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Niles’ Clinkscale wins 100, 200 titles
Howland’s Mauri captures 3,200
By BOB ETTINGER
AUSTINTOWN
Chante Clinkscale got a taste of what it was like to not have success as a freshman at the Division I District Track and Field Meet at Fitch Falcon Stadium. She went back as a sophomore unwilling to settle for anything less than victory.
“I came in with the mindset of winning,” Clinkscale said. “I watched a video today about not settling for second place.”
The Niles sprinter claimed district titles in the 100- and 200-meter dashes on Friday to qualify for the Division I regional meet at Austintown Fitch next week. She won the 100 in 12.41 and the 200 in 25.65.
“From last year, not even qualifying for the finals, this was huge,” Clinkscale said.
Vinny Mauri of Howland knew full well what a district title feels like and is on a quest for bigger game. He claimed the championship in the 3,200-meter run.
“I was trying to go out really fast,” Mauri said. “I wanted to be under 9:10 or under 9:00. I underestimated what it was going to be like being out [in front] alone. After a while, I shut it down and decided to wait another day.”
Mauri won in 9:26.51 in a field that included runner-up Giovanni Copploe of Canfield (9:33.00) and Mitchel Dunham of Boardman, who was fourth in 9:52.01.
“I’m not quite sure yet [what the goal is],” Mauri said. “Obviously, a state championship is in my mind. I have a sub-9 time in mind.”
Copploe claimed a win in the 1,600 with Dunham placing second.
“My goal was just to go out and win and try to break 4:30,” Copploe said. “That didn’t happen. I’ve got some work to do on that third lap.”
Copploe finished in 4:21.48.
“I was kind of surprised [at the gap back to Dunham],” Copploe said. “In my mind, I knew I was going to pull away with about 500 meters left. I just closed and got my goal.”
Dunham crossed the line in 4:28.04.
“He caught me at about 800 meters,” Dunham said. “I just thought I’d go with him until there was 400 to go and I’d have a chance at a quick time. [Copploe] just has good closing speed. He’s a very impressive runner.”
The Boardman boys got championship performances from David Merdich in the shot put and Ted Anzevino in the pole vault on their way to a second-place team finish. The 3,200-meter relay team of Jonah Bacho, Frank Bero, Dunham and Payton Torres was also victorious.
“After last week, coming up just short, after they had put their hearts out there,” Boardman coach John Phillips said. “The guys gave such a great effort I was worried there’d be a bit of a hangover coming into the district meet. I stressed to the coaching staff and to the kids that the season was not over and they had a chance to do something special at the same stadium and redeem themselves. On Wednesday [during prelims], they were awesome. Tonight, they were spectacular.”
Nate Leskovac of Fitch won the boys high jump while Taylor Bailey won the girls shot put and Madison Skelly claimed the win in the pole vault for Fitch.
Canfield’s Jimmy Maas took the win in the boys long jump and Madison Sisler of Howland won the girls high jump.
Fitch’s Tyree Mitchell, Deonte McKeever, Drew Bretsik and Ralph Fitzgerald won the 800-meter relay in 1:30.90. In the 400-meter relay, Hallie Renda, Logan Franczkowski, Jenna Rodgers and Alena Williams were first across the line in 49.36.