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Raiders’ Bercheni finishes state quest with personal bests
By GARY HOUSTEAU
AUSTINTOWN
Warren Harding’s Justice Richardson and her relay mates will be heading to the state track meet after taking care of business in the Division I regional at Fitch, but a number of first-timers also will make the trip to Columbus.
The most emotional of them all was one of Harding’s relay performers in the 4x100 and 4x200. Gariana Bercheni. Bercheni, a senior, set two individual PR’s in the 100 and 300 hurdles.
“I’m very, very happy with my performance today,” Bercheni said. “Two very big PR’s and placements in the 100 hurdles and 4x200 and 4x100 and 300 hurdles. I can’t be any happier.”
Winning the 300 in 43.23 was obviously the highlight of her day.
“I’ve been running this for three years and this is a very big accomplishment for me,” said Bercheni with tears in her eyes. “I’ve been looking forward to this day.”
She’s never made it to Columbus in an individual event.
“This is very big to make it down in two events individually,” Bercheni said. “It’s really, really big for me.”
And as a bonus she beat Aisha Jackson in the 100 hurdles. Bercheni at 14.47 and Jackson at 14.61, finished third and fourth, respectively, to both advance to state.
“It’s the first time ever that I beat her in the 100s,” she said. “And I PR’d by that much. My PR was 14.92 and to drop that much, it’s amazing to me.”
And as the tears flowed and the voice cracked she had one more comment about making it to Columbus.
“This is really big for me,” she said. “I’ve been wanting this since my freshman year and it’s finally here. I finally have a chance to do it on my own.”
Chase Kern of Canfield will be making his first trip to Columbus after finishing third in the 1600 meters in 4;19.10.
“It’s a once in a lifetime thing,” Kern said. “It feels great. I felt real strong with a lap and half to go and I knew I could hang on if I wanted it. It was my last shot to get down to Columbus in my high school career so I really wanted it.”
Kern, a senior, was in the regionals all four years but he was on the outside looking in until now.
“It’s everything I’ve ever been working for,” Kern said. “It’s one of the biggest accomplishments of my life. I get to race all of the best guys in Ohio.”
It’s been a long and arduous road for Kern but it’s all worth it now
“I’ve kind of been on my own since my freshman year. It’s just been me, my dad and my coaches pushing it to this point and we finally got it,” he said. “I was looking up at my parents on the podium and to see them smile makes me smile just to know we did it.”
Lauren Dolak of Fitch literally fell into a fourth-place finish in the 800 meters in a time of 2:12.91 and a first trip ever to the state meet.
“I let the top pack get far away so when I was coming around the last turn I knew I was going to have to kick really hard if I wanted to go to state,” Dolak said. “So I just focused on the girl in front of me and tried to get as close as I could.”
Well she caught her at the finish line.
“It came down to the last meter and I like dove,” Dolak said. “I knew that was what I was probably going to have to do.”
Just a sophomore, she reached her preseason goal.
“I’ve been working really hard and my goal this year was to get to state,” Dolak said. “So I’m happy with what I did. It’s a really big deal. My whole family came to watch me run.”
And finally two young ladies from East are headed to Columbus for the first time as well.
The freshman sprinter Jahniya Bowers, who raced Richardson in the 100 meters, probably didn’t know any better. In her first regional meet she took second placed in 12.03 as Richardson set a regional record time of 11.78
“I just knew I had to come in first or second, that was my only option,” said a confident young Bowers. “I couldn’t come in third. I couldn’t let anybody beat me but the state champ.”
She was happy with her performance.
“It was good coming in second,” Bowers said. “I’m excited. I want to place in Columbus. It’s my first year and I want to see how it is.”
Her teammate at East, Khiara Price, a junior, placed fourth in the long jump at 16-04.5 and earned her first trip to Columbus.
“It’s my first time. It’s a big thrill. I’m excited,” Price said. “I wanted to jump a 17, I can do it. But unfortunately today I wasn’t able to do it. But at state I will.”
She’s been working toward this since seventh grade.
“I can’t explain it. It’s awesome,” Price said. “It was a huge goal. Of course I’ll be nervous but I can do it. I want to get first place in Columbus. I know I’ll give it my all.”
Brendon Lucas, the senior from Boardman, finished first in the 400 meters at 48.46. He will be making his first trip to Columbus. Lucas had hoped to hit the trifecta but he finished sixth in the 100 and barely missed making it in the 200 with a fifth-place finish in the 200.