Woodridge track shows off versatility at first day at Austintown regional

AUSTINTOWN — Woodridge track has reached the state elite level because it is no longer one-dimensional.

"Qualifying in 17 events here at regionals is insane," said Woodridge coach Jeff Howard. "When coach Scott Mercer joined us 15 years ago, we were talking about how we didn't have a complete team. Now we do."

Diversified as Woodridge is, the Bulldogs' backbone will always be its distance crew.

Woodridge booked its tickets to the state meet with two great performances in the 3,200 relays Thursday at the Division II regional meet at Austintown, where the Bulldogs girls relay threw down the gauntlet to the rest of Ohio.

The team of Marissa Boone, Lola Mullen, Eloise Willett and Reese Reaman dominated with a time of 9:15.53, beating runner-up Salem by more than 100 meters. Howard called it the second-fastest time in school history and the best performance of the season.

"I intended to go out that fast," Boone said. "I just wanted to get a good lead for my team so we can win today."

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy girls will join Woodridge in the 3,200 relay at state. The team of Kayla Ritzman, Jayna Cooley, Lizzie Dolan and Brielle Varney finished fourth in 9:47.34.

"We just really wanted to get down there and work as a team," Cooley said. "Half of our team isn't going to be at state this year. The team that we have will do the best we can. It's been a pretty challenging this season."

Meanwhile, the boys 3,200 relay featured the renewed rivalry between Woodridge and Marlington.

The defending state champion Dukes won the relay, but Woodridge was hot on their heels, with the team of Xavier Griffiths, Ben LeBay, Caiden Jansen and Sam Su placing second in 7:56.69.

"We'll take what we can get," Su said. "This week is all about moving on. We always say, 'Fourth is first.' We've got seven days to prepare. I think if the pieces fall the right way, there's absolutely a chance we can be state champions."

Like their female teammates, the CVCA boys also advanced in the 3,200 relay, with Noah Mammone, Will Hyatt, Gavin Johnson and Isaac Solomon placing fourth in 9:58.39.

Buchtel's team of Qi'Marreon Marks, Jameson Decatur-Boyd, Terrence Decatur and Dwight Shade also reached the podium in the 3,200 relay, finishing eighth in 8:11.03.

Proof of the Woodridge boys' versatility came in the pole vault, as Harvey Kever had the best meet of his career. Kever advanced to state in third place with a school-record vault of 13 feet, 8 inches.

"In practice, I had been getting 13-6, but I never got it in a meet yet," Kever said. "I never got super lucky with the bar. Today, I was able to figure it all out. I was just able to jump really high right from my takeoff."

Manchester's Merrik Baker just missed the podium in the pole vault, placing ninth with a personal-best vault of 11-6.

Woodridge's Izzie Howell nearly was a state qualifier in the girls high jump, finishing fifth with a jump of 5-1.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Woodridge girls, boys both advance to state meet in 3,200 relay