Behind Dan Hull, JFK wins crown

The JFK boys edged Gilmour Academy, 581⁄2 to 56, to
win a regional title.

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

NAVARRE — A few hours before the biggest meet of the season, former Warren JFK High track coach Tim McNeil called senior Dan Hull on his cell phone to deliver a familiar message.

For the past few years, McNeil had told his team the story of how bumblebees shouldn’t be able to fly. Their bodies are too big, their wings too small and scientists are baffled.

McNeil left after last season, leaving the job to his assistant, Dan Lacivita. But he wasn’t done coaching.

Hull put his cell phone on speakerphone on Friday afternoon and held it up for the rest of the team to hear. And McNeil ended the story the same way he always does. Bumblebees shouldn’t be able to fly.

“But no one told the bumblebee,” he said.

JFK’s boys track team didn’t win a county title or a league title this season. It seems logical that the Eagles shouldn’t have been able to win a regional title, either.

But they did.

Hull sparks win

Thanks to a terrific performance from Hull — he won the 400-meter dash and helped the Eagles win the 4x200 relay, place second in the 4x400 and fifth in the 4x800 and is the all-time points scorer in Kennedy history — the Eagles edged Gilmour Academy 581⁄2 to 56 for their first regional title since ...

“I have no idea,” said Lacivita, who was standing in the infield of Fairless High stadium waiting to get the trophy. “Honestly, it’s a great feeling, but I’m 10 times happier for my team. They put the work in. And I’ve got to thank my predecessor. He set them up, he trained them, he showed me how to do it.

“He’s kind of still running it.”

Western Reserve senior Clay Jones won his second straight shot put title, throwing 53 feet, 21⁄2 inches to win by two feet.

After stepping down from the podium with his gold medal, he was asked about having to compete for headlines with Blue Devils senior Alex Rathburn, who won the discus on Friday to go with the shot put title she won on Wednesday.

“She always does that,” Jones said. “Any other school, I’d be the man.”

He then looked over at her, smiled and said, “I hate her.”

She smiled and said, “You don’t deserve that [medal].”

Joking aside, Jones knows he can do even better. He was throwing really well in warm-ups — a few throws went more than 55 feet.

“I know I can go big,” he said. “I’ve just gotta do it.”

Snyder second in long jump

Springfield sophomore Ron Snyder shook off his disappointing fifth-place finish in Wednesday’s long jump (the top four in each event advance to next week’s state meet) to finish second in the high jump on Friday.

“That just made me work harder,” said Snyder, who jumped 6 feet, 2 inches. “It was in the back of my mind. I knew I couldn’t get another fifth.

“I was feeling it today and I just tried to jump clean and not get any misses.”

Maplewood senior Andy Morgan won the 1600 and 3200 and Lordstown’s Ryan Pal won the high jump, beating Snyder on misses.

Ursuline freshman Jasmine Brown qualified in four events, finishing fourth in the 100 and 200 and anchoring the winning 4x200 relay and second-place 4x100 relay.

How’d she do it?

“I don’t know — I just had to run my hardest,” she said.

She had a small misstep in the 4x200. As Michaela Write approached, Brown took off running, then had to stop to get the baton. Two girls passed her, but Brown overtook both down the stretch.

“She was a little anxious,” said junior Tim’Aira Gandy, who also ran in both relays. “She saw all those people coming and left early. She doesn’t realize how fast she is.”

Honsaker, Brown in four

Mineral Ridge junior Nicole Honsaker won the long jump and finished second in the 100, 200 and 400 to join Brown as the only two area athletes to advance in four events. The Rams tied Warren JFK to place an area-best fifth in the girls team standings.

“I think we’re all surprised in ourselves,” Honsaker said.

Lowellville senior Rachel Mariotti just missed joining those two, placing first in the 300 hurdles, third in the 100 hurdles and helping the Rockets finish fourth in the 4x200. She also ran in the 4x400 relay, which placed sixth.

“Oh my gosh, I did not expect this,” Mariotti said.

Warren JFK junior Audrey Maheu won the 800 and helped the Eagles place second in the 4x400 and 4x800.

“We’ve run against great teams all year,” Lacivita said. “When you’re facing great competition like Harding, Mooney and Ursuline, teams that do very well in divisions higher than us, it prepares you for this.”

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have talent, too. After all, when it comes to track, you always need runners who can fly.

scalzo@vindy.com