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Regional track day one: another hurdle
By Jon Moffett
AUSTINTown
Fitch High junior Jen Shiley hopes the third time is the charm for her 300-meter hurdle race.
Shiley and the other participants in the first heat had to run the race twice because of an error in the hurdle height. Shiley won both races, though only the second counts.
She and three others from the heat advanced to the Division I regional championship meet Friday at Falcon Stadium. A total of eight athletes from each event will participate in the finals.
Referee Dale Gabor said the hurdles in the fifth leg of the race measured at 33 inches instead of the regulation 30. Gabor made the decision to rerun the race, though it did not interfere with any runner.
“At first, I was so mad when I heard that,” said Shiley, who broke the school’s record in the event. “You have three officials down there, and not one of them checks the hurdles? That’s pretty unbelievable.”
Shiley said it was “the worst feeling in the world” when she heard her first time, which was faster, did not count. She finished in second overall with a time of 45.17 seconds. The school record was 45.52.
Despite the end result, Fitch coach T.J. Koniowsky said the race didn’t have to be run again.
“It’s unfortunate that these girls had to run the race over again,” he said. “I understand the ruling, but the race was completed and no one stumbled. Now these girls are just expected to run it again. That’s an entire other race on their legs for Friday.”
Both Koniowsky and Shiley agreed the outcome could’ve been a lot worse.
But some damage was a direct result of the rerun. Euclid High freshman Erin Rambo finished fourth in the initial race, and qualified for the finals. She opted not to run the race again. Also, the Fitch 4x400-meter relay was forced to sit out of the race because both Shiley and fellow hurdler Brooke Henry were both part of the relay.
“It was the two hurdlers and two seniors,” Koniowsky said. “It’s most unfortunate for them.”
Only seven total events, three for the girls and four for the boys, were finals. The boys saw finishes in the 4x800 relay, long jump, pole vault and discus throw. The girls finished the high jump, shot put and relay.
Canfield junior Leanna Hartsough tied the school record and her personal best with a 5-feet-6 high jump. She said her two goals at the beginning of the season were to jump that height and make it to state.
“I got them both,” she said.
A pair of Fitch Falcons swept the two field finals. Senior George Thomas and junior Ali Tolich won the discus and shot put, respectively. Tolich will make a repeat trip to Columbus for the state meet next weekend, while Thomas will enjoy his first time.
“That’s been the goal since day one,” he said.
Perhaps the most inspiring story of the day was of Boardman senior Doriyon Glass.
Glass, who has torn her ACLs three times, and her 4x100 relay qualified for the finals. Glass said it was one of the best moments of her life.
“I owe it all to God,” she said. “I’ve never been considered a quitter, and I just love sports too much to stop.”