Pals Kiger, Mariotti run final hurdles together

Abbey Kiger placed third while Rachel Mariotti was fifth in the 300-meter hurdles.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS -- Minutes after running the 300-meter hurdles at the Division III state meet, Mineral Ridge senior Abbey Kiger and Lowellville junior Rachel Mariotti sat side-by-side under the sun in the infield.
"Just being down here is a privilege," said Mariotti, who placed sixth, three spots behind Kiger.
"Yeah, I'm happy with third," Kiger said.
Kiger finished fifth in the event last year. Mariotti was eighth. Competing against each other the past few years has made them close friends. Apparently, it's a trend with hurdlers.
Just before this year's race, Kiger and Mariotti heard a familiar voice yelling for them just outside the fence at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Jen Grayson, who finished second in the event for Maplewood last year and now runs at YSU, came to wish them luck. Warren JFK High graduate Angelene Cicero, who won the last two state titles in the event, called Friday night to send her best.
"They were our idols last year," Kiger said. "Before last year's race, they were just sitting there talking and we were so nervous.
"We're like, 'How do you stay so calm?' "
Happy to see the sun
A year later, they understood. They had no problem with nerves, just rain. After Friday's monsoon, Kiger was happy to see some sunshine.
"We were running through a lake yesterday," she said.
"Yeah, it was like the steeplechase," Mariotti said.
It was their last race together. Mariotti plans to be back in Columbus this time next year, while Kiger will play volleyball at Thiel next year. She's not sure about track.
"If you had asked me at the beginning of the year, I would have said no way," she said, laughing. "Now, I don't know if I want this to be my last race."
Good decision
Maplewood junior Rochelle Rupe qualified for the 1600 and 3200 but opted to scratch the mile Saturday to focus on the 2-mile.
Good decision. Rupe finished second behind Bellaire St. John Central sophomore Natalie Perzanowski, who also won the 1600.
"I was hoping to get on the podium," said Rupe, referring to the top eight who also earn All-Ohio honors. "A better goal would have been top six because that's Hall of Fame at my school.
"I never, ever thought I'd get second."
Rupe had a disappointing cross country season -- by her standards, anyway -- and worked hard in the off-season to get ready for track. She dedicated Saturday's race to teammate Andy Morgan, who missed last week's regional meet with mononucleosis.
"I ran for him," she said.
Ursuline relay team fifth
Ursuline's 4x100 relay of junior Nichelle Scott and sophomores Elizabeth Emanuel, Lauren Ignazio and Tim'Aira Gandy finished fifth. Gandy was a little frustrated -- the Irish entered with the third-best qualifying time -- but said it set a good foundation for next season.
"We'll be better," she said. "We wanted to get second, but that's OK. We made it here.
"We're proud of ourselves, don't get me wrong. But we're definitely hungry for next year. This will be to our benefit."
Warren JFK sophomore Audrey Maheu also has a bright future after placing fifth in the 800 and anchoring the sixth-place 4x400 relay and the ninth-place 4x800 relay.
"It was a nice week," she said. "It was really tough to run yesterday and it was a lot nicer today.
"I was hoping to do a little better with my times but I'm happy. It's nice to make it here."
scalzo@vindy.com