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East relay relies on critical fourth member
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
A year before East High put together the fastest 4x400-meter relay in Northeast Ohio, the Panthers were just wondering how their season ended so quickly.
East finished a disappointing fifth in the event at last year’s Division I district meet — losing out on a regional bid by four-hundredths of a second — and the Panthers knew their only chance of making it to Columbus this spring hinged on finding a faster fourth leg.
“We had a weak link,” said senior Isaiah Nuckles. “So I turned to my little brother right here and talked him into running.”
Nuckles’ brother, junior Imoni Donadalle, ran track in middle school then gave it up his first two years of high school. But he proved to be the missing ingredient this season, joining seniors LeAndre Green, Trey Ingram and Nuckles in running a 3:22.26 in last Friday’s regional final, edging out Fitch by seven-hundredths of a second for the gold.
“It meant everything,” Ingram said. “It didn’t seem real at first because we’ve been chasing it for so long. I’ve been trying to get to state since my freshman year and this is our last year, so if we would have lost, we never would have had another chance. It shows everyone we can compete with the best schools.”
Nuckles also won gold in the 400 last weekend — he placed 10th in the event at last year’s regional meet — as East continued its strong track tradition. Since reopening in the fall of 2007, the Panthers have advanced at least one track athlete to Columbus six times.
The highlight came in East’s first season, when James Allen won a state title in the 100-meter dash, but the Panthers have qualified six other individuals and four relays.
While the Panthers have had some mild successes in other sports, they haven’t broke through in the postseason. No city public school has been to the football playoffs since Chaney in 2003 and no city public school has won a district title in basketball since Chaney in 2000.
“It seems like we get the most success in this [sport],” East track coach Jerron Jenkins said. “I have a lot of kids telling me they want to come out now. They want to go to state too.”
Jenkins, a Hubbard High graduate, has been coaching track for 35 years at East (with both the Golden Bears and the Panthers) and Rayen. He estimates that he’s had at least one state qualifier in 20 of those years.
For many of his athletes, he’s more than a coach. He’s a father figure.
“This coach right here means everything to me,” Nuckles said.
Added Jenkins: “Isaiah is like a son to me. He calls me pops. He’s very dedicated. He’ll do anything I ask him to do. He tries to not only make himself happy, he tries to satisfy me.”
Although East’s seniors talk openly of winning a state title in the relay, the Panthers’ time is nearly five seconds behind top-seeded Mason (3:17.47). Donadalle said he’s just hoping to get on the podium, while Jenkins said it’s just an honor to make it to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
“That all of us can come down, especially with these three seniors who will be together for the last time, is special,” he said. “Hopefully we can share some good times and create some memories.”