By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

AURORA

It was a total team effort for Aurora May 2 at the nine-team Mayfield Invitational. The Greenmen captured the championship with 175 points.

“We won every flat race on the track, and I thought our field events had a really good night as well,” head coach Greg Cicero said. “It was a good night for the Lady Greenmen.”

Leading the way for Aurora were senior Sydney Langell and junior Ella Cicero. Langell won the 1,600 with a time of 5:28 and the 3,200 with a time of 11:40 and was the anchor of the winning 3,200 relay, which posted a season-best time of 10:03. Cicero took home titles in the 100, 200 and 400.

“Sydney had a really solid night,” said the elder Cicero. “She came in asking to run the three events. Earlier in the week I had her in less events than that, but she asked to bump up to get ready for the postseason, so we let her. She really just took control of the 1,600 and 3,200 from start to finish. She kind of let everybody else use her as a pacer, and then she just continued to pull away as the race progressed.

“Ella has been battling an illness but said she could race and really went out and just … it was probably the gutsiest races she’s run in a couple years. She just battled through not feeling well at all and pulled out three wins that really helped us. She used a lot of strength that night.”

Senior Felicite Williams finished second in the discus with a throw of 113-1 and third in the shot put with a personal-best throw of 34-.25.

“Felicite’s discus throw was about 10 feet further than anything she’s done this season,” Cicero said. “The throwers coach told me she really attacked the circle and was real aggressive in her throws, which is great at this point of the season.”

FIELD

Lauren Schneider broke the Field record last week with a discus throw of 139-6. The senior Falcon was hoping to break her own record May 3 at the Optimist Meet at Austintown- Fitch. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate.

“There was no break in the rain,” head coach Ed Conroy said. Schneider’s throw of 121-1 was still far enough to win the title.

Conroy will be hard pressed to replace someone like Schneider next season.

“Lauren has just been such a great team leader and such a positive influence on all the girls not only in the shot put and discus area but on our team,” he said. “She’s taking her senior year very seriously not only as a thrower but as a leader of our team. He positivity is infectious to all the other girls. I’m very thankful for Lauren and all her efforts. I’m excited for her district-, regional- and hopefully state-level competitions, and hopefully these types of throws occur at the end of the season. She’s worked extremely hard with Coach Miller.”

Overall, Field finished seventh out of 23 teams with 29.5 points. Solon won the competition with 149 points. Austintown-Fitch finished second with 64 points and Streetsboro was third with 58.83 points.

Also in the discus, junior MaKayla Norman finished fourth with a throw of 110-2.

“MaKayla has decided this year to focus all her energies on the discus. She used to be a 400 and 100 runner,” said Conroy. “It’s really paid off as she’s been throwing in the high 120s throughout the season. She’s been very consistent.”

Junior Mollie Mathews took fourth in the shot put with a toss of 35-10.75.

STREETSBORO

C’Niyah Ivory is just a freshman, but already she is carrying on the family tradition of successful track and field athletes at Streetsboro as a sprinter.

After a stellar career at Streetsboro, Ivory’s older sister now competes for Findlay College. Her older brother Charles is excelling presently as a senior Rocket.

“C’Niyah is stepping right into those footsteps and is one of many who are helping carry our team,” head coach Robb Kidd said. “She’s doing very well, and she’s capable of doing even better, which is exciting for us and scary for her competition. I think she’s going to really see her times drop when the weather cooperates and is a little bit warmer. She’s a big-meet performer. When she gets a chance to get out there and there’s a little bit of pressure on her, I think she excels.”

In a double dual meet at home May 5 against Lodi Cloverleaf and Ravenna, Ivory won the 200 with a personal-best time of 26.68 and won the 400 with a time of 1:01.9. She was also a member of the second-place 1,600 relay, which had a time of 4:19.78, and the runner-up 800 relay, which clocked in at 1:50.05.

Said Kidd, “C’Niyah beat a really good runner from Cloverleaf in the 200.”

Team-wise, Streetsboro routed the Ravens 107-21 and beat Cloverleaf 72-64.

“This is one of the best, if not the best, overall teams that I’ve had,” said the coach. “We have point producers who come from everywhere. All four field events have very legitimate athletes, and our distance program is a strength.”

