Regional track and field: Avon boys take team title, but injury to Sam Ulery dampens celebration

NORTH ROYALTON — The Avon boys captured their third regional title in six years Friday, but victory was a little bittersweet at the Division II, Region 6 track and field meet at North Royalton High School.Avon scored 57 points to outdistance Walsh Jesuit (49.5) and Amherst (46) for the top spot. Eagles coach Scott Lanham expected to advance the state-ranked 800- and 400-meter relays to state, but a right hamstring injury for senior Sam Ulery 80 meters into his 100-meter final forced Avon to make last-minute relay substitutions and the Eagles fell short."It's very rewarding and an honor to win it as a team, but it also came at a cost," said Lanham. "I'm very happy that the guys stepped up and did their best. It just didn't work out."Jared Keressi subbed for Ulery in the 800 relay, which finished eighth (1:29.59). Michael Colburn pinch hit for Ulery in the 400 relay, which placed sixth (43.19)."We had to wing it on the handoffs," said Lanham. "Even though we practice with our alternates, you don't know who you're going to go in for. The meet doesn't slow down, so you have to adapt. They tried their best. I'm happy with what they did. To come up short because of an injury breaks my heart."Senior Maximus Hauck in shot put got the lone win on the day for the Avon boys after two Wednesday — by seniors Lance Dawson in discus and Jackson Hughes in long jump.Hauck was sitting in fourth place (57 feet, 2.25 inches) heading into his sixth and final throw, then uncorked a toss of 59-11.5 to win."It feels awesome," said Hauck. "We had some low moments. Things didn't go the way we wanted, but you always have to keep your head up and keep moving forward. Winning regionals is awesome. You can't take that away but we're now moving on to state. We have bigger things to worry about."Hauck also qualified to state in discus with a fourth-place finish Wednesday. The victory in shot put is one Hauck will cherish."I get to come out and compete here with all my friends, with Jake (Abfall) and Harry (Riley)," he said. "They are probably at-large bids so to be able to go to Columbus with all my friends is a great opportunity. I give all the credit to my coaches. I just worked on fixing my form throughout the meet. Whoever makes adjustments mid-meet will come out on top."A nagging injury kept Hughes from competing at the top of his game for high jump but didn't prevent him from advancing to state with a fifth-place finish."My left knee and left shin hurt a lot but I made it through," said Hughes. "The knee's been bothering me all season. The shin not until this week. Honestly, long jump really doesn't get affected by it but high jump is. I just need to make sure that I feel good when I get down to state. Then I think I will do all right."Amherst came up with three big wins, two from the boys and one by the girls.The Amherst boys defended their regional title in the 800 relay, as Carter Boone, Julius Donald, Gaige Patton and Ben Thompson clocked 1:27.06."We've been doing what we've been doing all season," said Boone, who handles the leadoff leg. "We got out hard. Handoffs have been great all season. I push out hard out of the blocks. I give it to