CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS—Independence won district titles for the second straight year as the Chagrin Valley Conference dominated the 2022 Division III Cuyahoga Heights District track meet.
The Blue Devils won the girls’ competition with 105 ½ points. Cardinal finished second with 76. Kirtland scored 49 points to place fifth and Cuyahoga Heights was sixth with 45.
Independence also defended its district title in the boys’ competition. The Blue Devils finished with 104 points while Cuyahoga Heights was second with 76.
CVC athletes won eight individual district titles and four relay teams also took home district crowns.
Independence’s Emmett Stralka won three district crowns and placed among the top four in another.
He set a new school record in winning the 100-meter dash in 10.85 seconds and he anchored the 4×100-meter relay team to first place with a meet record time of 44.10. Lucas Martinez, Jack Taliaferro, and Deston Boscarelli also ran in that event.
Stralka teamed up with Taliaferro, Kyle Zygmunt, and Martinez to win the 4×200 in 1:30.51. He also earned a regional berth in the 200 as he finished second to defending state champion Amere Talley of Lutheran East with a time of 22.28.
Independence’s Casey Adams and Skylar Leichliter both took home two district crowns.
Adams won the long jump with a best leap of 16-feet, 4 ½-inches and teamed up with Leichliter, Alex Adams, and Grace Taliaferro to win the 4×100 in 51.65 seconds. Leichliter won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.04 seconds.
Leichliter also advanced to the regional meet in the 300-meter hurdles and pole vault. She finished fourth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 50.54 seconds and she was the runner-up in the pole vault after clearing 7-feet, 6-inches.
Adams was the runner-up in the high jump (5-0) and finished third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.04. She will compete in the regional meet in both events.
Grand Valley’s Maggie Waldo set a new school record in winning the pole vault.
She cleared 8-feet to win the event and then she set the bar at 8-7 to try to beat the previous record of 8-6.
Mission accomplished.
“I’ve had a great senior year with the help of my teammates and coaches,” Waldo said. “I’m looking forward to competing again in the regional meet this year and I’m hoping I only continue to improve.”
Waldo also advanced to the regional meet in the long jump with her fourth-place finish. Her best jump was 15-feet, 7-inches.
Cardinal’s Lily Ayer won the 800-meter run in 2:26.56, a new personal record, and also anchored the 4×400-meter relay team which won the district title with a time of 4:15.60. Carly Ayer, Karalyn Rutkowski, and Lauren Soltis also ran in that event.
Ayer also qualified for the regional meet in the 4×200-meter relay. She teamed up with Ronee Collins, Soltis, and Carly Ayer to finish fourth in 1:52.08.
Cardinal’s Mike Soltis won the shot put with a best toss of 52-feet, 2 ½-inches. He’ll also compete in the discus at the regional meet after placing fourth with a best throw of 126-feet, 3-inches.
Cuyahoga Heights had a pair of district champions in Bradyn Rusch and Jack Klamert.
Rusch won the 3200 in 10:23.76 and Klamert claimed the pole vault title by clearing 12-feet, 6-inches.
Rusch also placed third in the 1600 (4:50.34) and ran a leg in the 4×800-meter relay that finished second. He teamed up with Max Bollin, Nate Menkhaus, and Caden Buccier to finish that relay in 8:43.68.
The other CVC athletes to advance to the regional meet with a top four finish at the district meet included Berkshire’s Tara Barcikoski (2nd, 800, 2:30.53); Cardinal’s Audrey Avalon (2nd, discus, 100-1), John Avalon (2nd, shot put, 50-2 ¼; 2nd, discus, 132-0), Carly Ayer (4th, 400, 1:04.25), Collins (3rd, 300 hurdles, 50.54; 4th, pole vault, 7-0), Rutkowski (4th, high jump, 5-0; 2nd, 100 hurdles, 16.36), and Anthony Soltis (3rd, pole vault, 10-6); Cuyahoga Heights’ Taylor Blasco (3rd, pole vault, 7-6), Bollin (3rd, high jump, 6-0), Janasia Bridges (4th, 100, 12.76), Buccier (3rd, 800, 2:02.64), and Francis Connors (3rd, discus, 128-10); Grand Valley’s Anna Steimle (3rd, 1600, 5:48.74); Independence’s Alex Adams (2nd, 100, 12.56), Kaitlyn Grill (4th, shot put, 31-10), Jack Korinek (4th, 110 hurdles, 17.51; 4th, 300 hurdles, 43.42), Martinez (4th, pole vault, 10-6), Alana Nowak (2nd, 1600, 5:44.02; 2nd, 3200, 12:46.62), and Zygmunt (2nd, 100, 11.09; 2nd, 400, 50.30); Kirtland’s Delaney Kuczkowski (4th, 800, 2:33.88) and Sylvia Vosicky (3rd, 400, 1:03.93); Richmond Heights’ Michael McWilliams (4th, 400, 52.48); and Trinity’s LeJon Woods (4th, 100, 11.22; 3rd, long jump, 19-10 ½).
Six girls’ and two boys’ relay teams also advanced.
Cuyahoga Heights’ 4×100-meter relay team of Bridges, Madeline Amari, Grace Lasky, and Brooke Krajewski placed third in 53.14. Bridges, Amari, Lasky, and Katie Buccier placed second in the 4×200 with a time of 1:51.55. That group also placed second in the 4×400 in 4:19.89.
Kirtland’s team of Alyssa Bryll, Elin Connor, Marissa Carmosino, and Macy McIntosh placed third in 1:52. The Hornets also placed second in the 4×800 with a time of 10:49.13. Ainsley Borthwick, Reilly Greenlee, Kuczkowski, and Vosicky competed in that event.
Independence’s team of Nowak, Kate Coljohn, Madelyn Flynn, and Gabby McGreevy placed fourth in the 4×800 with a time of 11:06.15.
Trinity’s boys’ 4×200-meter relay team will compete at the regional meet after placing fourth in 1:34.95. Leiland Thompson, Christopher Bell, Woods, and Jordan Thompson-Seay finished that race in 1:34.95.
Independence’s 4×400-meter relay team is headed to the regional meet after it placed second with a time of 3:31.05.
Jack Taliaferro, Martinez, Matt Wisniewski, and Zygmunt ran that race in 3:31.05.
