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Locals compete at Buckeye 8 track meet

MARTINS FERRY — At the rate St. Clairsville is racking up Buckeye 8 Athletic League championships, it won’t be long until the Red Devils need a new banner inside their gymnasium.

The boys and girls track teams did their part, becoming the seventh and eighth St. C. teams to notch a title this school year Tuesday evening at the Martins Ferry Track and Field Complex.

Coach Tony Ciroli’s team displayed top-end scoring and solid depth en route to claiming their fourth-consecutive and ninth overall boys title to go along with their sixth girls title overall, but first since 2010.

“This is a great way to go into OVAC week,” Ciroli said. “It’s that time of the year where you’re running some different lineups with some different kids. A salt-and-pepper of kids where we’re trying to prepare and figure out our best lineup for what’s ahead. We wanted to figure out our lineup for that final push. All of our coaches have zeroed in on our OVAC lineup and I think one of the things that’s nice for us is our depth to be able to give kids a chance to see where they may fall.”

The Red Devils’ boys finished with 150 points, which doubled up Bellaire, which finished four points ahead of third-place Union Local.

The Red Devils’ girls’ team had the title clinched well before the 4×400 relay, but its 132 points was 28.67 better than Indian Creek, which had won the last two league titles.

BOYS

St. Clairsville scored 70 of its points by virtue of its seven championships. Included were victories in four of the five relays.

Senior ace Justin Heatherington continued his strong season in the jumping events to ignite the push. He won the high jump (6-2) and long jump (19-10).

Senior David Mellema turned in a 41-flat to claim the title in the 300 intermediate hurdles for St. C.’s only other individual win.

The first relay title came in the shuttles when the foursome of Austin DaRe, Joe Burdyn, Mellema and Colin Oberdick teamed for a 62.32.

The 4×100 team of Declan Dombrowski, Braedyn Mihalic, Colin Oberdick and Heatherington posted a 44.62. The 4×200 team, which included Burdyn, Brett Vike, Mihalic and Heatherington, posted a 1:32.99 en route to victory.

The 4×4 team, which was comprised of Dombrowski, Zac Orzolek, Mellema and Matt Marling posted a 3:32.71 to end the meet with a victory.

Bellaire collected two wins and both have become commonplace this season.

Senior Cole LaRoche — the defending Division II state shot put champion — remained undefeated in his speciality with a launch of 60-ft-10 3/4, which was good enough for a league and stadium record.

In the discus, freshman dandy Colt Sechrest won the discus with a mark of 139-4.

Union Local was sparked by a victory in the 3200 from Andrew Martin. The sophomore ran eight laps in 10:50.08.

Harrison Central’s strength in middle andlong distance was evident thanks to junior Eric Leech. He swept the 800 and 1600 meter runs, posting times of 2:05.15 and 4:41.41.

East Liverpool junior Michael Billingsley ran away from the field in the 100 and 200 meter dashes en route to titles. He blazed an 11.28 and then posted a 22.77 in the half-lap dash.

The Potters’ 4×8 team of Izaiha Browning, Braidyn Wright, Brannan Smith and Sobaan Razi won the distance relay in 8:40.26.

Buckeye Local’s lone winner came in the 400 meter dash, where talented junior Jacob Pielech continued his fine campaign in the 400. He circled the oval in an impressive 50.58 for the title.

Talented Beaver Local freshman James Monte continued his strong rookie season in the high hurdles. He posted a solid 15.19 en route to the title.

Edison’s lone winner came in the pole vault, where senior Bryce McAfoose won with a 12-6 clearance.

GIRLS

St. Clairsville senior Emily Baire produced 30 quick points for her team’s total when she won the 100 (13.00), 200 (27.55) and long jump (15-11).

Freshman Emily Thompson won the pole vault to ignite things for the Red Devils with a jump of 10-feet. She edged out Union Local’s Allison Loase on misses.

The Red Devils notched three victories in relay events. Baire made it a four-for-four performance in titles when she anchored the 400 relay team. She was joined by Lydia Wees, Sydney Porter and Haven Brak on the squad, which ran a 51.61.

The 4×2, which clocked a 1:54.44, was comprised of Chloe Biancarelli, Alivia Andlinger, Porter and Eliana Watt.

The Red Devils’ hurdle relay team of Macie Hothem, Bella Saenz, Rachel Sorge and Sydney Miller ran a 1:20.86 to win.

Indian Creek’s Sloane Lewis was a double winner in the distance events. She edged Union Local’s Hannah Kemp by three hundredths of a second to claim the 1600 with a time of 5:37.43.

Lewis came back a short time later and won the 800 in 2:35.04 by again fighting off Kemp, who would later settle for third in the 3200, too.

Junior Allyson Tweedy gave the Redskins a victory in the 400 in a time of 63.70.

Lewis and Tweedy were joined by Abby Copeland and Rileigh Gualtiere on the 4×4 team, which produced a solid 4:20.02 to prevail.

Beaver Local, which was fourth in the team standings, received a double hurdle win from junior Teddi Kinsey. She won the highs in 17.04 and then cleared eight hurdles in 49.91 for the low victory. She added a third title in the high jump by soaring over 4-8 with the fewest misses.

East Liverpool’s lone female win came in the 4×8 when the quartet of Jamariona Hill George, Morgan Morris, Abigail DeLong and Darshay Foster ran a 10:48.41 to win.

Harrison Central’s Jasmine Arnold claimed the win in the 3200 meter run with a 12:29.21.

Edison standout Faith Hoobler continued her solid campaign in the shot put and discus. She won both events once again. Her marks were 34-7 1/2 in the shot and 114-8 in the disc.

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