Springfield’s Cyrus twins eye state meet
By Brian Dzenis
NEW MIDDLETOWN
One of the most memorable moments of Caitlyn Cyrus’ time on Springfield’s track team was the trip to Columbus last year.
She got to see her twin sister, Courtney Cyrus, finish fourth in the 100 hurdles at the state championships, putting the Tigers on the map for track and field.
“Everyone was excited and the air surrounding everyone was just utter joy at being able to go and showing the state how a small school is able to compete with some of the others,” Caitlyn said.
The only thing that could have made it better was if she could have participated herself. The twins go everywhere together and are equals in nearly everything on and off the track. But Caitlyn has missed extended action in two of her four seasons because of injuries, including a pulled hamstring that cost her the chance to compete at state in the 4x200 relay.
This year, both sisters are ready to go to the Division III regionals at Fairless High School in Navarre on Wednesday. Caitlyn will race in the 100 dash and 4x200 relay and Courtney is competing in the 300 hurdles and 4x400 relay. Both will run the 100 hurdles.
“To be able to compete in every meet and get this far as a senior is great,” Caitlyn said. “I’ve thought about it a lot, if I could have abstained from having an injury, I’d be a lot faster than I am.”
Between the twins, they have four school records. Courtney holds both the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and the 4x400 relay.
“I’m kind of surprised with how I’ve performed the last years,” Courtney said. I’m glad I got where I have, but it’s been through a lot of hard work and with a lot of good coaches.”
Caitlyn is tied for the 100 dash record and should coach John Toy’s prediction pan out, she should have a share of the 4x400 relay record by the end of the season. They’ve been a steady tandem for their coach.
“If my whole team was those two, we’d be state champs,” Toy said.
Both girls are Springfield’s valedictorians and are driven by competition with each other.
“Neither Courtney nor I like to lose in any sort of way. Whether it’s on the court, the track or the classroom. If one scores better on a test, the other gets ribbed for it,” Caitlyn said. “If we run a race and whoever wins, they’ll start going over saying the other is faster.”
Caitlyn concedes just one event to her twin, the hurdles.
“I’m slower and I accept that fact,” Caitlyn said. “She’s had several more years of hurdling experience and she was able to go from four-stepping to three-stepping faster.”
Said Courtney: “I know she can be better, she just needs to work on her speed in between.”
The reigning state placer just wants to punch her ticket to Columbus again this week. If she can drop any of her times along the way, great, but it’s not a given to advance.
“It doesn’t make me overlook it because I know how tough this region is this year,” Courtney said. “Personally, I think it’s one of the hardest in the state so I know there will be a lot of competition Wednesday and Friday.
“I’m not trying to look too far ahead.”
The sisters will attend the University of Pittsburgh this fall. Each girl got an offer to walk on with Youngstown State’s track team, but decided against it. Caitlyn will study exercise therapy with an eye toward grad school for physical therapy or to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant. Courtney intends to study athletic physical therapy. Toy said when their time is done in New Middletown, hopefully some of what they bring on the track will have rubbed off on the rest of the team.
“There’s never any whining, it’s always, ‘Yes coach,’” Toy said. “It’s pretty rare. They do what they’re told and their work is beyond the average.
“I hope these younger girls see what their attitude is like as far as the work ethic and what being an athlete is like, I hope it percolates down.”