AMHERST — It must be an intimidating moment when an Elyria High sprinter signs up for the girls 400-meter relay team these days. But it’s also a badge of honor the Pioneers quartet wears with pride.
“Everywhere we go people point and go, ‘Hey, it’s the Elyria 4-by-100 team,” senior Torri Miller said. “And we’re like, ‘Man, we have to go out and win this again.’”
That’s the way it’s been for whatever foursome has grabbed the batons since the team of Maria Whitely, Christina Madison, Heather Davis and Tianna Madison won back-to-back state championships in 2002 and ’03. Their names still sit atop the Amherst Division I district meet record book, and they also own the state record — both set in 2003.
“We feel like we can’t let our school down, so we have to bring it every time,” Miller said. “If Elyria’s in it, we’ve got to win it.”
That’s exactly what the Pioneers did Friday night, as Alexis Filiaggi, Miller, Amani Wise and Burgandy Jones ran a 49.55 to come away with the district title, edging Southview.
“At the beginning of the season I didn’t think we’d be able to come out this hot at districts,” said Miller, who also qualified to the regional in the 100-meter dash. “I knew we could get a regional spot, but I didn’t think we’d win the district title.”
It was one of the few track-event wins by area girls. Southview junior Lashanda Arnold captured the 300-meter hurdles title and Westlake freshman Alesha Beverly won the 3,200.
But two other girls on the Demons squad had a big day by qualifying in three events. Junior Hanna Dixon and sophomore Megan Davis were part of Westlake’s regional-qualifying 800-meter and 1,600-meter relay teams, and each qualified in an individual event — Dixon in the long jump and Davis in the 400. They saved their criticism for the individual events.
“I think I went out too quick,” Davis said of the 400. “I was trying to chase the Midpark girl (winner Jade Barber) and I didn’t feel myself kick as well as I usually do.”
“I didn’t do as well as I’d hoped to do,” Dixon said of the long jump. “But I’m happy I qualified and now I get another chance to do better.”
Two area boys matched the duo’s feat of qualifying in three events — the same three. Southview senior Blake Witherspoon and North Olmsted junior Jordan Hoppel will compete in the 100, 200 and 400 relay at regionals next week at Amherst. Hoppel won the 100 district title and was a member of the winning 400 relay team, while Witherspoon came away with the 200 championship.
“We’re usually right next to each other the whole race,” Hoppel said. “He’s a good guy and I respect him … he’s legit.”
Hoppel had the second-best seeding time for the 100, but managed to edge Witherspoon at the finish line.
“I came in off a good week by winning four events at the (Southwestern) conference meet,” Hoppel said. “I built a lot of confidence.”
Witherspoon admitted confidence is probably what cost him the 100-meter title.
“I kind of came in a little too cocky,” he said. “I was thinking it was going to be a piece of cake like the semifinals, and I had to step it up another level.”
Witherspoon said the “upset” in the 100 gave him motivation in the 200, but he also had another reason to shine in the later event.
“I was running against my rival (Strongsville’s) Kendall Gregory,” he said. “We used to go to school together in (Lake Ridge Academy) middle school. We’ve been buddies ever since then and we’re always real competitive against each other.”
Other boys who won district track-event titles Friday were Olmsted Falls senior Matt Jurcak in the 100 hurdles, the Amherst 800 relay team of Shawn Chrapczynski, Justin Stump, Chris Schmittle and Brandon Kish and the North Olmsted 400 relay team of Cory Molnar, Keith Troyer, Pat Tomko and Hoppel.
The area’s athletes swept Friday’s field-event championships.
After capturing the discus title Wednesday, Midview senior Drew Ebersole threw a personal-best 62 feet, 7 1/2 inches to take down the shot put championship. That monstrous heave was still the secondary headline, as Olmsted Falls junior Katie Nageotte shattered the pole vault meet record when she cleared 12-3 — just 6 inches from the state record.
Also capturing field-event district titles Friday were Westlake juniors Alex James in the girls long jump and Bridget McNeill in the girls discus, and North Olmsted senior Chris Arlinghaus in the boys high jump.
Contact Shaun Bennett at 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com.
