Struthers' 4x400 relay finishes third

Eric Anderson, Justin Penson, Larry Wylie and Jeff Lute clicked at state.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS -- Struthers High senior Eric Anderson can be a hugger, a high-fiver, a talker, a laugher, a leg-tapper and, if the moment's right, a crier.
On Saturday, he was all of the above.
Before the final race of his high school career -- the Division II boys 4x400-meter relay -- Anderson was hugging his teammates -- and his opponents. Then, after finishing third in the event with his teammates in 3:22.37, Anderson kept hugging and pretty much didn't stop.
"We had 50 or 60 people come down to cheer us on," said Anderson, who also finished sixth in the 300 hurdles. "It's the most wonderful thing in the world.
"Right now, I'm kind of excited, but I'm sad that there's no more races left to come down to."
Teammates come through
His teammate, senior Justin Penson, nodded.
"Being down to state three times ain't bad," said Penson, who also placed sixth in the 200. "I could always come back another year, though."
"Yeah," added senior Larry Wylie. "We could be fifth-year seniors."
The three Wildcats have run with each other for the past three years, finishing in the top three together six times, including a first-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay two years ago.
Senior Jeff Lute joined them last year in the 4x400 and continued in that event this year and also in the 4x200, replacing graduated senior Ty Campana. Struthers finished third in the 4x200 Saturday.
"We lost Ty, but it was great to have another guy step in," said Penson of Lute. "Jeff got us back here."
The state championship still sticks out -- the Wildcats were in tears after finishing second in two relays last year -- but their overall performance over the past three years can't be ignored.
"We were the talk of the town," said Lute.
Scullion third in 1600
Salem senior Aiman Scullion finished third in the 1600 and eighth in the 3200, while West Branch senior Jim Boals was fourth in the discus. The top four in each event made it to the awards podium and earned All-Ohio honors.
"The main thing was to get to the podium," said Boals, "but I went into the finals with the farthest throw, so I'm a little bummed out."
Boals broke the school record last year with a throw of 183 feet -- his father, Jim, once held the school record -- but after throwing 165-5 on Saturday, he was wondering what might have been.
"I didn't have great form today," he said. "It just wasn't all there."
Division I
Fitch senior Sam Cassano also fell short of his best throw, but his toss of 160-8 was good enough for third ... again.
"Hey, stuff happens," said Cassano, who also finished third in 2004 and 2005. "I wasn't clicking today, but everything happens for a reason. All glory goes to God even with third place. It's an honor just to be up on the podium."
Cassano will throw at YSU next year -- his teammate, senior Adam Kagarise, is also a YSU recruit -- and he's already looking forward to it.
"I've got four or five more years in college," he said. "But these have been the best four years of my life."
Kagarise sixth twice
Kagarise placed sixth in the 400 and anchored the sixth-place 4x400 relay.
Fitch was in eighth when Kagarise got the baton in the relay and passed two people during his lap.
Warren Harding senior J'Abneb Provitt finished eighth in the 200 -- his brother, Benja'Lan, won the event last year -- and helped the Raiders place fourth in the 4x200 relay.