TRACK AND FIELD Optimist to shine with stars

Brothers are scheduled to compete in the 100 and 200.
AUSTINTOWN -- It will be a who's who list of outstanding athletes, many of them 2004 state qualifiers, at Saturday's 25th Optimist track and field meet at Fitch High stadium.
Last year's defending champs, Canton GlenOak (boys) and Massillon Jackson (girls) have other commitments this year and won't be back to defend titles.
Meet director Kenney Jacobec has 40 boys and 37 girls teams entered, with preliminaries set for 9:15 a.m. and finals at 1 p.m.
Area schools with 2005 potential state qualifiers entered are Chaney, Boardman, Canfield, Girard, Howland, Poland, Liberty, Warren Harding, Mineral Ridge, South Range, Maplewood and Lordstown.
Division III state champion senior Jennifer Grayson of Maplewood returns to defend her title in the high jump. She also will compete in the hurdles as will Amber Ferraro of Poland, Carrie Zorman and Genna Higbee of Boardman and Tiffani Betras of Canfield.
Darcell Formby (12.2 seconds) of Cleveland Rhodes is returning to defend the 100 meters.
Cachet Murray (11.83) of Girard, the Div. II 2004 state champ, Latalia Jones (12.3) and Jonsie Hartsfield (12.7) of Chaney, Amy Frimpong (12.6) of Canfield, Autumn Parris (12.8) of Boardman and Destanie Morgan (11.81) of Canton McKinley are the featured sprinters in the dash.
Colleen Moran of Poland; Jessica Moore, Lauren Blase and Katie Stoll of Boardman; Lauren Esarco of Canfield; defending Optimist champ Bridge Franek and teammate Cassandra Schenck of Crestwood; and Allison Krupko of Alliance have competed at meets at least twice in distance runs 1600 and 3200 so far during this season.
Kendall Davis of Alliance, defending Optimist and Div. II 2004 state champ in the 100 (10.87) and 200 (21.76) will go against some of the area's best sprinters, including brothers Benja'Len (10.5) and (22.1) and J'Abneb (10.9) and (22.4) Provitt of Warren Harding, Michael Gibson (10.8) of Chaney and Angelo Babbaro (10.9) and (22.5) of Canfield.
Adam Kagarise (49.5 seconds) of Fitch, Marcellus Bowman (50.0) of Liberty, Tom Andriko (50.5) of Lordstown, Eric Daniels (51.0) of Warren Harding and Frank Ocasio (51.1) of Boardman will be among the contenders in the 400.
Darren Lee (21 feet, 9 inches) of Warren Harding, Levi Leigh (21-1) of Mineral Ridge, Gibson (21-1) of Chaney, Darrell Parker (21-1) of Massillon Perry and Delone Carter (21-0) of Copley are the featured athletes in the long jump.