In their first invitational of the season, the Ravenna Ravens boys’ track and field team announced their presence with an impressive season debut by taking second place at the fifth annual Don Faix Invitational by taking second place with 109 points last Saturday at Jack Lambert Stadium Track in Mantua.
“I think we will surprise teams throughout the season,” said Coach Laddie Fair. “Our mid-distance team is pretty good too. I did not get to run everybody. That will catch up to our sprints as well, so when you can combine both it is going to lead our team to the next level.
The Ravens soared to second place with a dominant showing in the sprint events by scoring 36 points.
The quartet of juniors Curtis Ross and Marcus Hutchinson, sophomores Mark Miller, and Zander Mehalic placed eighth in the 4×800 relay with a time of 9:39.88.
Junior Mason Scott captured fourth place in the 110-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 16.86 seconds.
Sophomore Trey Carter snagged first place in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.03 seconds, followed by senior Bryant Thompson who finished as the runner-up by clocking 11.19 seconds.
Seniors Malachi Prisby, junior TyKwon Ward, Carter and Thompson teamed up to win the 4×200 relay with a time of 1:31.44.
“They broke the school record that was held since 2009,” noted the first-year coach. “They just broke the school record, and I am sure they will break it again throughout the season and when I decide to load the 4×100, I am expecting them to break that record too.”
Senior Bobby Melzer, junior LaDarion Askew, Prisby and Ward won the 4×100 relay, stopping the clock at 46.38 seconds.
Askew took fifth place in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 45.42 seconds.
Scott earned fifth in the 800-meter run by clocking 2:06.90.
Thompson won the 200-meter dash at 22.67 seconds, followed by Carter who took second place with a time of 22.71 seconds.
Melzer, Scott, Ross and Miller placed seventh in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:48.46.
Scott and Prisby tied for third place in the high jump at a height of 5 feet, 6 inches.
Melzer finished as the runner-up in the shot put with a distance of 49 feet, 10 inches.
Melzer also took third in the discus throw by hurling a distance of 138 feet, 2 inches.
Thompson placed second in the long jump, with a jump of 19 feet, 8¼ inches, followed by Carter who captured fifth place by jumping 18 feet, 11½ inches.
“Our field events will be something that will surprise a lot of teams as well,” Fair noted. “I have a couple of jumpers who are developing very well in the high jump and long jump so I will be able to move athletes around throughout the season more and more.”
On the girls’ side, the Crestwood Red Devils defended their runner-up finish by earning second place again, this time scoring 102 points.
“I could not ask for a better start to the season especially at the Don Faix,” said Coach Maria Conant. “It was nice seeing everyone else step up to defend the second-place title we got last year too.”
The Red Devils girls propelled themselves to second place by scoring 91 points through the sprints, hurdles and relays.
Seniors Abby Guyette, Erin Halls and sophomores Piper Seibold and Maddie Grace Gonczy captured first in the 4×800 relay with a time of 10:13.03.
Sophomore Livia Martini won the 100-meter dash at 12.74 seconds.
Seniors Hannah Ward and Audrey Fusci, sophomore Emily Doering and freshman Mia Davis teamed up take fourth in the 4×200 relay with a time of 2:00.52.
Seibold finished as the runner-up in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:46.00, followed by Hallis who earned fifth place with a time of 6:04.18.
Davis, Doering, Fusci and Ward snagged fourth place in the 4×100 relay, clocking a time of 56.57 seconds.
Martini took first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 59.44 seconds.
Sophomore Myla Simpson earned fifth place in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 53.34 seconds.
Gonczy won the 800-meter run, crossing the finish line at 2:29.43.
Martini won her third event, snagging first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.22 seconds.
“That was Liv’s first full meet of this whole track season so it was great for her to come out and compete and being where she almost was at the end of last season timewise,” noted the second-year coach. “That’s good to get a start on the season so I am really excited for her.”
Senior Kennedy Rhodes netted second place in the 3200-meter run, fueled by a time of 13:26.10.
Guyette, Simpson, Seibold and Gonczy finished as the runners-up in the 4×00 relay with a time of 4:25.94.
Junior Madison Sheridan took fourth in the shot put, throwing a distance of 32 feet, 11 inches.
Sheridan also netted seventh place in the discus throw with a distance of 94 feet.
The Ravens will compete again at the Jeep Davis Invitational at Barberton High School on Friday at 5 p.m. while the Red Devil girls will return to the track for the William Ward Invitational at East Palestine High School on Saturday at 10 a.m.
