Canfield, Fitch lead in Div. I track

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Canfield’s boys team and Austintown Fitch’s girls lead the team standings after the first day of the Division I district track and field championships.

The Cardinals got points from senior Dustin Brode in the discus, with a winning effort of 178 feet, 7 inches, and senior Garrett Zuzik, who finished third in the long jump (20-4).

Canfield also qualified for next week’s regional in the 4x800-meter relay with a fourth-place finish. Jonathon Hutnyan, Rob Reed, Nick Tocicki and Ryan Mirto finished in 8 minutes, 17.13 seconds.

Boardman’s Allen Starkey, a sophomore, won the long jump with a distance of 22-3/4, while Joe Bialik finished fourth in the pole vault (12-6).

Also in the discus, George Thomas of Fitch (172-10), Aaron Wilson of Warren Harding (157-7) and Dan Musch of Fitch (143-3) finished second through fourth behind Brode.

Ali Tolich and Valerie Hood of Fitch finished 1-2 in the shot put to lead the Falcons. Tolich, a junior, had a distance of 43-21/4, while Hood, a senior, measured 40-3 1.4.

Howland’s Kaylee Redon was third in the shot put (38-2).

Also for the Falcons, Makayla Martin won a jump off to finish fourth in the high jump at 5-4.

Canfield’s Leanna Hartsough was third, also with a best jump of 5-4.

In the 4x800 relay, Canfield, Boardman and Fitch finished second through fourth.

Jillian Smith, Nicole Tiberio, Emma Lunne and Jen Love of Canfield finished in 9:49.08, while Boardman’s Colleen Kratofil, Katie Heney, Tori More and Emily Bodamer finished in 10:12.31, and Fitch’s Alexis Cooper, Amanda Choma, Danae Kempe and Chelsea Alexander crossed the finish line in 10:39.62.

Finals in all other events will begin Friday at 4 p.m.

DIVISION III — SPRINGFIELD

NEW MIDDLETON

After three events of the Div. III meet, Mineral Ridge’s boys’ team leads with 24 points, followed by McDonald (21) and South Range and East Palestine (20).

Champions were McDonald’s Matthias Tayala in the discus (181-5), East Palestine’s Shane Peterson in the long jump (21-7) and South Range’s 4x800 relay of Jeff Felger, Floyd Kenney, Cameron Clarke and James Nell, which won in 8:13.65.

McDonald’s girls’ team has 19 points to Western Reserve’s 17.

In finals, McDonald’s Joh’Vonnie Mosley won the shot put (41-9 1/4) and Mineral Ridge’s Katie Fife won the high jump in 5-2.

Columbiana was the 4x800 winner with Chanel Brown, Ashley Lydic, Alyssa Mellott and Caroline Kimpel in 9:53.01.

Competition resumes on Friday at 4:30 p.m.

DIVISION III — INDEPENDENCE

INDEPENDENCE

Maplewood’s 4x800 relay team of A.J. Grayson, Aaron Harrison, Tom Bottorff and Eric Rupe set a boys’ record during the Div. III track meet.

Maplewood’s time of 8:00.61 snapped the previous best of 88:02.14 by Kirtland in 2009.

Badger’s Kenny Bolyard won the discus with a throw of 132-0, while teammate Preston Sirochman was third in the high jump in 5-10.

Warren JFK’s Rocky Mitolo was second in the shot put with a throw of 49-41/2, while teammate Alex Cuckovic was fourth in the long jump in 18-93/4.

Competition resumes on Friday at 3 p.m. with field events and 4:30 p.m. with track finals.