DIVISION III TRACK McDonald boys, Kennedy girls win championships at Lakeview event

Seven Blue Devils and three relays teams earned a regional trip.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CORTLAND -- The McDonald High boys track and field team advanced seven individuals and three relays to next week's Division III regional meet at Fairless High School.
Joe Kunkel of the Blue Devils won the 1600 meters in 4 minutes, 36.8 seconds, and was fourth in the 3200 as McDonald won the team title with 842/3 points Saturday at Lakeview High School.
Warren JFK was second with 76. The top four finishers in each event advanced to next week's regional at Navarre Fairless High School.
Warren JFK's girls had six individuals and four relays advance as it took team honors with 126 points. Maplewood and Mineral Ridge tied for second with 61 points each.
Ram tough
Levi Leigh of Mineral Ridge took first place in the 110 high hurdles (14.9). In one of the closest races of the day, he edged McDonald's Michael Dickson at the finish line for first place in the 300 hurdles. Leigh was clocked in 40.2 and Dickson in 40.3.
A junior, Leigh defended his district title in the high hurdles.
"I just wanted to qualify in the top four," Leigh said. "There is still room for improvement and at next week's region hopefully I can move on to state."
LaBrae senior Kyle Dalton won the high jump (6 feet-4). He had meet officials raise the bar to 6-7 on three attempts to set the stadium record (6-6), but he came up short.
Dalton pulled a hamstring muscle at the East Palestine Relays while trying to long jump and this was his first meet back.
"All year I wanted to get that [district] record, but was only able to jump twice last week and aggravated the leg again," he said. "It was OK today, but not 100 percent."
Long distance
Maplewood freshman Andy Arnio (9:59.7) and senior teammate Craig Rupe (10:03) finished 1-2 in the 3200.
"My goal in the race was to stay with [Dan] Nemergut of South Range, then try and beat him late," Arnio said.
Nemergut finished third in 10:08.1.
Springfield junior Nick Panezich, who set the discus record Wednesday, tossed the shot put 57-73/4 for a stadium record.
Katie Piacquadio, Lauren Broadbent, Alyssa Chaves and Lauren Chaves of Warren JFK won the 4x200 relay in 1:51. The Eagles got the lead on the third exchange.
"Once we got that lead,, there was no turning back," Broadbent said. "We are going to be in a tough region next week and hopefully this helped us get ready for that."
More relays
The Eagles also won the 4x100 and 4x400 relays and finished second in the 4x800.
Lauren Chaves took first place in the 100 (12.9) and the 200 (27.6) and she was a member of the 4x100 relay.
JFK's Angeline Cicero took first place in the 300 hurdles (44.7). She was second in the 100 hurdles and was a member of 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Jenna Brian of the Eagles won the discus (118-3).
Jen Grayson of Maplewood, who set the high jump record Wednesday, took first place in the 100 hurdles (15.3) and was second in the 300 hurdles.
Melissa DiPanfilo of Leetonia took first place in the 800 (2:24.3).
"I dreamed about winning the race last night," DiPanfilo. "It was on my mind and I wasn't going to let anyone beat me today."
Mathews junior Tara Ford was tied with Springfield's Lauren Murburger at 16-1 in the long jump just before Ford's last jump.
Ford, who was fourth in the event last year, reached 16-21/4 on her last attempt.
"I knew when I went up in the air, it was there," Ford said.
Ford also won the 400 (61.4) and was second in the high jump.