Friday, May 26, 2017
The Boardman boys track team will send seven athletes to the 2017 OHSAA Regional Championship after finishing fourth overall at this year’s District Championship at Fitch High School.
Spartan senior Chris Butler qualified in two individual events, placing second in the 1600 with a time of 4:27 and fourth in the 800-meter run in a time of 1:59. Butler also was a part of the Spartan 4x800 relay team along with classmate Koby Adu-Poku along with sophomores Trevor Boggess and Payton Torres that placed third in a season best time of 8:16 and earned a regional spot.
“Chris Butler has become one of the best distance runners, not just in Boardman, but in the state of Ohio over the past three years,” said Boardman Head Coach John 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 George Wallace in both shot put and discus and senior Don Lewis in the pole vault. Wallace was the district champion in the shot put with a throw of 51 feet 6.75 inches and finished fourth in disc with a throw of 156 feet 2 inches, Lewis placed fourth in the vault at career best 12 feet.
“George had a great meet,” said Phillips. “Our district has excellent throwers and we have not had a district champion in a throwing event in some time.”
The Spartans capped off the meet by placing fourth in the 4x400 with the team of Adu-Poku, junior Justice Jama and sophomores Josh Rodriguez and Eri Ojewale in season best time of 3:32.
The Spartans scored in a variety of events, including the high jump where Jama was seventh and senior Richard Fisher was eighth. Junior Steven Amstutz placed fifth in the shot put with a career-best throw of 49 feet 2.5 inches. Freshman Mitchel Dunham placed eighth in the 3200 in a career best run of 10:07.
“We have a great coaching staff here at Boardman. Jason Armburger, John Pallini, John DePietro, Ashlee Frazzini, Doug Kephart, Stephanie DeMain, Rick Sypert and John Phillips Sr. all do an excellent job year after year,” said Phillips. “But we also have great kids who work hard and trust the process year after year as well to make it all happen.”