Julius. He gives it to Gaige, who catches anyone on the curve, and Ben just slams down the hammer."Winning the 1,600 relay made that victory even sweeter.Donald, Ben Dotson, Boone and Thompson ran 3:18.82, a school record. Thompson pulled Amherst up from fourth to first in the final 100 meters as the Comets rallied to defeat Walsh Jesuit (3:18.83) and Nordonia (3:18.92)."I kind of tuned everything else out," said Thompson. "All I was thinking was that if I had the smallest fraction of energy left there's no reason why I shouldn't be pushing and getting ahead of these guys, and I did. That's all it takes sometimes. It's just that last 1 percent."Oh my gosh. I did it. We did it. We got first by some grace of God. There's no greater feeling. You have to experience it yourself to know. It feels so good."Amherst junior Alex Sixbey won her second regional pole vault title in three years with a county record-tying mark of 12-4. It tied the mark first set by North Ridgeville's Veronica Waugaman in 2021 at the Amherst regional."I'm very excited. I've been having a very good season," said Sixbey. "It's a good comeback. I couldn't compete due to a stress fracture in my back last season so I had to cut off my season. The key is just aligning myself with the right pole.""It was pretty cool," said Amherst pole vault coach Alan Roark. "It was her first day on a 13-foot, 160-pound pole and she only weighs 125. We thought about maybe staying on the 155 pole longer and work on the rotation, but it's hard to pick when you're doing it."Avon Lake sophomore Rileigh Scarvelli added to her win Wednesday in shot put by capturing the girls discus with a throw of 140-3."I'm very happy," she said. "Last year I had two second-place finishes so my goal for today was to score more points for my team. I've been throwing consistently over mid-130s. I want to peak for state."Avon Lake junior Niko Koutouras was seeded No. 14 of 16 (1:58.45) coming out of districts in the boys 800 meters. He got out well in the first 500 and finished strong to place fourth with a school-record 1:53.73."Excellent race," said Koutouras. "I got out fast, hit the brake in fifth or sixth somewhere around there, made sure I wasn't going to get boxed and just ran hard all the way through. The competition here is outstanding. I just tried to have them carry me and then pick up the last 300 and just hammer that last 100."Contact Paul Heyse at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.BOYSTEAM SCORES1. Avon, 57; 2. Walsh Jesuit, 49.5; 3. Amherst, 46; 4. Aurora, 36; 5. Boardman, 30; 6. Roosevelt, 26; 7. Tie - Tallmadge and Canfield, 25; 9. Hoover, 23; 10. University School, 22; 11. Tie – Revere and Ellet, 21.5; 13. Akron SVSM, 21; 14. Hudson, 20; 15. Massillon Washington, 19; 16. Twinsburg, 18; 17. Chardon, 17.5; 18. Avon Lake, 16.5; 19. Tie - Maple Heights, Nordonia and Kenston, 16.5; 22. Tie – Harvey and John Hay, 13; 25. Tie – Olmsted Falls and Mayfield, 12; 27. Tie – Howland and Warren Harding, 8; 29. Austintown Fitch, 5.5; 30. Wooster, 5; 31. Tie – Rocky River and Shaker Heights, 4; 33. Tie – Firestone and Hoban, 3; 35. Tie – Lakewood, Buckeye, Cuyahoga Falls and Green; 39. Tie – Midview and Medina Highland, 1Top 5 advance to state meet100 METERS: 1. Trey Carter (Ellet), 