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Boardman eyes repeat titles
The 96th Mahoning County track meet is Saturday in Austintown.
Bragging rights are on the line for track and field athletes at Saturday’s 96th Mahoning County meet.
The meet is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Austintown Fitch High’s Falcon Stadium.
Boardman is the defending champion in both Division I boys and girls.
The Spartans’ Corey Linsley, a junior, goes after his second straight shot put title and is in range of the county record 61 feet, 7 inches, having the area’s best effort this season (57-1).
Teammate Evan Klepec is defending discus champ and has the area’s top throw (160-7) this season.
Spartans junior Caleb Matthews is the defending long jump champ (he reached 20-31‚Ñ4 last year) and is within range of the county record (22-41‚Ñ4 ). He made 21-111‚Ñ4 earlier this spring.
He’ll also be the athlete to beat in the high jump (6-4 ).
Sophomore Taylor Kring of West Branch, last year’s girls Division II state champ in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, is the defending champion in both events.
Audra Frimpong of Canfield will defend her titles in the 100, 200 and long jump, and Boardman junior Lauren Agnew will defend in the 800 and 1600.
Fitch (51.4), Boardman (51.6) and Poland (51.7) have the top times coming into the 4x100 relay.
Senior Jason Anderson of Fitch won the 100 and 200 last year.
Galbraith, Smith are back
The Struthers boys and Mooney girls will defend their Div. II crowns.
Struthers’ Ashley Galbraith won the 400 meters and high jump last year, while teammate Alana Smith captured the 1600 and 3200.
Sophomore Jasmine Brown of Ursuline was a double winner in the 100 and 200.
Wes Washington of Ursuline won both the 110 high and the 300 intermediate hurdles. Joe Paulenich of Mooney is the defending shot put champ and he’ll contend in the discus.
Division III
The South Range boys ran away with last year’s Div. III title with 192 points while Springfield edged Lowellville for the girls title.
Monica Ciarnello, a sophomore, won both the 1600 and 3200 last year, and teammates Melissa Caraballo (100) and Andria Lyons (long jump) also return.
Ron Snyder of Springfield will defend in the boys high jump and long jump.
The East Palestine Bulldog, Columbiana Boots Hawkins and LaBrae Invitational also are scheduled Saturday.