The host boys squad from Cuyahoga Heights and the girls team from Independence captured championships on Saturday at the 68th Annual Cuyahoga Relays.
Cuyahoga Heights track piled up 104 points to win the boys title, while Independence track dominated the girls standings with 111 points.
Cuyahoga Heights controls the sprints
Cuyahoga Heights dominated the boys’ sprint relays and field events on the way to the team championship.
The Redskins opened with a victory in the 4×100 relay in 43.42 before adding wins in the 4×200 relay at 1:31.29 and the 4×400 relay in 3:31.54. Cuyahoga Heights also captured the shuttle hurdle relay with a time of 1:05.23.
Aden Ewelt led the way individually, winning both the boys’ pole vault and long jump. Maurice McClardy added another first-place finish in the high jump.
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Independence piles up points
Independence showcased its depth throughout the girls’ competition to secure the team title.
The Blue Devils won the sprint relay in 58.76 and added another relay championship in the girls shuttle hurdle relay with a winning time of 1:18.55. Independence also placed near the top in nearly every relay event throughout the meet.
Independence piled up points in the field events as well. Emilia Mikolic won the girls’ pole vault, while Emily Gibbons captured the girls’ shot put title and later finished third in discus. Elyse Grill added a runner-up finish in the discus throw.
The Independence boys also finished second overall with 80 points.
Lutheran West shines in relays
Lutheran West turned in strong performances on both the boys and girls sides to finish second in the girls standings and third in the boys team race.
The Longhorn boys won the 4×800 relay in 9:07.65, the 800 sprint medley relay in 1:41.93, and the distance medley relay in 12:14.96.
On the girls’ side, Lutheran West captured the 800 sprint medley relay in 1:58.49 and received strong field-event performances from Hailey Weidus, Breya Higham, Krysta Perry, and Autumn Weidus.
Kirtland dominates distance events
Kirtland’s girls’ distance relays controlled much of the meet.
The Hornets won the girls 4×1600 relay in 23:09.65, added the 4×800 relay title in 10:31.91, and later captured the distance medley relay in 13:48.22.
Charlie Vignero added a victory for the Kirtland boys in the shot put, while the Hornets also received a third-place finish from Vignero in discus.
Kirtland finished tied for third in the girls standings with 52 points and placed fifth in the boys standings with 48.
Trinity powers through relays
Trinity’s girls’ sprint relays turned in one of the strongest performances of the evening.
The Trojans won the girls 4×100 relay in 51.07, claimed the 4×200 relay in 1:49.45, and later added another win in the 4×400 relay with a time of 4:24.86.
Courtney McCray added an individual title in the girls’ long jump, while Davarie Bennett placed second in both the boys’ high jump and long jump.
Trinity finished fourth in the boys standings and fifth in the girls standings.
Rootstown earns key finishes
Rootstown tied Kirtland for third place in the girls standings with 52 points.
Emma Haws led the Rovers by winning the girls’ high jump at 4-10, while Sophi Smith added a third-place finish in the shot put.
Rootstown also recorded several strong relay finishes, including points in the girls’ and boys’ distance relays.
Brooklyn gets a podium finish
Brooklyn’s top boys performance came from Zy’Aire Steele, who finished third in the high jump at 5-10.
The Hurricanes also placed fourth in the boys 4×100 relay and finished seventh overall in the boys standings with 17 points.
Fairport Harding lands third
Fairport Harding’s Jacob Drennen placed third in the boys’ pole vault with a clearance of 10-6.
The Skippers finished eighth in the boys team standings with 12 points.
Event Winners and Placers
Girls Relay Winners
- 4×1600: Kirtland
- 4×100: Trinity
- Sprint Relay: Independence
- 4×800: Kirtland
- 800 Sprint Medley: Lutheran West
- Shuttle Hurdle Relay: Independence
- 4×200: Trinity
- Distance Medley: Kirtland
- 4×400: Trinity
Boys Relay Winners
- 4×1600: Independence
- 4×100: Cuy. Heights
- Sprint Relay: Independence
- 4×800: Lutheran West
- 800 Sprint Medley: Lutheran West
- Shuttle Hurdle Relay: Cuy. Heights
- 4×200: Cuy. Heights
- Distance Medley: Lutheran West
- 4×400: Cuy. Heights
Girls Field Event Placers
Pole Vault
- Emilia Mikolic, Independence
- Maddie Spetich, Independence
- Leah Creel, Independence
- Carly Bartko, Cuy. Heights
High Jump
- Emma Haws, Rootstown
- Hailey Weidus, Luth. West
- Alexis Unger, Cuy. Heights
- Maddie Spetich, Independence
Long Jump
- Courtney McCray, Trinity
- Kaitlyn Amari, Cuy. Heights
- Julia Jurkiewicz, Independence
- Maddie Spetich, Independence
Shot Put
- Emily Gibbons, Independence
- Breya Higham, Luth. West
- Sophi Smith, Rootstown
- Krysta Perry, Luth. West
Discus
- Samantha Vallee, Cuy. Heights
- Elyse Grill, Independence
- Emily Gibbons, Independence
- Autumn Weidus, Luth. West
Boys Field Event Placers
Pole Vault
- Aden Ewelt, Cuy. Heights
- Mitch Meyer, Independence
- Jacob Drennen, Fairport Harding
- Ben Armbrust, Cuy. Heights
High Jump
- Maurice McClardy, Cuy. Heights
- Davarie Bennett, Trinity
- Zy’Aire Steele, Brooklyn
- Jay’Veion Ware, Kirtland
Long Jump
- Aden Ewelt, Cuy. Heights
- Davarie Bennett, Trinity
- Stephen Mlynarczyk, Independence
- Carter Brown, Kirtland
Shot Put
- Charlie Vignero, Kirtland
- Alex Waski, Independence
- Isaac Brown, Luth. West
- Vince Prusock, Kirtland
Discus
- Alex Waski, Independence
- Isaac Brown, Luth. West
- Charlie Vignero, Kirtland
- Aaron Woodbury, Trinity
