By JOE SCALZO

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NE OF THE BEST THINGS about watching a track meet is seeing so many finely-tuned, highly-calibrated, mentally-focused athletes prepare their bodies for high levels of competition through the rigorous pre-game ritual of eating nachos and drinking Mountain Dew.
OK, not everyone.
Fact is, some athletes have rituals. Some don't. Some wear the same socks, eat the same foods, listen to the same songs
And some, like Lisbon senior Dom DeFilippo, don't believe in that stuff.
"I guess if I have a tradition, it's in not having a tradition," said DeFilippo, a state qualifier in the shot and discus. "I'm a very religious person and I don't believe in jinxes or any of that stuff. I think whatever happens is in His control.
"You just do the best you can and He takes care of the rest."
Jackson-Milton junior Dean Stevens is religious, too. The sprinter prays before every race and makes a sign of the cross just before the race begins. (Before relays, Struthers senior Ty Campana makes the sign of the cross four times -- one for every member of the relay.)
But like most athletes, Stevens has rituals, too.
Socks appeal
"I always wear the same socks," he said, pointing to a pair of black, no-show socks. "I wash them, though.
"I guess I'm religious and superstitious."
Most rituals seem have something to do with food or music. Poland's 4x800-meter relay team incorporates both, singing Gwen Stefani's "Bananas Song" (aka "Hollaback Girl") before every race.
"Hey, it works," said Lauren Fithian, whose relay team won district and regional titles.
(By the way, they've also named their baton "Louie Baton," after famous designer "Louie Vuitton".)
Springfield senior Nick Panezich, a two-time state champion, usually listens to his CD player before competitions.
"I just try to keep myself as relaxed as possible before I throw the discus," Panezich, a state qualifier in the shot and discus, said. "It's a little different when I throw the shot, but I still want to be relaxed."
What does he listen to?
"A whole bunch of things," he said. "It kind of depends. A few weeks ago it was country music. This week it's 'Seven Dust.'
"But it's never rap. Rap doesn't do anything for me."
Another take on rap
Struthers senior Alan Daniels on the other hand, listens to rap almost exclusively.
"But I can't listen to crazy rap with swear words," said Daniels, a state qualifier in the discus. "I like uptempo rap music. Like Nelly.
"It can be anything, as long as it ain't the hard stuff. I need calm music. I can't be mad or angry at the world. I need sort of a silly attitude. I think the calmer you are, the less nervous and less stressed you are."
Western Reserve sophomore Alex Rathburn listens exclusively to her "Fuel" CD, standing off to the side before throwing "and not talking to anyone," she said.
She also has to wear her black Under Armor shirt with the sleeves rolled up halfway.
"Even if it's blazing hot," she said. "It's superstition, I guess."
Braids factor
The McDonald girls -- especially the distance runners -- always braid their hair and wear new uniforms at postseason meets.
"They do make us faster," said junior Erin Koppel. "That's a fact."
Maplewood senior Jen Grayson, last year's state high jump champ, warms up before races by running clockwise (backwards) around the track. She also eats less on meet days, preferring carrots and pizza crusts.
"Just the crusts," said Grayson, a state qualifier in three events. "The tomatoes and the cheese is very acidy. Now, if it's not a meet day, I'll got to Pizza Hut and down the whole thing. But I don't like to eat too much at meets.
"My dad's always like, 'Eat, eat.' So I'll eat. But I'm never hungry."
Salem senior Aiman Scullion doesn't have many rituals -- "I always have to wash my face before a race," he said, "That's kind of strange" -- but his 4x800 relay team does get a little paranoid about dropping the baton, even though dropping the baton in the two-mile relay happens about as often as Panezich listens to rap.
"We worry so much, we count down the handoffs," he said after winning the district title. "We've got six to go."
They've now got three to go. Unlike Poland, however, they haven't named their baton.
But hey, the state meet is three days away. There's still time.
scalzo@vindy.com