Right on track: Ridge’s Honsaker captures record

By Joe Scalzo

NAVARRE — The interview was over, the gold medals already on her neck and all Mineral Ridge senior Nicole Honsaker was worried about was the upcoming 4x400-meter relay, where she hoped to bring a few of her teammates along with her to Columbus.

Then, over the loudspeaker, came this: “Would Mineral Ridge’s Nicole Honsaker please report to the awards podium.”

Normally, there’s only two times you want to hear your name called in a track meet — before the race and immediately afterward, when the results are announced. Other than that, it’s usually bad news.

This was an exception.

Honsaker, in her first year of running the 300 hurdles, had just broken the Division III state record in the event with a time of 43.82, clipping the five-year-old mark of 43.85.

So, she climbed the podium steps once more for her moment in the sun (or, in Friday’s case, the overcast skies).

“It’s exciting,” said Honsaker, who also placed first in the long jump and 100 hurdles. “My coach said he thought I had it, but it wasn’t for sure.

“I’ve been chasing it [the record] for a while.”

Minutes later, she capped a terrific regional meet by helping the Rams place second in the relay, setting up a very busy weekend for her in Columbus.

“I think I’m more nervous than anything,” she said. “I’m usually nervous. I’m afraid I’m going to do bad.

“I’d rather it not be there [the nerves], but it does help.”

Speaking of record holders, Warren JFK senior Audrey Maheu (who was running on a bum ankle she injured earlier in the week while running with her shoes untied) crept closer to her own state record in the 800, placing first on Friday with a time of 2:13.84. The record, which she set at last year’s state meet, is 2:12.39.

“Hopefully next week I can PR [set a personal record],” she said. “That’s how I want to finish my season.”

Although Maheu is taking nothing for granted next week, she admitted she’ll sneak a peak at the girls in the other divisions to see where she stacks up.

“Sometimes I’ll look at the times and I’m happy I’m in Division III,” she said, smiling.

Jackson-Milton sophomore Samantha Hamilton, who won the 1600, won’t let herself look at other times this week, figuring it does more harm than good.

“I’ll probably be grounded from the computer this week [anyway],” she said. “My parents won’t even let me go on it.”

If she runs like she did Friday, she should be fine.

“I was pretty confident coming in,” she said. “I just had to stay positive all week. With about 200 meters to go, I said, ‘It’s now or never.’”

Ursuline’s 4x200 relay, the defending state champions, edged Gilmour at the wire to give the area its only relay victory. The Irish also finished third in the 4x100 relay.

The top four in each event advance to the state meet.

On the boys side, Ursuline sophomore Jamel Turner displayed the same freakish athleticism he showed during football season by winning the 110 hurdles. Turner, an all-Ohio defensive end who also plays forward for the basketball team, credited his hurdling coach, Art Carter, for his development.

“I was pretty confident,” he said. “I just focused on my lane, that’s it.”

His teammate, senior Wes Washington, just missed joining him in Columbus when he clipped the last hurdle in the 300s and finished fifth.

“I call myself his protege,” Turner said of Washington. “He told me what to do before the races and tells me what I did wrong afterward. He’s a senior, so I just try to take after him.”

Washington, who nearly overcame the hamstring injury he suffered two weeks ago, had high praise for Turner, too.

“He’s amazing,” he said. “Our girls team is amazing, too. They do a lot of work and put in the hours. We’re sometimes out there until 6 or 7 at night.

“We like to think we earn our success. We’re not slacking off.”

After a couple down years, the Irish (who have been traditionally strong in the hurdles under Carter) have another runner who can follow in the footsteps of standouts such as Adam Chatman, Derrick Stewart and Amber Miller (whose father is an assistant coach).

Crestview senior Jakob Leon won the high jump (6-6) and East Palestine’s 4x100 relay also placed first, just ahead of Crestview and McDonald.

scalzo@vindy.com