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Recovered Shiley on deck for Horizon League milestone
By STEVE WILAJ
YOUNGSTOWN
After Youngstown State senior Jen Shiley finished second in the 400-meter run preliminary race of the Horizon League Indoor Championship at the WATTS on Saturday afternoon, she was, as she put it, “basically a bum for the rest of the day.
“I’ll go home and make my own dinner — pasta and all that — and then just lay there and watch movies,” Shiley said to describe her preparation in going for her third straight HL Indoor Championship title in the 400m race today at 1:40 p.m. “I’ll try to stay off my feet as much as possible.”
It’s ironic.
Nowadays, for situations like this weekend, Shiley has great reason to stay off her feet. But not long ago, the 2011 Austintown Fitch graduate was forced off her feet for about one year — and for terrible reason.
During the 2011 Ohio high school state championship meet, Shiley, a standout sprinter/hurdler, tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in one of her knees after tripping over a hurdle.
She certainly has recovered nicely as today she’ll try to become the first Horizon League runner to win three consecutive 400m races at the indoor league meet.
“It would mean the world to me,” said Shiley, who underwent knee reconstruction with three surgeries and a screw in her knee. “Coming back from the high school injury, it was a long, rough battle.”
Added YSU track and field coach Brian Gorby: “To see the adversity she’s come through and competing for all these championships — if there’s a comeback story for Youngstown State track and field, she’s it.”
Initially, Gorby thought Shiley’s devastating injury would mark the end of her track career. However, she spent approximately one year rehabbing (much of the time with YSU assistant athletic trainer Todd Burkey) before returning as a sophomore for the 2013 outdoor season.
Shiley won plenty at Fitch, setting records in the 300 hurdles, 4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, sprint medley and shuttle hurdle relay.
She won her first championship with YSU at the 2014 indoor conference championship meet by running a 56.50 in the 400m. She then won the event again at last year’s HL Indoor Championship meet with a time of 56.16 seconds.
She ran a 57.41 on Saturday, but is confident heading into today.
“It got me to the finals and I felt good during the race and that’s all that matters,” said Shiley, who also qualified for the finals in the 200m dash. “Plus, with the chance for [a third straight championship] in the back of my mind, I’m not gonna let anybody beat me.”
When she goes for the back-to-back-to-back title, Shiley will be sporting black paint under each eye, a common look for baseball and softball players, not track runners. It’s a look many of the Penguins women will be sporting as Shiley and fellow senior leader Nina Grambling use tactics like that to unify the team.
Also, for the second straight year, Shiley and Grambling decorated the YSU locker room prior to Saturday’s events (Shiley: “We get everybody pumped up, bring everybody goody bags. All that.”).
Gorby said: “She’s been a great leader. It’s not only what she does on the track, but she picks everyone up as well.
“What a great situation for the community to have someone from Austintown Fitch to come to YSU, a real state champion. She could have [gone] to a lot of places. So we’re very proud of her, especially winning championships after fighting back from that tragedy.”
Off her feet (and for good reason) Saturday night, Shiley will be full-go this afternoon with a chance to make history.
“It puts a lot of pressure on,” she said. “But then again, that pressure pushes me into wanting to get it. It’s gonna mean the world to me.”
SATURDAY ROUNDUP
Eight YSU men and nine women qualified for finals beginning today at 9 a.m.
Freshman and former Warren JFK standout Chad Zallow qualified in the 60 hurdles (7.75 seconds), 60 dash and 200m dash.
Others are: Caleb Lloyd (60 hurdles), Sam Shaviss (60 hurdles), Leighton Antonio (60 dash, 200 dash), Carl Zallow (60 dash, 200 dash), David Rivers III (60 dash), Lasander Washington (60 dash) and John Hutnyan (800 run).
The Penguins women, who are going for their third straight team title, are: Nina Grambling (60 dash, 200m dash), Taylor Thompkins (60 dash), Amber Eles (60 hurdles), Shatassa Walker (60 hurdles), Taylor McDonald (60 hurdles), Keishawnna Burts (200 dash) and Lavonte Powell (200 dash).
There were also a handful of finals events, as YSU’s Connor Neu (21.10 meters) and Jayne Corbett (16.40) took first place in the weight throw.
Meanwhile, Savannah Osborne (5.75) placed first in women’s long jump, Tyree Ballenger and Isaac Agyemang placed second and third in men’s long jump and Dylan Latone placed second in men’s pole vault. Also, Ryan Sullivan and Austin McLean took second and third in the 5,000 run.