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Poland girls, Salem boys are second
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SALEM
Nerves are never a problem for Poland’s Sage Spotleson — especially not in the 110 hurdles.
“You’re not tired, it’s the first race and you have a lot of energy to start it off,” she said.
But on Saturday at the Division II district finals, things didn’t begin as carefree as usual. Hallie Norwood of Norton false-started just one lane over from Spotleson.
“I was startled,” she said. “It scared me really badly because I thought I did it at first.”
The early spook turned out to be proper fuel for the junior as Spotleson won the opening event in a personal record time of 15.26 seconds.
“Sage is an amazing, young athlete,” Poland coach Gabby Massey said. “She was very confident going into it and she really set the tone for the day.”
The Bulldogs earned second place in the team standings with 53 points.
“It’s a complete surprise for us being such an underclassmen team,” Massey said. “We had no idea that we were even close. I’m proud of everyone one for doing their job and going above and beyond. It’s wonderful.”
Spotleson also advanced to the regional meet at Navarre in the 300 hurdles and was part of the scoring 4x200 and 4x100 relays. Michelle Klim and Libby Rogenski placed 2-3 in the 3200, while the 4x400 relay of Taylor Ahston, Libby Rubesa, Grace Kennedy and Madison Evans earned the fourth qualifying spot in 4 minutes, 11. 64 seconds — six seconds faster than their previous PR.
“They all stepped up to the plate in every way,” Massey said.
Both the boys and girls teams from Akron St. Vincent St. Mary’s won the team standings with 128.5 and 162.5 points, respectively — a combined 157 points ahead of second-place squads. The Irish broke four meet records in the process.
“They’re insane,” Massey said. “We saw them at our invitational and knew going in what to expect from them. In every way they’re an impressive team. Balanced all around — you don’t see that too often.”
The Salem boys placed second with 81 points, behind Caleb Quinn’s 15.87 win in the 110 hurdles and Scott Lodge’s winning time of 40.43 in the 300 hurdles.
“We count on everyone to help us,” Lodge said. “We’ve had a couple mistakes where we didn’t get the points that we could have, but everybody does their part and we’re a good team.”
Lodge didn’t expect to win the preliminary, but he did. At the finals, he came in expecting it. He’s just forged that mentality this year, whereas Quinn — just a sophomore — has already developed a killer instinct.
“I wasn’t really like that two years ago,” Lodge admitted. “Caleb, though, he has great potential and he’s already picturing himself winning big things.”
Another set of teammates, Poland’s Chris Anderson and Patrick Hiznay, have a fresh competitive spirit, too.
Anderson’s final push caught Hiznay in the 400 and he won with a time of 50.29. Hiznay recorded a 50.30.
“It was so close and I was really just wanting to tie him so bad,” Anderson said. “He just started running the 400 and it’s pretty awesome that he’s up there getting a taste of it.”
Anderson needed another last lunge to clinch the 4x400 relay title. Salem led for the middle two laps and Zack Penick’s early start looked to leave the Bulldogs behind.
“I knew I had to save some and keep my own pace,” Anderson, the anchor, said.
The senior did catch up to Penick around the bend in the last 200 meters and passed him within the final 100. Poland’s 3:22.46 was 26 tenths of a second better than the Quakers.
“In those final few strides,” Anderson said,” I just prayed.”