Sidelines: District was learning experience for Graham

5/26/2005

Bowsher freshman Meshawn Graham couldn t hide her emotions after crossing the finish line twice right behind Libbey junior Danyelle McGary during the Division I district track meet Saturday at St. Francis.

Graham, who had defeatedMcGary during the regular season, had to settle for second-place finishes in the 200 and 400- meter races.

Meanwhile, McGary collected another first place in the 100. She broke her own year-old meet record in the 400 when she pulled past Graham during the final 15 meters to record a time of 55.16.

Graham considers her first district an eye-opening experience. She left the track disappointed, but also encouraged by the experience she gained heading into the regional today and Saturday at Amherst Steele.

She outstrategized me at the end of the 400, Graham said of McGary. She ran the race to win it and I ran for time. She really ran smart.

Graham s time in the 400 (55.33) still topped the former meet record of 55.56.

Northview senior Steve Waites proved to be among the area s best distance runners last season.

But his commitment for running track wasn t at the level it is this season. Waites passed up running at the regional last season and chose to compete with his club lacrosse team in a tournament scheduled for the same day.

After finishing first at the district in the 800 (1:59.07) and second in the 1600 (4:27.85), Waites made it clear what s high on his list of priorities this spring.

District is just another step in the road. State is the ultimate goal, Waites said.

St. Ursula s Ellie Reinbrecht, Joan Anderson, Lisa Aubry and Yemoja Marotta admit they were determined to beat Bowsher in the 1600-meter relay at the district. Not only did they beat the Rebels for the first time this season, the Arrows nearly broke the meet record with their season-best time of 4:00.47.

Rogers established the meet record (3:59.00) in 1981.

Bowsher s Cheryce Burton, Tasha Banks, Alyssa Martinez and Graham finished second at 4:04.24. However, Chanelle Caldwell, who normally runs on the relay team, was kept out of the race because of tendinitis.

The end of an era will come to pass when Mike O Connell of St. Francis de Sales swings his racket for the final time during the Division I state tennis tournament in Columbus.

It will be the sixth consecutive year at least one member of the O Connell family has reached this level. O Connell s cousins, brothers Kevin and James, are responsible for turning the trip into an annual family event. They reached the state tournament as doubles partners in 2001.

The siblings reached state twice. When Kevin graduated, James and Mike became a tough tandem that successfully claimed the Division I doubles championship in 2003 and finished third last year.

St. John s James Davis (singles) and Dustin DeLelles and Tyler Sbrocchi (doubles) are also among the players heading to state.

Maumee Valley s Craig Choka and Abi Pai, and Napoleon s Ben Bischoff and Adam Fausey are among the doubles qualifiers in Division II.

Rowing teams from Notre Dame, St. Ursula and Central Catholic have qualified for a national regatta.

All of the rowers placed high at the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships in Cincinnati. Over 3,000 rowers competed. The teams qualified for the Scholastic National Regatta to be held tomorrow and Saturday in New Jersey.

Notre Dame won the girls 4 varsity lightweight at the Midwest regatta with a time of 5:51.0. Breanna Davis is the crew s coxswain. Linda Kolb, Chelsea Wymer, Sarah Keller and Megan Costic round out the Eagle team.

Davis also was the coxswain on the school s lightweight 8 boat, which finished second in 05:13.68. Keller, Wymer, Kolb and Costic were joined by Lindsay Arrington, Lara Gossman, Danielle Bishop and Rachael Thrun.

Notre Dame s junior 4 crew of Shaylen Foley (coxswain), Lauren Hirt, Chelsea MacRichie, Colleen Bremer and Laurel Hanson also qualified by placing third. But the lightweight 8 boat will not compete at the national event because four of the members chose to compete in the 4 varsity lightweight event.

SUA placed second in the novice 4 event in 6:06.12. Alex Thornton served as the coxswain. Taylor Dana, Lauren Sheehan, Rachel Krajewski and Katie Fox were the other members of the crew. There is no novice event at nationals.

The Arrows junior 8 finished third (5:16.58) and will compete nationally. The team consists of Thornton (coxswain), Kate Broderick, Kierstin Duckett, Kelcee Nowakowski, Amber Holmes, Annissa Bereski, Ellen Ricker, Dana Connors and Maggie Wyper.

Central finished second in the junior 4 event with a time of5:53.11.

Sarah Argentine is the coxswain and will lead Kelcey Croak, Jessica Forche, Maureen Agnew and Marybeth Hoffman to the national event.

Contact Donald Emmons at:emmons@theblade.comor 419-724-6302.