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Lucas, Hallof dominate D-I regional at Fitch
Canfield’s Hallof dominates discus on first day of meet
By GARY HOUSTEAU
AUSTINTOWN
After coming out of nowhere to win the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes in the D I district tournament last week, Brendon Lucas of Boardman certainly came into the regional tournament with a lot of momentum.
But after qualifying sixth in the 100, winning the 400 and qualifying eighth in the 200, it’s back to the drawing board for Lucas, who was completely exhausted after his team had a 10th place finish in the 4x400 to end the evening.
“I’m pretty shot right now,” said Lucas while he was bent over at the water trough.
“I didn’t get a lot of rest in between the 400 and the 200, that’s kind of what did it. I’ll probably come back a lot better Friday, because I’ll have the 300-meter hurdle finals and the 800 in between the 400 and 200.
“And sadly our 4x400 didn’t make it but we put in all our effort for the season and we just have to be happy with the results.”
The game plan for Lucas was mainly focused on the 400 coming into the preliminaries and he ran the top time in 48.81.
“I won that. I’m pretty happy,” he said. “I broke my personal record.”
And his goals are still aimed high for Friday.
“Hopefully I can get the 100 to state, the 400 and the 200 to state next weekend,” Lucas said. “I’m going to come back Friday with a lot of confidence. I want to be in the top four in the 100, and win the 400 and 200. Maybe even the triple crown, who knows.”
Lucas really believes it’s doable.
“I think so. I just need to work on the mechanics of everything,” said Lucas who claims a bad start in the 100 caused that disappointing result. “And obviously be a lot more ready for the 200 with the break.”
After missing out on his entire track season in his junior year with an Achilles Heal, Lucas wants to make the most of the opportunity in front of him.
“I wasn’t anything last year. This is really big for me,” Lucas said. “This is definitely my breakout season, coming off an injury. I didn’t even think I was going to be able to come back originally but I just kept pushing.”
So he’s been aiming for something like this for a long time.
“The districts were a big accomplishment for me but I still didn’t feel like I was done with my job,” Lucas said. “I still want to show everybody that I can compete for a state championship and prove everybody wrong. It would be huge for me.”
Although Lucas has never been to the state meet, he really thinks he can at least win the 400.
“Today I was pushed for the first time (in the 400) from (Brian)Tillman. It was a really good race and Friday is going to be another good race,” Lucas said. “Hopefully I’ll have the momentum going into state and show them. I’ll just leave everything out on the track. I want to bring a state title to Boardman again.”
On his third toss of the discus, Andrew Hallof let it rip and the discus landed 187-03 away which was good enough for a first-place finish and it earned him a third consecutive trip to the state meet.
“It couldn’t have gone any better. I’m very happy,” Hallof said. “I’m on to the next step now. So I’ll get a couple of nice practices in this week and show up, hopefully.”
Hallof, who will throw for Youngstown State next year, had a great day actually.
“I PR’d my wheel, which is like a base throw,” Hallof said. “My PR was 189-00, it was in a tri-meet but there weren’t any OHSAA officials there so it wasn’t an official mark as my PR. So this is my best official mark.”
The third time could be a charm at the state meet for Hallof.
“I placed third last year and I was seventh as a sophomore,” he said. “One step at a time. We’ll get better.”
So another chance at the title is what he’s been working for all along.
“I was a three-sport athlete up until this year,” Hallof said. “I cut out basketball, I put on 40 pounds and that’s going to help you a lot. I just wasn’t strong enough last year or the year before, it’s as simple as that. I just wasn’t strong enough and I wasn’t big enough.”
He just wants to perform to the best of his ability in Columbus.
“I’m going down there and with my three guaranteed throws, hopefully I’ll get to the finals,” Hallof said. “And if I get to the finals, Lord willing, I want to make sure my last two or three throws are my best and I end on a positive note. I want to end with my best throw. I don’t want leave anything out there. I just want to finish as best as I personally can do.”
The girls of Warren Harding were at it again.
Justice Richardson won her heat in the 100meters at 12.27 but only had the third fastest qualifying time in the event. The defending 100 meter champion, she has not lost an individual 100 meter race this year. And Richardson finished second in her heat in the 200 meters and qualified with the fourth fastest time overall in 25.42.
Aisha Jackson won her heat in the 110 hurdles and qualified with the second fastest time overall in 14.63.
The 4x200 won their heat and had the fastest qualifying time overall.
The 4x100 won their heat and had the fastest qualifying time overall.
And Gariana Bercheni won her heat in the 300 hurdles in a time of 44.52.