Rocky River freshman Maureen Kessler anchors the winning 4x400 meter relay. The Lady Pirates won the D-II Lakewood district title on Saturday. Kessler had earlier anchored the winning 4x800 meter relay as well. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

Rocky River cruises to district track title
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
Published May 24, 2006

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Using a little motivation from their friendly neighborhood sports editor, the Rocky River girls 4x800 team won the opening event of the D-II district track meet at Lakewood High to qualify for the regional tournament. Qualifying looked like so much fun, the rest of the team decided they also wanted to share the experience. By the end of the meet, 14 girls qualified in 11 different events to pile up 119 points to easily win the meet over second place Akron St. Vincent St, Mary's 81 points.

"It is a great group of girls that want to win," coach Julie Achladis said. "We are so well-rounded and we have a lot of depth. The girls don't want it to end and neither do I. We did not expect to win by this spread. I thought it would be closer, but the kids stepped up. They want to win and that is the bottom line."

In last week's issue, it was mistakenly mentioned that freshman Maureen Kessler ran the final leg of the 4x800 and was passed by Fairview senior Stacie Dorian down the stretch. Instead Kessler had run the opening leg and junior Jade Braden was passed by Dorian. This week, Kessler and Braden switched spots. And when Kessler received the baton with a lead from freshman Jenna Berg, she turned on the jets and Dorian never had a chance to catch her.

"After watching Maureen in the 4x400, I knew I had to make the switch," Achladis said. "Jade runs the first leg in the 4x400 as well so it was something I felt comfortable doing. I knew they could do it and I think the article got them fired up to compete against Fairview."

Kessler was focused going into the race and humble in victory.

"I just wanted to get a PR," she said. "Fairview is a great team so to beat them was really good. I run against Stacie in three events and she is a great runner. It helps my time to run against her."

Kessler also qualified in the 400 meters and ran the winning leg on the 4x400 relay that closed out the meet. Fairview had the lead for most of the race until the third leg when sophomore Ellie Brandt caught Fairview's runner and then set up Kessler with a lead.

"I was surprised I had so much left at the end, but I just busted it out to give Maureen a lead," Brandt said. "She has really pulled through for us and for her to anchor the relay as a freshman it is really neat."

Brandt qualified in four events. She was a part of the third place 4x200 team with fellow sophomores Lindsey Hobson, Brittany Blogna and freshman Andie Hopson, finished second in 100 meter hurdles and won the 300 meter hurdles.

"Winning the 300 meter hurdles feels pretty good," she said. "I was a little nervous going into it. I am glad I pulled it off. I had it in my mind just to sprint."

Rocky River also won the 4x100 relay with a team of freshman Megan Grey, sophomore Lindsey Hobson, juniors Alex Anderson and Ashley Rucker.

"Our 4x100 team should not have won but they stepped up," Achladis said. "They just got a taste of winning and they don't want it to end."

Grey also won the pole vault with a height of 9'9" which was just short of the meet record of 10'. Other qualifiers for River included: Jade Braden (the two relays and second in 1,600 meters), Jenna Berg (third in 1,600 meters), Emily Kennard (fourth in 100 meter hurdles), sophomore Shannon Firestone (fourth in high jump), sophomore Jasmine Braden (part of the winning 4x800 meter team) and senior Kelly Peters (part of the winning 4x400 team).

River had at least one girl qualify for the finals in every event. And of the 14 regional qualifiers, only one is a senior. This young group will never use their age as an excuse.

"We are just used to winning and we now expect it for ourselves," Kessler said.

The Rocky River boys team qualified two individuals to the regional meet that begins Thursday in Ravenna. Junior Brian Gibbons won the 3,200 meters and Senior Emmett Conway finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles.

Conway finished strong to overtake the fourth and final qualifiying spot.

"That is the type of kid he is," coach Mark Hogya said. "He has worked really hard not to be satisfied with what he already accomplished. Not getting out in the 110 hurdles, I thought, gave him a little more determination and he is a strong finisher."

Gibbons won the two-mile with a time of 9:57.65, which was a personal best. He won the race by nearly 14 seconds.

"Brian called his own game plan," Hogya said. "Regardless of who was running with him, he was determined to run a PR for himself. Going in, we thought that would be enough to get through to next week."

"I knew I had to go out fast," Gibbons said. "It is tough to go from racing at night around 8 p.m. when it was cool to racing in the middle of day when it is hot. It is really difficult. Being a district champion has been the goal for a long time and I am glad I accomplished it."

Hogya believes next season the Pirates could have more regional qualifiers.

"It would have been nice to get a few more through but that is life," he said. "We only had three seniors on the team this year so we have a lot of guys coming back. I am hoping the guys that came close this year will have that in their mind when they start training for next season."