ROCKY RIVER—Independence’s girls’ and Cuyahoga Heights’ boys’ teams took early leads after the first day of competition at the 2022 Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division track & field championships at Lutheran West High School on Tuesday.
Independence scored 30 ½ points while Lutheran West is second with 22 ½ and Cuyahoga Heights is third with 16 ½.
Cuyahoga Heights holds a 28-22 lead over Independence in the boys’ competition with Wickliffe in third place with 20 points.
Six events were contested as finals on Tuesday with the remaining events finishing up on Thursday (the pole vault competitions will be contested at Independence on Wednesday).
Brooklyn’s Jenna Young edged Lutheran West’s Evelyn Albers for the high jump conference title. Young, the Division II state runner-up last spring, and Albers both cleared 5-feet, 4-inches but Young had fewer misses and was awarded the first-place medal.
Both Young and Albers recorded a top 10 mark in the state on Tuesday.
Independence’s Casey Adams placed third after clearing 4-8.
Cuyahoga Heights’ Francis Connors won the discus with a best throw of 132-feet, 11-inches. Independence’s Morgan Crist was second (112-5) and Cuyahoga Heights Angelo Rocco was third (111-8).
Independence claimed titles in both the boys’ long jump and girls’ shot put.
Deston Boscarelli won the long jump with a best mark of 20-feet, 2 ½ inches. Trinity’s LeJon Woods placed second (20-1) and Wickliffe’s Shane Williams was third (19-7 ¼).
Kaitlyn Grill won the shot put with a 35-foot, 4-inch throw. Lutheran West’s Ella Walden was second (31-9) and Cuyahoga Heights’ Sophia Winslow placed third (31-7 ½).
Independence’s girls’ 4×800-meter relay also took home the conference title. Alana Nowak, Kate Coljohn, Gabby McGreevy, and Madelyn Flynn won that race in 11:16.36. Wickliffe (12.05.85) was second and Cuyahoga Heights (12:11.09) was third.
Cuyahoga Heights’ boys’ 4×800 team of Max Bollin, Bradyn Rusch, Nate Menkhaus, and Caden Buccier finished first in 8:47.81. Lutheran West (9:10.15) was second and Wickliffe (9:21.45) placed third.
