A sweet three-peat for Kennedy relay

Leetonia's Emily Goerig set a meet record in the shot put.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- For the third year in a row, the Warren JFK High girls 4x800-meter relay advanced to the Division III regional track and field meet.
Michelle Chaves, Marissa Nocera, Lauren Perisa and Audrey Maheu of the Eagles finished in 9 minutes, 53.2 seconds, to win at the rain-hampered district meet Wednesday at Springfield High.
"We like to run in the rain. It kind of gave us an edge and it was fun," said Chaves.
"We haven't lost to a Division III 4x800 relay team this season," said Chaves, a senior. "But we'll have to drop our time even more next week because the competition really gets tough and we will be pushed."
"It was one of our goals to win the district a third time heading into the regional, because it's the toughest regional in the state," added Perisa.
The Eagles placed ninth at the 2006 state meet.
Three events were completed in girls events and three in boys, with the top four moving on to the Navarre regional next week.
McDonald had the early lead in the girls standings with 181/2 points. Springfield was second with 15 and Warren JFK was third with 11.
Strong throw
Emily Goerig of Leetonia set the only meet record as she won the shot put with a toss of 38 feet, 11/4 inches.
"Everything came together on my last throw in the finals," said Goerig, a senior who placed third in the district meet last year.
Goerig has advanced to the regional every year since she was a freshman, with a better throw each time. She was a state qualifier in the shot put as a sophomore, she didn't get there last year.
"I've set a goal of breaking our school record [43-4] and getting back to state this year," said Georig.
Sarah Purdy won the girls high jump (4-10), with Emily Evans (4-10) of Springfield placing second for the second straight year.
Motivated Michalec
Jim Michalec of Mathews took first place in the boys discus with a throw of 147-1, which was 16 feet farther then Matt Baird (131-1) of South Range, who placed second.
Michalec's best toss came on his final throw in the finals.
"Everything worked out just right on that throw and it caught the wind and that helped," said Michalec, who won the event last year with a toss of 140-9.
"I placed fifth at the region last year [missing out on a trip to state] and that's in the back of my mind big time," said Michalec.
"I plan to work very hard next week in preparing for the regional because I think it will take a throw in the 150s to make it to state."
Successful defense
Lance Ronghi, Matt Firment, Joe Copploe and T.J. Holland of McDonald took first place in the boys 4x800 relay (8:11.2) with Warren JFK (8:12.6) a close second.
"We lost to Gilmour Academy early in the season and that gives us an added incentive when we compete against them next week in the regional," said Firment, a senior.
"It was the second straight year that we won the 4x800 relay and it was one of our goals to come here and do this," added Copploe, a senior.
"We'll have to continue to work hard and run a lot better if we expect to return to state," said Firment.
The long jump was close with Eric Arndt (19-9) of Bloomfield first. J.J. Townsend of Warren JFK was second (19-51/2).
Warren JFK led the boys standings after three events with 16 points. Bloomfield and Columbiana were tied in second place with 13.
The remainder of the finals will begin Friday at 4:30 p.m.
miller@vindy.com