Fear of fifth: Athletes make a state-ment

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

NAVARRE — Maplewood senior Andy Morgan was lying on the grass, trying to catch his breath when Warren JFK sophomore Michael Perisa walked over and congratulated him for a good race.

“You did everything you could,” Morgan said to Perisa.

Perisa just nodded. Minutes before, Morgan had outkicked him to help the Rockets finish fourth in the 4x800-meter relay at Wednesday’s Division III regional track meet at Fairless High.

Perisa’s team took fifth. The top four go to Columbus for the state meet. Morgan knew how tough it was for the Eagles.

“I feel really bad,” he said. “But there was no way I was going to let my team down. I was going to do whatever it took.

“I couldn’t live with myself if it came down to a kick and I lost.”

Much like no one wants to finish fourth at the Olympics, no one wants to finish fifth at a regional meet. It’s the sort of thing that eats at you all offseason.

Motivation

Often, it makes you better. Just ask Mathews senior Jim Michalec. He finished fifth at last year’s regional meet in the discus.

“Every day in the weight room [in the offseason], it was in the back of my mind,” he said. “It was a major motivating factor.”

Michalec erased those memories by placing third on Wednesday with a personal-best throw of 149-2.

“I was just happy to set a P.R. [personal record],” said Michalec. “That’s always my No. 1 goal. It’s nice to win, but it’s better to beat your own goals.”

Western Reserve senior Clay Jones placed fourth in the discus and McDonald’s 4x800 relay placed third, although it came at a cost. Senior Matt Firment, one of the team’s best runners, had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance after the 4x800 relay due to heat exhaustion. As a result, Firment missed the 300 hurdles as well as the 4x200 and 4x400 relays.

Rathburn’s record

Western Reserve senior Alex Rathburn won the regional shot put title for the third straight year (she took second as a freshman), breaking the meet (and her personal) record with a put of 43-feet and 1⁄2 inch on her final throw.

When it was announced, Rathburn jumped and pumped her fist in the air.

“Oh, you liked that?” she said. “I might have even done a backflip. I’m just so happy right now and I’m never happy. I’m shaking.”

Before the meet, her father, Rick, had told her that if she didn’t break the meet record, she was riding home on the bus.

“I don’t like to ride the bus,” she said.

The record throw sent a message state-wide. Elmore Woodmore senior Emily Pendleton threw 43 feet during district competition last week. Since they’ll most likely be dueling each other for the state title, Rathburn wanted to apply a little pressure.

“I can’t compete in the discus with her — she throws 180 and 140 is my PR,” Rathburn said. “But I feel like if I throw 43 feet next week [in the shot], I can compete.”

Rathburn’s freshman teammate, Victoria Brown, got a pleasant surprise when she finished third in the high jump. Brown placed fourth at last week’s district meet, but after clearing 5 feet, 2 inches on Wednesday, she knew it was her day.

“It’s really exciting — it’s probably the best thing that’s happened to me,” she said. “It was a nice day with great weather, so when I was jumping I had a great feeling.”

Warren JFK’s 4x800 relay qualified for the fourth straight year, placing second on Wednesday after dropping its time by 19 seconds since last week’s district meet (where the Eagles finished first).

“I don’t think it’s sunk in,” said senior Michelle Chaves, a member of four straight state relay teams. “But we knew we could do it. We made up our minds to go to state.”

scalzo@vindy.com