them," she said. "I know I can do it. With a little luck and a lot of God, I can do it."
Murray will also run the 4x100 relay, but she'll have to wait and see how the leg responds before trying to do the long jump. Problem is, she doesn't have much time. The district meet begins next Wednesday.
"I'm not where I want to be yet," she said. "Not even close."
scalzo@vindy.com