Boardman boys track team sends athletes to regionals

The Boardman boys track team will send eight athletes to the 2016 OHSAA Regional Championship after finishing third overall at this year’s district championship hosted at Fitch High School.

Spartan senior Brendon Lucas dominated the sprint events, finishing first in the 100, 200 and 400. Lucas’s time of 49.12 in the 400 set a new BHS record besting Dayne Hammond’s mark of 49.20 set in 2012. Lucas also was a part of the Spartan 4x400 relay team along with classmates Kris Santilli and Nathan Hadley and junior Kobe Adu-Poku that placed third and earned a regional spot.

“Brendon’s performance at the district meet is something that rarely occurs at the Division I level,” said Boardman Head Coach John Phillips. “Add to that setting a school record and aiding in a regional qualifying relay is a night that will not be duplicated in a long, long time.”

The Spartan 4x800 relay team of Hadley, Adu-Poku, junior Chris Butler and junior Nathaniel Ams qualified for the regional after placing fourth in a season best time of 8:16. Butler also earned a trip to the regional championship by placing third in the 1600 in a career best time of 4:28.

“Chris Butler has become one of the best distance runners in the area over the past two years,” said Phillips. “His work ethic and dedication is a great example for younger runners to follow.”

Boardman will also send two athletes in the field events to the regional championship with senior Jason Jama in the shot put and junior George Wallace in the discus. Jama placed third with a career best throw of 53 feet 11.25 inches and Wallace earned his trip to regional with a throw of 149 feet 7 inches also a career best throw.

“Very happy for Jason and George,” said Phillips. “Our district has excellent throwers and to make it to regional is not easy.”

The Spartans scored in a variety of events including the pole vault with juniors Richard Fisher and Don Lewis placing sixth and seventh overall in career best vaults of 11 feet. Sophomore Justice Jama was tied for eighth in the high jump tying a career best with a jump of 6 feet. Hadley placed fifth in the 800 with a career best run of 1:58, and Adu-Poku was seventh in the 400 with a time of 53.71. The 4x200 relay team of Santilli, senior Cannon Carlile, sophomore Ethan Himes and freshman Manny Perez placed seventh overall in a season best time of 1:34.76.

The work ethic of the team and the job of the coaching staff Rick Sypert, Jason Armburger, Ashlee Frazzini, John Depietro, John Pallini, Doug Kephart and John Phillips Sr. have placed Boardman in an excellent position.