AMHERST, Ohio - At last, the frustration is finished. Amherst finally got to celebrate winning its Comet Relays last Saturday for the first time since 1980. The Comets did it in style as they posted 100 points to distance Brunswick at 68, Medina with 64, Mentor at 63 and the other 19 schools. Coach Rob Glatz, who also coaches the boys side,...
AMHERST, Ohio - At last, the frustration is finished. Amherst finally got to celebrate winning its Comet Relays last Saturday for the first time since 1980.
The Comets did it in style as they posted 100 points to distance Brunswick at 68, Medina with 64, Mentor at 63 and the other 19 schools. Coach Rob Glatz, who also coaches the boys side, said his team was aware of the long drought.
"We sat down at the beginning of the season and wanted to focus on it," said Glatz, a science teacher in his seventh coaching season. "We were the host and excited about it. I thought it was going to be closer. It was neat to win it on our home track."
The Comets got a first place from senior Sara Moore in the 300-meter hurdles and a second in the 100 jumps. Senior Erin Kasper had the top high jump at 5-4 to help her team win that event and she was on the school-record shuttle hurdles (1:09.10) that included Amber Slavik, Gaby Northheim and Moore. Kasper scored Amherst's lone points (3) by finishing sixth in the high jump at last year's Division I meet.
The quartet of Bakita Hill, Sher Champe, Becki Stuckart and Brianaa Shagoval won the 800 sprint medley in a school-record 1:50.30 and were second in the 4x100. Lauren Sturgeon replaced Hill in the grouping in a fourth-place effort in the 4x400.
Alexis Szivan, Champe, Riley Schenk and Cassie Vance won the distance medley in 12:47.43. Vance was second in the 3,200 and Szivan was fourth in the 3,200.
While there is a good measure of satisfaction, Glatz has tempered some of the good fortune. He pointed out teams, especially Brunswick, were shorthanded because athletes missed the meet to play in a soccer showcase.
"The Berea Relays [on Friday] are going to be interesting," said Glatz, whose club won the Lorain County Invitational. "It will take another team effort to win Berea."
Solid Shoregal:Avon Lake senior Christine Bohan showed her workhorse ethic at Amherst. She had the top throw in the shot put at 40-03, the best pole vault at 11-0, second-best high jump at 5-2 and was fourth in the discus at 110-09.
Bohan was seventh in the high jump and ninth in the pole vault at the Division I state meet a year ago.
Getting close:Gilmour Academy did not win the Trinity Invitational, but coach Jeff Klein was feeling good about his Lancers. They scored 34 points during the last four events to give Bay a scare down the stretch.
How close was it?
Well, Bay had 86 points to Gilmour's 85 going into the finishing 4x400 relay. Credit the Rockets for rallying to win the event and earn 10 points, Gilmour taking third for six points.
"The final outcome could have gone either way," said Klein, a science teacher in his 18th season as head coach. "Scoring 91 points is a great job. I think we're rounding into shape."
Which is right where you want to be at this time of year. Gilmour has four Division III state titles (2005-06-07 (tie), 2009) and two runner-up finishes (2008, 2010). The Lancers were sixth a year ago.
Experienced senior Alexis Anton won the 800 and anchored the winning 4x800 relay. Senior Briah Owens was second in both the 100 and 200, dropping the 100 to Bay freshman Olivia Bechtel by .01 second.
Anton and Owens, along with freshman Brooke Zedar and sophomore Anna Impullitti, were third to strong Division II winner Orange and Division III rival Elyria Catholic.
Freshman Hannah Markel and sophomore Caitlin Whetstone were second and third, respectively, to defending Division III champion Alexandra Markovich in the 3,200. Junior Halle Markel and freshman Catherine Dolohanty, were third and fourth, respectively, to winner Markovich in the 1,600.
"I think we'll put up some points [at state]," said Klein.
Busy Griffin:Buchtel junior Emani Griffin put in her usual long day on Saturday at Cleveland Heights' Weingart Relays.
Aptly named for her school, Griffin won the 1,600 in 5:43.32, anchored the winning 4x800 relay and was fourth in the 3,200 in 13.15.43.
"If you want to be the best, you've got to push yourself," said Griffin, who would have run an open 800 if it had been in the meet. "I went 2:15 (in the 800) over the summer in the Junior Olympics and that's what I'm shooting for."
Veteran Buchtel coach John Scott said he is not wary of asking too much from his distance ace.
"I'm of the school to undertrain rather than overtrain," said Scott, in his 34th season with the Griffins. "I know they have to build up their aerobic capacity, but I don't have them run a lot of miles. I believe you get fast by running fast."
Sophomore Simone Green did her sprint thing by winning the 100, along with two second-place and a third-place relay. Buchtel took third place in the standings, Cuyahoga Falls winning the meet and host Cleveland Heights second.
Bragging rights will be at stake Saturday when the first Fleet Feet Summit County Championships is hosted by Nordonia.
"I'm going to show up and chill out," said Griffin, gearing up for the stretch run to Columbus.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168
On Twitter: @JoeMaxse