Freshman Cara Thomson was on the winning 3,200 relay, which had a time of 10:50, and was on the second-place 3,200 relay. She also was runner-up in the 1,600 with a time of 5:49.

“The girl who beat Cara in the 1,600 was a pretty good girl from Cloverleaf,” Kidd said. “Cara is really coming into her own. She’s been gaining more and more confidence every time that she’s been out. We’re watching her times drop every time she goes. I expect her to have a great future in the next three years, but I also think she’s going to have a phenomenal wrap-up to this season.”

ROOTSTOWN

Addison Walker is figuring it out — how to compete in the long jump that is. The Rootstown freshman is a fast learner. Walker won the long jump with a leap of 15- 6.5 in a triangular meet April 29 against Chagrin Falls and host Burton Berkshire. She also finished second in the high jump with a height of 4-8. Both were personal bests.

“Addison is working on consistency with her steps and approaches,” head coach Kyle Rodstrom said. “She’s been doing the high jump for quite a while since middle school and has really started to hone in on her approach and her takeoff.”

Overall, the Rovers finished third with 38 points. The Tigers won the title with 70 points and the Badgers were second with 50 points.

Junior Alex Biggin won the 100 hurdles with a time of 17.6.

“Alex is coming along,” said Rodstrom. “She’s been working on some of her rhythm steps. That was a really good meet for her to get some more practice under her belt with that.”

SOUTHEAST

In monsoon conditions May 3 at the Optimist Meet at Austintown-Fitch, Southeast sophomore Leila Evans tied for second in the high jump at with a leap of 4-8.

“Leila did exceptional,” head coach Melinda Furr said. “She’s starting to believe in herself, so it’s been a really cool process.”

In a meet that had top-level competition, the Pirates finished 15 th out of 23 teams with 13.33 points. Solon won the title with 149 points. Austintown-Fitch finished second with 64 points and Streetsboro was third with 58.83 points.

Junior Julie Wheeler finished fifth in the 3,200, while senior Kristen Campbell placed sixth in the 400, clocking in at 1:03.

“Julie did exceptionally well. This was her first race coming back this season from recovering from a slight injury,” said Furr. “Kristen knew going in that it was going to be a really good day of competing. She did really well. Placing was the goal, and she did that.”

CRESTWOOD

Crestwood won easily over outmanned Heritage Colonial April 29 at home on Senior Night.

Pacing the Red Devils were sophomores Livia Martini and Myla Simpson. Martini won the 100 (12.56), the 200 (25.9) and the 400 (1:00.2). Simpson won the 100 hurdles (18.49) and the 300 hurdles (56.28).

“Livia has broken multiple school records. She’s just amazing,” head coach Maria Blasiole said. “Myla is one of those athletes who you can put in almost any event and she’ll run it.”

KENT ROOSEVELT

Despite Kent Roosevelt falling 84-53 April 30 at home to Stow-Munroe Falls, junior Kaidyn Harris stole the show by winning the 100, 200 and long jump.

“Kaidyn always does well,” head coach Kaylie Wiegel said. “I don’t think she’s lost the 100 or 200 this whole season, so we were kind of expecting her to win those events. She ran hard. Stow-Munroe Falls provided some good competition, and I think that pushed her to her season best in the 200.”

Freshman Maggie Pazderak ran a season best in the 1,600 with a time of 5:55 and finished third in the 3,200, clocking in at 13:13. She was also a member of the 3,200 relay.

“That was the first time Maggie competed in the 3,200, but she ran strongly,” said Wiegel. “She excelled in all three of her events. She works super-hard and never backs down from a tough day or a challenge.”

RAVENNA

Although Ravenna lost 107-21 to host Streetsboro and lost substantially to Lodi Cloverleaf in a double-dual meet May 5, two Ravens who performed well were freshman Janiyah Carter and junior Myla Bragent. Carter finished second in the 100 (13.2) and third in the 200 (27.1), while Bragent was second in the 800 (2:41) and third in the 400.

“Janiyah did pretty well. She ran against some state-qualifier girls, some junior Olympian qualifier girls. For her to be a freshman, she held her own,” head coach Ceon Kelly said. “Both of Myla’s times were personal bests. She’s a first-year runner who is surprising us. She’s coming along really well. I expect her to make it to the district finals.”