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3 Blue Devils overcome adversity to qualify for Columbus
By BRIAN DZENIS
BERLIN CENTER
If any team is equipped to deal with adversity in the state track and field tournament, it’s Western Reserve.
All three Blue Devil athletes going to Columbus — shot putters T.J. Henry and Cheyenne Finney and 1600 runner Ashleigh Rowley — had to power through setbacks to make state.
Henry, a senior, entered last week’s regional in Navarre as a favorite to not only make state in the discus, but he had the highest-seeding throw.
“[Henry] and I were in agreement that it was his to lose,” throwing coach Brett Powell said.
After the first few throws, Henry was in fifth place. He never got higher and ended up in seventh.
“I did end up choking. It was pretty hard. I should have made it,” Henry said. “It added more fuel to the fire.”
Working out in his favor was that the shot put came after the discus. The Blue Devil middle linebacker had a place to vent his frustration.
“In discus, you have to stay relaxed. It’s easy to get overwhelmed,” Henry said. “You can be more aggressive in shot put and I was all angry up there.”
Making his throws from Fairless High School batting cage, Henry let his rage out and this time, he qualified and then some. He pushed the shot 48-08.5, good enough for first place. The senior is hoping to just place in his first trip to Columbus. He and his coach have already learned not to have any expectations based on seed.
“There’s guys with better throws, but it’s going to be about what the day brings,” Powell said.
Finney is slowly getting her shoulder back to normal after injuring it the week before the regional. She didn’t practice at all before recording her fourth-place distance of 36-00.50. She’s made regional as a freshman and sophomore, but now that she’s over the state hump, she thinks she can be a regular participant.
“I’ve choked the past two years, but my mindset has changed,” Finney said. “I’m a lot more confident in my form and my throwing and that I could make state again.”
Rowley dealt with two kidney stones prior to the start of districts.
“It was frustrating, but I tried to stay positive,” Rowley said. “Part of me thought my season was over.”
Rowley travels to Columbus with the third best time in the state 5:06.24. She credits becoming a more aggressive runner.
“My mentality was different, I wouldn’t push past people,” Rowley said. “I try not to think about other people on the track, it can get to you.”
All three have expectations to get on the podium. Competition begins Friday.
“It’s important to me to have my teammates out there with me,” Rowley said. “Having teammates with you makes [state] that much more fun.”