Sun not quite set on Licking County League track seniors
HEATH — Alan Villa let out a roar that had been building up in him all season.
The Johnstown senior eclipsed 50 feet for the first time in style. His throw of 51-0.75 on his final attempt Wednesday earned him the Cardinal Division boys shot put title during the first day of the Licking County League championships at Heath.
“I have thrown 50 in meets, but I had always fouled,” Villa said. “This was the first time I hit it and stayed in. I was pretty ecstatic, and my reaction definitely showed when I left the ring. I will admit, I kind of lost my head a bit and was just gone.”
It was a memorable day for many LCL seniors who are entering the home stretch of their careers.
Villa surpassed Heath senior Carter Higgins’ runner-up distance of 48-4.5. Higgins competes again on Friday as the favorite to win the discus.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Villa said. “I know if I worry about what he throws I will get in my head too much. I have always kind of learned if I can get my safe one out there, I can get in the finals, relax, let it fly and not worry about anyone else.”
It was no surprise that Licking Valley senior Trevor Croak won the Buckeye boys shot put. He clinched that victory with a distance of 52-7.75 on his final attempt, finishing ahead of Licking Heights junior Alex Amartey’s 49-7.5.
Croak’s cousin enjoyed earning a matching gold medal. Valley senior Peyton Robey won the Buckeye girls discus with a distance of 92-8.
“I look up to (Croak) a lot,” said Robey, who is in just her second year of competition. “I don’t compare myself to him, but he is what I want to be. It helps push me to get to that level.”
Newark Catholic senior Erin Keck came from behind to win the Cardinal girls discus. Her personal-best throw of 120-9 on her final attempt boosted her past the 112-5 of Utica sophomore Katie Reed.
Valley senior Cooper Hornfeck was trailing Granville senior Greyson Ingle on misses when he cleared 13-6 to take the Buckeye boys pole vault. He later made a strong third attempt at clearing 14-0.
“I feel amazing. As I told you at the beginning of the season, I had a little mental block, but I am getting through that,” Hornfeck said. “I could have cleared that by a mile, but it’s just the little things. I didn’t jump well the two before that, so I didn’t trust it that one.”
Northridge junior Bodhi Foster cleared a personal-best 13-6 to win the Cardinal boys pole vault. He just missed clearing 13-9.
“I did really good. I was not expecting it. It was a surprise to me,” said Foster, who finished ahead of Heath senior Tyler Hudson’s 12-6. “I think I could definitely get 14 (during the postseason). That jump (at 13-9) felt so clean. I just barely hit it on the way down.”
Heath senior Brayden Bayles soared 22-1.5 to win the Cardinal boys long jump, finishing ahead of junior teammate Joshua Jones’ 20-2.5. Watkins senior Jacob Holbert measured 21-9 to win the Buckeye long jump, finishing ahead of junior teammate John Apel’s 21-0.5.
“I was a little nervous at the beginning, but near the end, (Apel) and I were talking, ‘Yeah, it’s time.’ It was a good day,” Holbert said. “I think we are good as far as running goes, but we just wanted to put ourselves in a lead, so it makes it a little more relaxed.”
Lakewood sophomore Jaylie Maas cleared 4-10 to win the Cardinal girls high jump with Utica sophomore Maddy Scarberry runner-up at 4-8. Valley senior Rylee Hillis also cleared 4-10 to win the Buckeye girls high jump, and Granville junior Megan Cummiskey took runner-up.
In the day’s only track final, three of the four 3,200 relays came down to the wire.
Northridge senior Courtney BeVier anchored the Vikings to the win in the Cardinal girls, crossing in a season-best time of 10:33.26 ahead of Johnstown’s 10:34.26. BeVier was joined by classmates Sarah Koker and Annabeth Hilton and sophomore Cheyann Severance.
“It was a challenge for us,” BeVier said. “I am so happy my team came together, and we crushed our goal. This was the first time I didn’t have someone in front of me to race against, so it was a new type of stress, trying to think about who’s behind me and when to start pushing.”
Heath senior Tucker See was joined by junior Jacob Lane, sophomore Ryan Baker and freshman Joe Ward on the winning Cardinal boys 3,200 relay. The Bulldogs crossed in 8:29.13, ahead of Northridge’s 8:37.35.
Granville senior Kara Bergeron, junior Sophia Poling, sophomore Lilly Kronk and freshman June Landry won the Buckeye girls 3,200 relay in 9:58.41 with Watkins taking runner-up in 10:30.47. Granville senior Owen Kirkham, juniors Cohen Stump and Lane Hannahs and sophomore Nolan Cheney won the Buckeye boys 3,200 relay in 8:23.60.
Stump and his relay teammates were in a battle through the first two legs with eventual runner-up Watkins, which finished in 8:26.02.
“We hadn’t had our 4x8 out yet, so this was our first one together,” Stump said. “We did pretty well, but we can definitely do a lot better. The competition helped a lot.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Sun not quite set on Licking County League track seniors
