District competition gets underway Wednesday

Division II meets are set at Salem and Pymatuning Valley.
SALEM -- The area's top Division II track and field athletes will begin their journey to the state tournament when they begin district competition at Salem's Reilly Stadium and Pymatuning Valley High School on Wednesday.
Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas will look to successfully defend its district titles against 13 boys teams and 14 girls teams at Salem on Wednesday and Friday.
Ursuline's Derrick Stewart will be featured in the hurdles, while Newton Falls' Anthony Barnes and Matt Gillespie, Salem's Zac Gray and Struthers' Ty Campana will contend in the sprints.
Barnes is the athlete to beat in the long jump (22-101/4).
Salem's Aiman Scullion, Patrick Gorby and Paul Shivers will be among the contenders in the distance runs.
Colleen Moran and Casey Turic of Poland are the athletes to beat in the girls 800-meter run. Teammate Amber Ferraro will be featured in the hurdles.
Cierra Bennett of Ursuline, Latalia Jones of Chaney, Lizzie Jesko of Salem and Ellen Midgley of Poland are entered in the sprints.
Salem's Aubree Horning is the athlete to beat in the shot put (40-1).
15 schools entered
ANDOVER -- Athletes representing 15 boys and girls teams will compete in a Div. II meet at Pymatuning Valley High School Wednesday and Friday.
The girls' 100 may be a preview for the state meet, with sprinters Cachet Murray (12.2) of Girard, Jasmine Smith (12.2) and Brittny Humphrey (12.6) of Liberty and Katie Betts (12.8) of Lakeview entered.
Humphrey, Kaitlyn Nasci of Brookfield, Rachel Crafton of Hubbard, Ami Markowitz of Liberty, Molly Lenarcic of Newton Falls and Rachel Taddei of Lakeview will be featured in the 100 and 300 hurdles.
Heather Martin (16-31/2) of Newton Falls is the athlete to beat in the long jump.
Maren Kemp (16-03/4) of Champion will contend.
Steve Burkholder of Champion (53-8) and 148-11) will contend in the shot and discus. The high jump will feature Liberty's Donavan Fletcher, Hubbard's Russell Hawkins, Girard's Brian Golden and Lakeview's Josh Province.
The state meet will be June 4-5 at Ohio State's Jesse Owens track.