10.74; 2. Donnie Ferko (Canfield), 10.78; 3. Don Rogers (Twinsburg), 10.83; 4. Luke McGovern (Aurora), 10.84; 5. DeCarlo Prince (Akron SVSM), 10.89; 8. Sam Ulery (Avon), 11.63 200: 1, McGovern (Aurora), 21.40; 2. Trey carter (Ellet), 21.47; 3. Keyshawn Sheppard (Maple Heights), 21.50; 4. Ferko (Canfield), 21.55; 5. Deontay Malone (Mass. Washington), 21.64400: 1. Khalil Bryant (John Hay), 47.19; 2. Robrick Taylor (Boardman), 48.61; 3. Jack Garner (Walsh Jesuit), 48.86; 4. Michael Heaberlin (Walsh Jesuit), 49.09; 5. Kaj Meiser (Wooster), 49.11800: 1. Thomas Lodowski (University School), 1:51.27; 2. Sam Hopp (Twinsburg), 1:51.88; 3. Braylon Hawthorne (Roosevelt), 1:53.67; 4. Niko Koutouras (Avon Lake), 1:53.73; 5. Jack Streb (Hoover), 1:53.76; 12. Jared Keressi (Avon), 1:58.84 (1:58.833); 13. Asa Nicely (Amherst), 1:58.84 (1:58.837)1,600: 1. Will Wells (Revere), 4:21.99; 2. Andrew Vensel (Uniontown Lake), 4:22.58; 3. Caleb Nieset (Chardon), 4:22.77; 4. Donevan Noah (Tallmadge), 4:22.84; 5. Ryan Stirm (Rocky River), 4:23.68; 9. Jose Alvelo (Avon), 4:27.01; 11. Alex Schulz (Avon Lake), 4:31.143,200: 1. Nathan Eminian (Aurora), 9:26.83; 2. Caleb Nieset (Chardon), 9:31.45; 3. Jacob Turek (Boardman), 9:32.50 ;4. Brennan Coley (University School), 9:33.46; 5. Samuel Baker (Hoover), 9:33.86; 12. Liam Fritz (Avon Lake), 9:58.86; 16. Matthew Lochbihler (Avon), 10:30.75110 HURDLES: 1. Kyle McQueen (Roosevelt), 14.38; 2. Ali Hann (Akron SVSM), 14.49; 3. Gianmarco Malvasi (Howland), 14.52; 4. Rafael Rodgers (Olmsted Falls), 14.53; 5. Ethan Eudell (Harvey), 14.64 300 HURDLES: 1. Rory Booher (Kenston), 38.32; 2. Ethan Eudell (Harvey), 38.56; 3. Ethan Timblin (Boardman), 39.16; 4. Adam Butina (Hudson), 39.34; 5. Joseph Filisky (Nordonia), 39.54400 RELAY: 1. Mass. Washington, 41.77; 2. Walsh Jesuit, 42.18; 3. Akron SVSM, 42.30; 4. Tallmadge, 42.57; 5. Mayfield, 42.78; 6. Avon (Bishop Weatherspoon, Michael Colburn, Graham Rowlison, Jairel Fenton), 43.19800 RELAY: 1. Amherst (Carter Boone, Julius Donald, Gaige Patton, Ben Thompson), 1:27.06; 2. Maple Heights, 1:28.09; 3. Walsh Jesuit, 1:28.11; 4. Roosevelt, 1:28.18; 5. Tallmadge, 1:28.31; 8. Avon (Bishop Weatherspoon, Graham Rowlison, Jairel Fenton, Jared Keressi), 1:29.591,600 RELAY: 1. Amherst (Donald, Ben Dotson, Carter Boone, Ben Thompson), 3:18.82; 2. Walsh Jesuit, 3:18.83; 3. Nordonia, 3:18.92; 4. Hoover, 3:20.53; 5. Shaker Heights, 3:20.65SHOT PUT: 1. Maximus Hauck (Avon), 59-11.5; 2. Drake Vander Cica (Hudson), 58-9.5; 3. Kellen Halcomb (Canfield), 58-8; 4. Ellis Daniels (Warren Harding), 57-6.75; 5. Jacob Abfall (Avon), 55-10; 6. Harry Riley (Avon Lake), 54-6.75; 11. Jeff Wirth (Midview), 46-7HIGH JUMP: 1. Anthony Bontempo (Tallmadge), 6-8; 2. Izzy Austin (Mayfield), 6-5; 3. Tie – Zach Salata (Walsh Jesuit) and Braeden Sallee (Austintown-Fitch), 6-4; 5. Jackson Hughes (Avon), 6-4; 10. Tie – Jairel Fenton (Avon) and Blake Daniels (Boardman), 5-10GIRLSTEAM SCORES1. Aurora, 61; 2. Wadsworth, 55; 3. Twinsburg, 42.5; 4. Massillon Perry, 40; 5. Tallmadge, 34; 6. Tie - Painesville Riverside and Massillon Washington, 27; 8. Avon Lake, 26; 9. Wooster, 24.5; 10. Tie - St. Joseph Academy and Louisville, 22; 12. Tie – Medina Highland, Nordonia and Hudson, 20; 15. Walsh Jesuit, 19; 