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Vaulting: All in the family for Smith
By Gary Housteau
The best story within the story at Saturday’s Division II regional finals involves Jackie Smith, the pole vaulter from Lakeview who took second place.
“It’s awesome because last year I kind of had a bum knee and I got eighth place so now it’s kind of nice to be at the top of the podium and get second,” Smith said. “It’s what I’ve been working for all season.”
She had a good feeling when the day began.
“I’ve been working hard and I woke up this morning thinking about breaking 10-foot and I finally did it,” said Smith, who recorded a 10-00 even vault. “It’s a relief honestly and it’s exciting so I’m looking forward to Columbus next weekend.”
Smith, a senior, is making her first trip to the state meet.
“I had one shot and I did it,” she said. “It’s a big thrill.”
Her vault coach Pat Smith, who happens to be her dad, had something to do with it.
“I love my Dad, he got his license so I could pole because my junior year we didn’t really have a solid pole vault coach,” Smith said. “So he kind of was nice and stepped up and he was able to get his pole vault license and help out.
“I couldn’t do it without him.”
It’s an extra special accomplishment for the Smith family.
“It really is,” Smith said. “And to have my Dad there with me with all the practices and the frustrations and all the happy moments, like today. It’s really nice.”
Of course her dad was right there with her by her side.
“I’m extremely proud as a dad,” Pat Smith said. “And I’m very proud as a coach. She’s just a great kid and she wants to vault for Wright State and hopefully when she goes to Wright State as a student in the fall she’ll have a chance to vault there.”
With the exception of Girard’s Collin Harden, who won the 300 hurdles and finished second in the 110 hurdles, there weren’t any other individual first-place finishers until the last individual race. Even Hubbard’s George Hill from Hubbard, who ran a 10.60, lost to Streetsboro’s two-time defending state champ Dakari Carter, with a 10.50, in the 100 meters.
But along came Hubbard’s John Marenkovic who took first place in the 3200 meters with a time of 9:41.09. Marenkovic was still feeling the ill effects from his winning well after he got down from the top of the podium. But he said it was all worth it.
“Definitely,” Marenkovic said. “Throughout the entire race I was like ‘there’s no way I can do this,’ because I knew one kid run a 9:06 and there were like five others who were in the 9:40s.
“So I just brought it the best I could today.”
He’s been working for this day for the longest time.
“I’ve been running since the end of my freshman year,” Marenkovic said. “Ever since then it’s just been a lot of long lonely training runs.”
Now he just wants to make on the podium at state in his first trip to the state meet.
“The goal is to place in state,” Marenkovic said. “I’m going to Slippery Rock University next year so I’m set no matter what I do.
“But I really just want to drive it home in my last week here.”
A few other Trumbull County performers finished in second place.
After finishing fifth in the 100 meters at 10.94, LaBrae junior Tariq Drake took second to Carter in a time of 21.66.
“I’m just a newcomer to track this year. It’s my first year ever running track,” Drake said. “I’m just trying to work as hard as I can, trying to get to state. The more I started running, the better and better I did. I finished second and it was a pretty good race.
“It was a great feeling.”
It’s obviously his first time to the state meet.
“It’s very exciting,” Drake said. “I’m just trying to hold in my emotions and do better at state.”
Girard’s Makayla Trebella took second in the 800 meters in a time of 2:18.50.
“This is my first time going in an individual race and it’s honestly a dream. I can’t believe it happened,” Trebella said. “I worked so hard for this all season.
“Last year I got sixth place in the eighth, my first year running it, and this year coming back and getting second is just amazing,” Trebella said. “I’m so thankful and grateful.”
Trebella, a junior, made it to state in the 4x200 with her sister Caitlyn when she was a freshman.
“She’s here today,” Trebella said. “She’s pole vaulting for YSU now. She got fourth at conference and she broke the YSU record for pole vault.
“She actually cried once I crossed the finish line because she was just so happy for me to see the success. “She tells me every single time ‘I want to put a jersey on and run with you again,’ she misses it so much,” Trebella said. “It’s so special.”
Newton Falls’ Kayla Barreca finished second in the girls discus with a throw of 145.08.
“I started off today and I was in the 130s and I had a really good warm up so I feeling good about today,” Barreca said. “I was just hoping to throw well and make it to Columbus again.”
Barreca, another junior, finished sixth in the state last year with a mark of 128-01. Her throw in the regional finals this year would have been good enough to take first at state last year.
“I think getting sixth last year as a sophomore was really good for me,” Barreca said. “I didn’t think I would get out of regionals and I got on the podium at state.
“So knowing that I can get on the podium if I throw well is good for me to know. I don’t think my nerves will be as bad this year. I’ll know the arena, I’ll know my competition and I’ll go and throw.”
Poland’s Juliana Kreatsoulas, a senior, finished fourth in the discuss at 131-05. Her sister Nicolette took second as a senior at state last year at 137-08. Juliana Kreatsoulas, who took third in the shot put on Thursday at 39-10.25, didn’t make it out of the regionals last year.
Poland senior Gino Centofanti is making his first individual trip to the state meet in the 200, finishing fourth at 22.39. He pulled out of the 100 meters. And teammate Doug Rutana made it in the 110 hurdles, finishing fourth in a time of 14.74.
In addition to Harden and Trebella of Girard, junior Emily Marsico took third in the 100 hurdles in a time of 15.13.
“I was so psyched,” Marsico said after she finished her race. “I started tearing up because I worked so hard for this moment, like all off season, and I just wanted it so bad. It’s my first time [to state]. It’s a huge deal, it’s boosted my confidence so much and I’m so happy I made it.”
LaBrae freshman Dynesty Ervin will make the trip to Columbus after finishing fourth in the 200 in the time of 25.38. Ervin just missed out on the 100 earlier in the day, finishing fifth in a time of 12.48.
Zach Page of Champion finished fourth in the shot put at 49-00.50.