May 21, 1999

MAL fares well at Division III track championships

By Ed Fox
Sports Writer

PEMBERVILLE -- Midland Athletic League teams enjoyed a great deal of success during the first day of the Division III district track and field championships at Eastwood High School Thursday.

Calvert led the way, qualifying three individuals and a relay to next week's regional at Fostoria.

St. Wendelin qualified a pair of relays and Hopewell-Loudon qualified two individuals. Lakota and Mohawk advanced one individual apiece and New Riegel had a relay extend its season.

Area teams won titles in four of the seven events held on the first day of the meet which will conclude with field events at 12:30 p.m. and running event finals at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Calvert senior Sara Riley and Hopewell-Loudon junior Andy Hiser helped area teams sweep the weights. Riley continued her record-setting pace with a throw of 131 feet, 10 inches, to win the girls discus while Hiser claimed the boys shot put with a heave of 48-11.

Lakota senior Wendy Fraley also won the girls high jump with a leap of five feet and the St. Wendelin quartet of Matt Urbanski, Mike Smith, Jerrod Guillen and Matt Smith prevailed in the boys 4 x 800 relay with 8:12.8.

Calvert garnered a pair of seconds including Sheena Werling in the girls high jump at 5-0 and the quartet of Josh Kerschner, Brad Hammer, Ryan Schumm and Matt Hammer in the boys 4 x 800 relay with 8:26.1.

Another runner-up finish came from the New Riegel girls 4 x 800 relay team of Jami Rosier, Dawn Faeth, Amber Beckley and Leslie Reinhard with 10:18.3.

Finishing third for area teams were Calvert senior Ian Cook in the boys shot put with 46-5 1/2 and the St. Wendelin girls 4 x 800 relay team of Emily Krupp, Audra Reinhard, Madeline Dy and Jolene Faeth in 10:20.8.

There were also a pair of fourths from Nicole Clouse of Mohawk in the girls high jump (4-10) and David Clouse of Hopewell-Loudon in the boys pole vault at 10-6.

After breaking the MAL record last Saturday, Riley eclipsed her own school record on her final attempt during the prelims of the discus. It was also the best effort by anyone in the area this season.

"I felt it (throw of 131-10) was better than the others," said Riley. "I wanted to go three feet better than I ever had. It really helps to get pushed by someone (Weyer of Sandusky St. Mary's was second with 128-0). I feel like I'll be more focused from now on because I don't have to concentrate on so many events."

Riley was sixth at the state last year with a throw over 121 feet.

Although Hiser was well short of his season best (50-3), he led the way after a toss of 48-6 3/4 during the prelims. That held up until his final attempt of the day which was the eventual winning toss.

"I had the throw of 50 feet at the Riverdale Invite, but hit a real drought last week at the league meet," said Hiser. "I've really been working on my speed and slide and wanted to be a lot faster with my delivery. I was also throwing too low and wanted to get more lift. I would really like to break the record (51 feet) of my coach David Hossler who set the record in 1987."

With only one new member this year, the St. Wendelin boys 4 x 800 relay team is pointing to a new school record.

"The kids really ran a good race and Urbanski really had a great leadoff split for us," said St. Wendelin mentor Brian Rosendale. "I thought Matt Smith also did a great job closing it out for us. The two in the middle (Mike Smith and Guillen) also did a nice job. They really want to get that school record (8:11) and could do it when they get pushed."

The Mohawks were sixth in the state last year and Matt Smith has replaced Jaymes Mennel who graduated.

Fraley displayed a great deal of confidence after winning the high jump.

"I really felt confident and felt I had to be a real leader for the team," said the talented senior. "This is my third trip to the regional. I've went 5-2 at the Fostoria Invite and last year and it would've been nice to have went 5-2 today. I was trying to play mind games with the other girls. I waited to see what they did before I attempted 5-2. You've got to work mind games with them because those are the same girls you'll face next week at the regional."

Woodmore leads the boys standings after four of the 16 events with 22 points while St. Wendelin is next with 21.

"For the most part, we had a great day," said Rosendale. "I was especially happy over the girls 4 x 800 relay. Krupp had a great leadoff and Dy was inserted as the third leg on that relay and they had a season best by 25 seconds."

Calvert is fifth with 17 points in the boys race and Hopewell-Loudon is next with 15.

"We had a good first day with the only disappointment coming in the boys 4 x 100 relay as they dropped the baton and was disqualified. They would've qualified for Saturday's finals," said Calvert mentor Stewart Behm. "The team of Joni Harvey, Sabrina Seitz, Ashley Deats and Werling had the fastest time in the 4 x 200 relay with a season-best 1:49.8 and our boys 4 x 400 relay team of the Hammer twins (Brad and Matt), Schumm and Todd Iannantuono was also fastest with 3:28.8. We had a lot of PRs (personal records) and we had everybody advance on that we figured to."

Hopewell-Loudon head coach Tom Weaver was also beaming over the fact that two boys qualified for the regional.

"Hiser was fifth at the district by one-half inch last year and it's really rewarding to see him advance on after that disappointment," said Weaver. "He's got 50 feet in his mind and I think he is capable of coming up with a big toss soon. Clouse has been very consistent in the pole vault and tied his PR. He was a pleasant surprise and had to battle (Charlie) Frankart of St. Wendelin in a jump-off for the final regional spot. Both of them missed at 11-0, both missed at 10-9 and David cleared 10-6 and Frankart missed. He really handled the pressure well. The girls also had a PR by six of seven seconds in the 4 x 800 relay with sixth place in 10:42.8 and they were in the hunt for a regional spot most of the race."

Sandusky St. Mary's leads the girls standings with 22 points, followed by Calvert with 19, Lakota with 17. Hopewell-Loudon is sixth with nine points and New Riegel has eight.

"They had a season-best by nine seconds and that was a super effort by them," said New Riegel head coach Tim Atkinson. "The girls really met the challenge and this is the first time a 4 x 800 relay team has made it to the regional. They also set a school record and Beckley is the only senior among the group. Rosier got the girls off to a great start with a 2:31 opening split."