Magnificat’s Madeline Chambers fights off a hard-charging Natalie Zidd of Highland in the final meters of the 800 last Friday at the Amherst Division I regional meet. (West Life photo by Larry Bennet)

Athletes move on to Columbus
By Jim Horvath
Sports
Published June 3, 2009

There was a little bit of everything at last Friday’s Division I regional track meet at Amherst.

There were the expected fantastic finishes, and some stunning disqualifications. Oh, and a monsoon-like storm and another record performance by a girl named Katie.

Overall, it was a strong showing by the Westshore area at Richard S. Cooley Track as a number of athletes qualified for this week’s state track and field championships at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Magnificat, which qualified nine athletes in seven events, finished second in the team standings with 68 points behind champion Whitehouse Anthony Wayne. The North Olmsted boys finished eighth overall and qualified four events for Columbus.

Katie Nageotte is all smiles after setting a new Division I state record in the pole vault last Friday at Amherst. Nageotte broke her won record with a vault of 13-0. (West Life photos by Larry Bennet)

Among the individuals heading into this week’s championships is Olmsted Falls’ Katie Nageotte. The Bulldog senior, who had broken the Division I pole vault record just two weeks earlier at the Southwestern Conference meet, broke it again and tied an overall state record with a vault of 13-0 before the sky opened up and the rains swept in.

Nageotte, who scored a vault of 12-10 at the SWC meet in Brecksville, had already locked up the regional championship when Midpark’s Domenica Rossi could not get past 12-0. She missed on her first two attempts, but nailed it cleanly on the third and final attempt to break her own Division I record.

She attempted three vaults at 13-3 before the rains came in an attempt to gain the overall record. She now shares the record with Mackenzie Wells of Troy Christian. Wells got her 13-0 last season.

If Nageotte was excited after her SWC vault, she was more so this time around.

“It’s crazy!” she exclaimed as she made the rounds of congratulatory hugs. “It’s just an incredible feeling right now,” she said as her coaches rushed her off the infield and the rains began to fall.

It was an interesting meet as well for Magnificat, which originally had finished third in the overall standings behind Anthony Wayne and Midpark. But the Meteors violated a participation rule when they ran an athlete in more than four events.

That disqualified Midpark in five events and elevated the Blue Streaks’ 1600 relay into the fourth and final state qualifying spot.

Last Wednesday, Magnificat got off to a strong start with a record-setting performance of its own. The 3200 relay of Erin Riley, Mary Whitmore, Kat Stultz and Madeline Chambers won the event with a new meet and school record of 9:07.20. The previous school record was set back in 1985.

“Setting that school and meet record was a huge accomplishment for the ladies,” said Blue Streaks head coach Anjanette Arabian Whitman. “They worked very hard to put together such a great effort.

“We’ve had a great season, and we’re looking forward to competing as a team in Columbus,” she added.

Last Friday, Chambers had a big day, just missing a meet record in the 1600. The junior dominated the race from start to finish and turned in a time of 4:49.38. The meet record was 4:48.52 set by Maggie Infeld of Beaumont. Stultz finished second and qualified for state with her time of 4:59.34.

Chambers didn’t have too much time to enjoy her big win. She came right back minutes later and won the 800 with a time of 2:11.49, fighting off Highland’s Natalie Zidd in the final 100 meters. Chambers’ time also set a new school record.

Clare and Abby Fischer qualified in the 3200, with Clare taking third in 11:04.11 and Abby fourth in 11:05.53. And the 1600 relay team of Sam Birchfield, Abbie Marquard, Whitmore and Rachel Hlatky took fourth with a time of 3:58.9. Hlatky just missed qualifying in the 200, taking fifth with a 25.39.

The North Olmsted 400 relay team of Phil Tomko, Josh Price, Pat Tomko and Jordan Joppel met their goal and qualified for this week’s state meet in Columbus.

For the North Olmsted boys, Josh Price qualified in the long jump last Wednesday by turning in a first-place leap of 22-8¼. The next closest competitor was Shaun Joplin of Sylvania Southview with his 22-3¾. Also that day, the Eagles’ John Taylor qualified in the discus by taking fourth with a throw of 150-0.

It was a frustrating time for Jordan Hoppel as he false started in the 100 preliminaries. But he came back strong on Saturday, qualifying in the 200 by taking second in a blazing 22.17. Seth Cunningham of St. Edward won it with a time of 21.90.

It was also a big day for Hoppel and his teammates in the 400 relay. The relay, frustrated late in the season by dropped batons at the Westlake Relays and the SWC meet, qualified for state by finishing third.

Phil Tomko, Price, Pat Tomko and Hoppel turned in a time of 42.59.

“Team chemistry has been big for us this season,” said Hoppel after he and his teammates received their awards. “Because of that, we’ve been able to come back from bad performances. Today, we didn’t have our best exchanges. If we do that, I think we can break 42.5.

“We’ve reached our goal. I think we’re going to get to the podium at state,” he added.

North Olmsted made a little noise on the girls’ side as well. Junior Mary Bridges, who had already dethroned Westlake’s Bridget McNeill for the SWC discus title, qualified for her first trip to state with a throw of 132-7. It was another personal best for Bridges, and it was good enough for third place.

McNeill failed to qualify for a return trip to Columbus, finishing fifth.

“Another PR was all it took,” said Bridges after receiving her medal. “The coaching and my teammates have made all the difference. I’ve never had more supportive teammates. They’re never-ending with their enthusiasm.

“At the beginning of the season, I set the goal of making it to state,” she said. “I didn’t care where I placed, I just wanted to make it. Today was about what I had hoped for. I’m just hoping for another PR next week.”

Westlake’s Kalpana Beach will be making her second trip to Columbus after taking third overall in the high jump with a leap of 5-2. Her rival from Medina, sophomore Taylor Burke, took first with a meet record 5-8¼.

Andie Hobson of Rocky River qualified for state in the pole vault, taking the fourth and final spot with a 10-4. Teammate Megan Grey, still hobbled by lower leg problems, finished ninth with a 9-8.

Some area athletes just missed making it to the final meet of the season.

McNeill turned in a best toss of 131-0 in the discus, but missed out on the fourth and final qualifying spot to Shatora Lewis of Toledo Scott. Lewis turned in a 131-3. Westlake’s 1600 relay finished fifth with a time of 3:59.80, while freshman Charlotte Tate was fifth in the 1600 with a time of 5:10.88.