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Ciarniello ready for final state-ment
By Joe Scalzo
When Lowellville senior Monica Ciarniello was deciding whether to run both the mile and the two-mile — or just one — at last weekend’s Division III regional meet, she thought back to what happened to wa Springfield freshman who, three years ago, ran the two best races of her life, only to get shut out of a trip to Columbus.
That freshman’s name? Monica Ciarniello.
The then-Tiger (she moved to Lowellville the following school year) ran the 1600-meter in 5:05.33, finishing fifth at the Navarre regional. About an hour later, she ran the 3200 in 11:30.91, finishing sixth.
The top four advanced to state.
“You really don’t know as a freshman what you’re getting into when you come here,” Ciarniello said last week. “I learned the hard way.”
Those times don’t mean much to casual readers, so here’s a little perspective: If Ciarniello had run at any of the other three Division III regionals that year, she would finished first in both races.
Had she run at any of the four Division II regionals, she would have advanced in both events and would have won both races at two of those meets. And in Division I, she would have advanced in the 1600 at three of the regionals.
(Alas, all the Division I 3200 races were a little too fast that year. But hey, she was just a freshman.)
So, even though Ciarniello knew she could likely advance in both events last Friday, she also knew she would only run one at the state meet, preferring to save her legs. She researched the statewide times, decided the 3200 was her best bet and dropped the 1600.
“A lot of people might say, ‘Why would you give someone a free ride to state?’” Ciarniello said. “But knowing that as a freshman I didn’t get out and knowing that I’m not running it anyway, I’d rather someone get out.”
With fresh legs, Ciarniello (pronounced “Charnello”) finally bested that 2007 regional time in the 3200, finishing first on Friday with a time of 11:27.90 — more than 27 seconds faster than second place.
It was the second-fastest Division III time in the state last week, less than a second behind Versailles sophomore Tammy Berger (11:27.14).
“Last year I couldn’t break 12 [minutes] so I realized I needed more endurance,” Ciarniello said. “I worked a lot more.
“I usually take a day off in training but this year, I’ve been training every day. It’s my last year, so I want to go for it.”
Ciarniello will run track and cross country next season at Edinboro, which is coached by former South Range standout Julie Nemergut. She plans to major in secondary education and eventually teach and coach.
But before she starts her college career, she has some unfinished business at this level. She’ll be part of the first Rocket team to advance to state in the 4x800 relay on Friday, then run the 3200 on Saturday.
“My freshman year, of course, I had my PRs [personal records], and I felt a lot of pressure trying to live up to that,” she said. “I think I got caught up in that, trying to please everyone.
“This year, I just tried to relax and not get as nervous.”
She paused, then started laughing.
“It’s not working at all,” she said, “but I’m trying.”