by Steve Batko
Correspondent
The Woodridge class of 2008 ended their home track careers in grand fashion at the Mercer Track as the boys and girls beat Rootstown April 29.
Great balance led the Lady Bulldogs to an 88-40 victory, while the boys defeated the Rovers 96-32 on a cold day. The girls are 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the Portage Trail Conference County Division while the 4-0 boys upped their league record to 4-0.
Woodridge coaches Jim Swetter and Jeff Howard think their teams will make plenty of noise in the league championships and in the post season.
The teams competed in the May 3 Lakeview Invitational, but results weren't available as of press time. The teams run May 6 at East Canton in a PTC meet with James A. Garfield. On May 9, Woodridge runs in the Jackson Twilight Invitational.
As the Lady Bulldogs remain undefeated in the history of the PTC, the boys squad, unofficially led by Swetter, is also loaded with talent.
"Jack Monegan, Tony Marette, Brian Himelright, Matt Weiss, Keenan Mussey, and Danny Conner ended brilliant careers as they remain alone atop the PTC," said Howard.
Winners for the Bulldogs against Rootstown included Himelright, Weiss, junior Joe White, junior Mike Rhodes, freshman Jawan Canty, Conner, sophomore Adam Wagner, sophomore Brandyn Peters, Mussey, freshman Vibush Sivakumaran, freshman Sebastian Dodds, sophomore Anthony Kelly, freshman Jimmy Charles, sophomore Jason Washington, freshman Josh Conner, sophomore Justin Fawley, and sophomore Nick Barracato.
Pacing the girls unit in the dual was freshman Maria Moore, freshman Morgan Willis, junior Erin Mercer, senior Danielle Dougherty, junior Sarah Martter, freshman Vickie Jones, senior Julia Dougherty, senior Kymshya Jones, junior Sarah Turley, freshman Kasie Durkit, junior Emily Sabo, freshman Emelie Moeller, and sophomore Taylor Bills.
"We had a lot of girls contribute and other outstanding performances included (freshman) Katie Allaman, (sophomore) Tiffany Onifer, (freshman) Aniquke Brinson, and sophomore Becca Howdyshell," Howard said.
On April 26, the girls track team traveled to Wooster to compete in the 41st annual Triway Invitational and finished fourth in a deep meet.
"This meet featured many of the best Division II track programs in northern Ohio," said Howard. "The girls just missed a trophy and a top three finish."
Highlights included a 1-2 finish in the 800-meter race as Erin Mercer (2:27.1) and Willis (2:30) both ran well. This duo joined Danielle Dougherty and Moeller to win the 3,200 relay as well (9:51). Julia Dougherty finished second in both the jumps (5 feet in the high jump and 15-8.5 in the long jump) while Erin Mercer (5:22.1) and Emily Sabo (12:09.6) finished second in the 1,600 and 3,200, respectively. Danielle Dougherty was fourth in the 300 hurdles (49.2).
A tight girls race saw Orrville edge North Royalton 102.7-101 for the ladies title at Triway. Medina Highland was third (89.5), followed by Woodridge (83). The Lady Bulldogs beat strong teams from Smithville (79.2) and Shelby (70.2). Ontario (50) and West Holmes (41) were also in the mix.
Recent action also featured the return of Kym Jones to the track The senior state qualifier anchored the 400 relay to a modest eighth-place finish.
"The excitement was dampened by the removal of sprinter Liz Hetteberg from all of her races as she felt tighter than usual," said Howard. "It's not the time of year to take chances."
Orrville won the Triway boys crown 109-107 over Highland while Shelby was third (98). It was the third straight invitational title for Orrville. Woodridge netted 85 points as the locals finished ahead of powerful North Royalton (70). Smithville (45), Ontario (42) and Triway (21) were other solid clubs.
Himelright had a split of 57.5 (1:57.7) to lead the teamís winning 3,200 relay (8:05.2). He was joined by White, Weiss, and Marette. Himelright and White ran 1-3 in the 1,600 with times of 4:26.4 and 4:31.2, respectively. Marette and White were 2-3 in the open 800. Himelright won the 3,200 (9:55.3) while Rhodes had a personal record of 10:04 in placing third in the race.
Shelby standout Andy Knapp beat Marette in the open 800 (2:00.20) and ran in between Himelright and White in the 1,600 with a time of 4:27.40.
The 800 relay ran third (1:35) while the 400 cast was third in 44.7 seconds. The 800 included Conner, Kelly, Peters, and Mussey. The 400 had Conner, Kelly, Canty and Mussey. The 1,600 relay was third (3:40.4) with Mussey, Washington, Peters, and Conner (54.6 leg).
Conner had a personal record of 41.9 seconds in the 300 IM hurdles for fifth place while Fawley was sixth (43.0).
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