Bulldog track teams perform well at invitationals

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by Steve Batko

Correspondent

Stow girls track squad showed some depth and high-end quality in capturing the team championship at the 29th annual Waterloo Valkyrie Invitational at Ravenna Stadium on April 19.

On the same afternoon, Stow's boys placed seventh at the Walsh Jesuit Warrior Relays as Michael Heller ran wild for Mike Drozin's squad.

Heller just missed the meet record at Walsh while winning the 1,600-meter title. He ran with a small pack for much of the race before he elected to take command in the final 400 meters.

Just .07 seconds off the meet record, Heller posted a time of 4:23.18. He beat Kevin Yarnell (4:28) of Toledo St John's Jesuit. Heller also ran third in the 800-meter race (2:01.68).

Stow also won the high jump relay.

Placing second overall for Stow was Eric Saxe, who recorded a personal best leap of 6-foot. Fourths were turned in by Anthony Zavodnik and Duane Mitchell in the high jump. Mitchell was third overall in the long jump with an effort of 20-feet-9.50.

Prepping for the April 26 Dave Reinhart Relays, Stow's girls won the Valkyrie with 118.5 points over a strong Minerva unit (106) and Chagrin Falls (100). Waterloo was fourth (83).

The Bulldogs set meet records with Abby Koch in the 3,200-meter race (11:24.78) and in the 1,600 relay (4:13.6). Stow had another first place in the 300-meter hurdles by Megan Johnson with a time of 48.3 seconds plus Koch captured the 800 crown with a time of 2:25.

Seconds were turned in the high jump by Bekah Alexander at a height of 5-2 feet. The team's 3,200 relay ran second (10:10.8), as did the 800 relay (1:51.2).

In the open 1,600 race, Jessica DuHamel placed second overall (5:38.1) while Katie Betts was second in the 800 with a time of 2:25.2. A third-place came to Marena Toth in the long jump with a leap of 15-feet-11.

Also running third was the team's 400 relay (53.5) Colleen Bonacci in the 400 with a clocking of 62.42. Also scoring for the Lady Bulldogs were Vicki Nolte (shot put, discus), Vicki Moga (high jump), Rachel Harris (100 hurdles), Monica Winters (100), Erin Schnellinger (1600), Renee Oneacre (400), and Toth in the 200.

Other boys placers at Walsh were the 6,400 relay (19:35.41) with Phil Ruolo, Justin Pesich, David Christman, and Nick Brenner, plus Rick Bailey placed sixth in the 110 high hurdles (15.93) and 300 hurdles (42.25). Christman was seventh in the 3200 (11:17.92).

Stow will run at Mayfield April 30 and compete in the Orange Relays May 2.

E-mail: stowsports@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3113