16. Brecksville, 17; 17. Chardon, 16; 18. Maple Heights, 15; 19. Bay, 14; 20. Revere, 12; 21. Tie – Boardman, Brush and Cleveland JFK, 11; 24. Tie – Amherst, Hoban and Willoughby South, 10; 27. Roosevelt, 9; 28. Tie – North Ridgeville, Eastlake North and Padua, 8; 31. Copley, 5; 32. Tie – Midview, Green and North Royalton, 4; 35. Tie – Mayfield and Uniontown Lake, 3; 37. Tie – Olmsted Falls, Cuyahoga Falls and Madison, 2; 40. Tie – Lakewood, Firestone and NDCLTop 5 advance to state meet100: 1. Emerson Karrenbauer (Mass. Perry), 11.94; 2. Denasia Adams (Mass. Washington), 12.26; 3. Joelle Puni (St. Joseph), 12.34; 4. Charlaya Sanders (Cleveland JFK), 12.38; 5. Kamryn Wadsworth (Nordonia), 12.41200: 1. Karrenbauer (Mass. Perry), 24.12; 2. Deasia Adams (Mass. Washington), 24.77; 3. Charlaya Sanders (Cleveland JFK), 24.81; 4. Joelle Puni (St. Joseph), 24.92; 5. Kamryn Wadsworth (Nordonia), 25.18400: 1. Hailey Otradovec (Wadsworth), 54.94; 2. Isabella Cicero (Aurora), 56.05; 2. Jessica Stoops (Wadsworth), 56.29; 4. Kamryn Wadsworth (Nordonia), 56.30; 5. Isabelle Leindecker (Aurora), 56.32; 6. Halle Edge (North Ridgeville), 59.07; 8. Kaitlyn Warner (Avon Lake), 59.66800: 1. Allison Hay (Tallmadge), 2:11.81; 2. Maya Gonzalez (Bay), 2:14.18; 3. Claire Jenkins (Aurora), 2:14.38; 4. Autumn Besett (Twinsburg), 2:14.40; 5. Annalise Costin (Brecksville), 2:14.531,600: 1. Kylah Meyer (Louisville), 4:52.39; 2. Audrey Miller (Aurora), 4:55.73; 3. Maya Gonzalez (Bay), 4:47.92; 4. Claire Jenkins (Aurora), 5:02.46; 5. Makayla Martuccio (Tallmadge), 5:04.703,200: 1. Meyer (Louisville), 10:28.82; 2. Miller (Aurora), 10:42.67; 3. Katie Schuler (Highland), 10:58.47; 4. Martuccio (Tallmadge), 11:00.04; 5. Kaylee Ingratta (Copley), 11:01.15100 HURDLES: 1. Allison Urbas (Riverside), 14.44; 2. Teagan Hafner (Wooster), 14.61; 3. Brooke Haude (Wadsworth), 14.89; 4. Deianna Johnson (Maple Heights), 15.04; 5. Nicole Montgomery (Twinsburg), 15.07300 HURDLES: 1. Nicole Smith (Twinsburg), 44.02; 2. Madisyn Frost (Chardon), 44.61; 3. Ava Reed (St. Joseph), 44.64; 4. Brooke Haude (Wadsworth), 45.25; 5. Allison Urbas (Riverside), 45.26400 RELAY: 1. Mass. Perry, 48.01; 2. Mass. Washington, 48.17; 3. Painesville Riverside, 48.97; 4. Twinsburg, 49.17; 5. Willoughby South, 49.23800 RELAY: 1. Mass. Perry, 1:39.70; 2. Wadsworth, 1:39.83; 3. Willoughby South, 1:41.23; 4. Walsh Jesuit, 1:43.80; 5. North Royalton, 11:44.431,600 RELAY: 1. Twinsburg, 3:54.13; 2. Wadsworth, 3:54.96; 3. Aurora, 3:56.36; 4. Tallmadge, 3:57.56; 5. Nordonia, 3:58.45.DISCUS: 1. Rileigh Scarvelli (Avon Lake), 140-3; 2. Paylin Oostdyk (Eastlake North), 122-11; 3. Victoria Parish (Revere), 120-7; 4. Madison Dombrowski (Padua), 117-1; 5. Annalise Jacak (Brecksville), 116-11; 8. Isabel Geyer (Midview), 108-11; 9. Ella Luczak (Avon Lake), 108-8LONG JUMP: 1. Deianna Johnson (Maple Heights), 18-7.5; 2. Kaidyn Harris (Roosevelt), 17-11.75; 3. Sofia Klue (Walsh Jesuit), 17-11; 4. Rhys Shantery (Riverside), 17-7.5; 5. Teagan Hafner (Wooster), 17-2.75; 9. Maya Harris (North Ridgeville), 16-10.5; 11. Kaylin Whatley (Avon Lake), 16-7POLE VAULT: 1. Alex Sixbey (Amherst), 12-4; 2. Makenna Bode (Hudson), 12-0; 3. Bailey Miller (Brecksville), 11-4; 4. Bria Riedy (Highland), 11-4; 5. Ella Sifferlin (Green), 11-0