DIVISION III TRACK AND FIELD Jen Grayson sets regional record in high jump

The Maplewood High junior cleared 5 feet, 73/8 inches for the mark.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NAVARRE -- Midway through Wednesday's Division III regional track and field meet, the clouds opened up, the rain came down and Jen Grayson kept jumping.
For a little while, at least.
"I like the rain," the Maplewood junior said.
Not so much during the high jump, but it still proved to be a good day for Grayson, who set school and regional records, winning the event with a height of 5 feet, 73/8 inches. She broke the regional record by 3/8ths-inch.
And the best part was, she never missed a jump. The only thing that stopped her was the rain.
"I think I could have jumped 5-8 today," she said, "if the stinking storm wasn't here."
Third trip to state
Grayson, who also advanced to the finals in the 100-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles, will make her third straight trip to state in the high jump. She finished seventh in 2002 and third last year.
Western Reserve's Anna Marie Ricciardi won last year's title with a jump of 5-7 -- a half-inch off the state meet record. Ricciardi holds the overall state record at 5-9.
Both are within reach for Grayson. Not that she's thinking about it.
"I'm just taking it an inch at a time," she said.
Warren JFK, Ursuline and McDonald each finished in the top four in the girls 4x800-meter relay -- one of three girls finals on Wednesday -- to advance to next week's state meet in Columbus.
Western Reserve advanced two in the shot put, freshman Alex Rathburn and senior Amanda Barbone.
Boys
McDonald's 4x800 team of Jason Corman, Joe Kunkel, Aaron Thornton and Anthony Puntel placed first, edging East Canton by four seconds.
The Blue Devils, who were state runners-up in the event to Maplewood last year, were expected to win the event, which is fine with them.
"We like it," Puntel said. "It's just hard with the target being on your back. You just have to run like you're the underdog."
Lordstown also advanced in the 4x800 -- one of four boys finals on Wednesday -- while Maplewood, which has won three straight state titles in the event, finished seventh to miss qualifying.
Panezich sets mark
Springfield junior Nick Panezich continued his impressive season by breaking the regional discus record with a throw of 192 feet.
Needless to say, it was a good throwing day.
"Oh yeah," said Panezich, who also set a personal record. "[Crestview shot putter] Scott Raschilla was watching me during warm-ups and he said that if that was 192, I was definitely throwing 200 during warm-ups."
Panezich, who threw at the state meet in Dayton the past two years, competed at Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Track earlier this year at the Jesse Owens Classic.
"I love throwing down there," he said.
Panezich is favored to win state titles in both throwing events, but he's not taking anything for granted.
"It just depends on how you throw that day," he said. "I could go down to state next week and throw 140. It's all about form and technique. If you hit everything right, it should go."
scalzo@vindy.com