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Track/field athletes begin quest for state
With a hip injury midway through the season, South Range’s Ryan Roush had to sit out three track meets.
Really, though, it seemed like many more.
“After I missed those three I really didn’t go my hardest in the next few,” Roush said.
The Inter-Tri County League Tier One championship was the first meet he participated in more than one event since sustaining the injury.
“I had a good feeling with where I was at and how I needed to go,” Roush said after his record setting time in the 3200 meters at the ITCL meet at Crestview. “It only helps with the next meets coming up.”
That first one is the Division III regional meet at Springfield on Wednesday.
Last year, Roush qualified to the regional meet with Patrick McCarthy. This year, junior Tim Nichols is vying for that berth.
At the ITCL meet, Nichols got his first taste of victory beating Roush in the 1600.
“We kind of planned that,” Nichols admitted. “Still it was cool to come in first.”
The Fitch boys 4x200 relay of Joe Harrington, Tarise Wolfe, Rob Venters and Nathan Bowlen has been used to their first place finishes. After a Mahoning County title, they’ve shattered the school record, touting a 1:27.93. The Falcons ran that in the Optimist meet. Hosting the Division I district that also starts Wednesday is the next step to their ultimate goal.
“There’s no reason why we can’t make it to state,” Wolfe said. “We have a great set of 200 runners and we just keep getting better and better.”
Also at Austintown, Boardman’s Nathan Jones can make a repeat appearance at the regional — which is held at Fitch too. The 100 and 200 are his specialties.
In Division II, Salem is gunning for its third-straight boys district title. The Quakers are again hosting the event which starts Thursday.