Saturday, May 21, 2016
By john bassetti
NEW MIDDLETOWN
The discus cage where Iva Domitrovich launched her Division III district track meet-winning distance of 130 feet 7 inches stands just yards from a garden behind a house on state Route 170.
Just like the strong start evident by the vegetable plants’ growth in the backyard plot, Domitrovich’s Friday effort cultivated enough points to help propel the McDonald girls to their fifth district championship.
But it wasn’t an easy road to hoe because the Blue Devils didn’t nail down the crown until winning the day’s final event, the 4x400 for a half-point edge over runner-up Springfield, 117 to 116.5.
“Our girls never gave up when it seemed dismal,” McDonald girls coach Mary Domitrovich said of recapping the season during a post-meet huddle with her team on Springfield’s oval.
“We had a lot of unfortunate circumstances with injuries, but quite a few sophomores and freshmen stepped up quickly,” Domitrovich said. “That’s been the theme all season long and I’m pleased to see that from them.”
In-between Iva Domitrovich’s discus win and her leadoff a role in the 4x400, the senior won the 200 (26.22) to qualify for the Navarre regional in three events. The a niece of Mary Domitrovich and McDonald boys coach Lou Domitrovich placed fifth in the 100.
The top four finishers in each event advanced to next week’s regional.
Likewise, the McDonald boys repeated as champion for a ninth straight time. Coach Lou Domitrovich’s crew rolled up 116 points, while second-place Mineral Ridge had 68.
McDonald seniors Sara Joseph and Domitrovich andfreshmen Jessica Stamp and Olivia Perry combined for a 4x400 time of 4:13.58 to beat out Crestview (4:15.73) and third-place Springfield (4:16.07).
Domitrovich set a meet record in the 200 semis (25.98), while teammate Malina Mitchell set a meet mark in the 1,600 (5:06.26).
“We focused on team goals — relays and otherwise,” Iva Domitrovich said while standing in the infield after the 4x400. “We knew Springfield, United and Crestview would be fierce competitors, but everybody pulled together.”
In 2015, Iva Domitrovich was a regional qualifier in the discus, 100, 200 and 4x400. “It’s a tough regional, but we’ll just take it practice by practice,” Domitrovich said of next week’s preparation.
Springfield got a boost from senior twins Courtney and Caitlyn Cyrus, the daughters of Alan and Cindy Cyrus.
Courtney won both hurdle events: the 100 hurdles in 15.84 and 300 hurdles in 46.89. She also ran on the third-place 4x400. She placed sixth in the 200. A year ago, Courtney Cyrus qualified for regionals in both hurdle events and the 4x400. She finished fourth at state in the 100 hurdles.
On Friday, Caitlyn Cyrus was runner-up in the 100 hurdles (16.25) and the 100 (13.07). Her 16.25 was a personal best. Caitlyn also qualified for regionals in the 4x200.
Springfield senior Quinn Crowe won the shot put with a throw of 38 feet 5 inches and was discus runner-up behind Domitrovich with a toss of 129-7. Crowe will make her third straight regional appearance in both events. In 2015, Crowe placed ninth at state in the discus.
Crowe and the Cyrus twins are also Springfield volleyball players.
Among boys, Western Reserve’s Todd James (T.J.) Henry was a double winner in the shot put and discus, while Lisbon’s Seth Stokes won the high jump. Valley Christian’s Frederick Hicks placed fourth in the shot.
Previously, Henry, a senior, hadn’t won a field event at the district meet. He hit the jackpot with a shot put throw of 49 feet 8 inches following a winning discus throw of 149-6 inches on Wednesday.
In 2015, Henry was seventh in the shot put at Navarre. His career-best shot put of 52-11 came this season during a meet with South Range and Malvern.
When asked if he competed in other events this week, Henry said, “Two field events are enough. I’m not built to run.”
During the football season, Henry played middle linebacker and left tackle.
Stokes won on Friday with a career-best jump of 6-0, while no other competitors cleared above 5-10.
“I feel good, but have to get better form,” the 16-year-old sophomore said of qualifying for regionals for the first time. His 6-6 was also a school record, breaking his own previous mark of 6-5 æ set during a season-opening meet on March 29.
On Friday, the 6-foot-1 Stokes attempted 6-8 but missed. But his immediate goal is just to win at Navarre and qualify for state.
“It [6-8] is a goal of mine, but [at Navarre] whatever second place is I’ve got to jump higher than that.”
Hicks, a junior, had a shot put distance of 45-3 º to reset a school record he broke twice previously — 44-7 in the prelims and 43-11 in a dual meet with Warren JFK.