BOYS RESULTS
TEAM STANDINGS: Medina 100.75, Strongsville 97, North Olmsted 71, Amherst 55, Olmsted Falls 51.75, Midpark 50, Brunswick 46.5, Berea 38, Avon Lake 36.5, Southview 35, Midview 33, Westlake 26, Elyria 14.5, North Ridgeville 5, Admiral King 2.
110 Hurdles: Matt Jurcak (OF) 14.58; Belen (Med); Gore (Ber); Saintz (Midpark). 100: Jordan Hoppel (NO) 11.11; Witherspoon (SV); Anderson (E); Harder (OF). 800 Relay: Amherst (Shawn Chrapczynski, Justin Stump, Chris Schmittle, Brandon Kish) 1:31.01; Medina; Avon Lake; Berea. 1,600: Donny Roys (Med) 4:16.93; Alexander (ST); Stack (Midpark); Heaton (Med). 400 Relay: North Olmsted (Cory Molnar, Keith Troyer, Pat Tomko, Jordan Hoppel) 43.30; Olmsted Falls; Strongsville; Southview. 400: Kendall Gregory (ST) 48.55; Oblak (ST); Chrapczynski (A); Young (Ber). 300 Hurdles: Derek Halladay (ST) 38.69; Jurcak (OF); Belen (Med); Saintz (Midpark). 800: Sam Maynard (Med) 1:55.02; Chippy (Midpark); Cherico (ST); Snack (Brun). 200: Blake Witherspoon (SV) 22.09; Hoppel (NO); Kish (A); Gregory (ST). 3,200: Donny Roys (Med) 9:28.72; Link (AL); St. Marie (W); Moran (ST). 1,600 Relay: Strongsville (Ryan Oblak, Aaron Moran, Derek Halladay, Kendall Gregory) 3:23.65; Medina; Berea; Brunswick. High Jump: Chris Arlinghaus (NO) 6-06.00; Belen (Med); Muff (ST); Krizman (ST). Shot Put: Drew Ebersole (Midview) 62-07.50; Marinucci (Brun); McCann (AL); Catalano (Midview).
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GIRLS RESULTS
TEAM STANDINGS: Medina 108.5, Westlake 86, Midpark 82, Brunswick 73.5, Amherst 57, Strongsville 56.5, Southview 47, North Olmsted 42.5, Elyria 27, Olmsted Falls 27, Avon Lake 18, Admiral King 15, Midview 11, North Ridgeville 5, Berea 2.
100 Hurdles: Nicole Rymer (Med) 15.23; Kasper (A); Arnold (SV); Semock (Med). 100: Kaila Barber (Midpark) 12.47; Washington (SV); Miller (E); Drews (NO). 800 Relay: Midpark (Corinne Pasela, Jade Barber, Devon Gardner, Kaila Barber) 1:44.35; Brunswick; Westlake; Strongsville. 1,600: Kelly Pickering (Medina) 5:15.26; Beverly (W); Moran (ST); Weed (AL). 400 Relay: Elyria (Alexis Flilaggi, Torri Miller, Amani Wise, Burgandy Jones) 49.55; Southview; Brunswick; Strongsville. 400: Jade Barber (Midpark) 57.67; Pasela (Midpark); Davis (W); Wiemers (Med). 300 Hurdles: Lashanda Arnold (SV) 46.9; Mutiti (Brun); Kessel (Med); Semock (Med). 800: Kelly Pickering (Med) 2:16.37; Mueller (Brun); Boltja (Med); Schuler (A). 200: Kaila Barber (Midpark) 25.20; Washington (SV); J. Barber (Midpark); Drews (NO). 3,200: Alesha Beverly (W) 11:41.90; Bazilevich (NO); Lehman (A); Bartholomew (A). 1,600 Relay: Midpark (Corinne Pasela, Jade Barber, Amber Bourcier, Kaila Barber) 4:01.41; Medina; Brunswick; Westlake. Pole Vault: Katie Nageotte (OF) 12-03; Rossi (Midpark); Srail (AL); Platko (NO). Long Jump: Alex James (W) 17-04.5; Mensah (A); Melvin (ST); Dixon (W). Discus: Bridget McNeill (W) 138-07; Perrea (Brun); Perinne (Midpark); Bridges (NO).

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