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Fitch teams take second place in regional
By ryan buck
AUSTINTOWN
At the start of the Austintown Fitch track team’s first preseason meeting, junior Sam Ortz and his teammates had an assignment from their coaches.
It was clear that the Falcons had high expectations — including district, regional, and state championships.
“We have goals sheets that we fill out before the season and that was actually one of my goals; to make it to state and actually place,” Ortz said. “I’m hoping that I will do that.”
The motivation proved effective Friday evening in their home stadium. Both the Falcons’ boys and girls squads took home Division I regional runner-up trophies and will send a flock of athletes to Columbus for next weekend’s state meet.
“We had them list a few individual goals and a few team goals,” said Seth Steiner, head coach for the Fitch girls squad. “After our first team meeting, we said that we could be top couple in the region — champs, runners-up, whatever it may be — we made sure every one of them listed it.”
Ortz, who had the region’s best qualifying time in the 110-meter hurdles, was the first Falcon to punch a ticket to Columbus as his time of 14.26 seconds gave him a regional title.
“Last year, as a sophomore, I was eighth in the region. It was really exciting being the first seed in the finals this year,” Ortz said. “It’s exhilarating running that time. After I ran well on Wednesday, I had a little hop to my step knowing that being first gave me a little advantage.”
Minutes later, the Fitch 4x200 relay lineup of Gary Gibson, Darrin Hall, Nathan Bowlen and Joe Harrington took first place.
Gibson, Bowlen and Harrington, along with Ty’Reese Anderson, also qualified for state with a third-place finish in the 4x100, just ahead of fellow qualifier Warren Harding.
“We’re all underclassmen,” said Harrington, a sophomore. “We’ve been together now since last year. We just have that bond that keeps us all together.”
Harrington anchors the relay squads.
He also weathered a tremendous field in the open 200 final to finish third and qualify for state. He finished just behind previous state qualifiers Jeff Richardson of Canton McKinley and Shelton Gibson of Cleveland Heights, and ahead of defending regional champion Khoury Crenshaw of Solon.
“It’s just mental toughness,” Harrington said of competing in three events.
Fitch junior Gabby Figueroa overcame a painful foul on her first attempt in the discus final to win the region. Her throw of 135 feet led the field by more than 4 feet. Boardman senior Giovanna Silvestri will join her in Columbus. She was third (127-3).
“You want to make it to Columbus,” Figueroa said. “That’s the goal and I think when you have that on your mind and you’re sitting fourth with only two throws left, you just want to make it work.”
Other area athletes who will compete at state are Fitch’s Billy Price (shot put), Boardman Nathan Jones (100 dash), Canfield’s Emma Lunne (1600 run) and Boardman’s Mark Hadley (3200 run).
Harding’s Gariana Bercheni, Aisha Jackson, Chyna Stroud and Justice Richardson qualified for state in the 4x100 with a second place-finish.