Published: 4/29/2011

Rogers reigns at Knight Relays

Gambrell part of 3 victories as Rams outdistance Whitmer

BY DONALD EMMONS
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

Conditions proved ripe for fast times, hefty tosses, and lengthy leaps Friday evening at the 13th annual Knight Relays held at St. Francis de Sales.

Rogers senior DerJuan Gambrell paced the Rams to 99.5 points to claim the team championship.

The Rams senior dashed to victory in the 110 hurdles with a season-best time of 14.61 and also won the 400 meters with a season-best effort of 49.36. Gambrell also ran with Devonte Blanks, Justin Gaston, and Jerrette Bradley to finish first in the 440 meter shuttle hurdle race with a time of 59.17.

Rogers’ Michael Lipkins, Blanks, Jovan Fleming, and Allan Forrest also won the 800 relay with a meet-record showing of 1:28.37.

“We really ran better than I expected today,” Rogers coach Eric Browning said. “I was pleasantly surprised. We didn’t make a lot of mistakes, and nobody got hurt, and that’s always the biggest thing.”

Fleming also won the 200 (22.49) shortly before Lipkins, Blanks, Shane Royster, and Glandoy Hill capped the meet by winning the 1600 relay (3:25.71).

Hill and Garnette Bradley teamed to give the Rams a victory in the long jump relay with a combined effort of 42-1.25.

Whitmer, led by Chris Wormley and a strong field events contingent, finished runner-up in the team standings with 74 points, followed by St. John’s Jesuit with 71, Adrian 68, Southview 60, Central Catholic 59, St. Francis 55.5, Clay 49, Findlay 44, Northview 37, Bedford 36, Start 31, Bowsher 25, Delta 19, Springfield 10, and Toledo Christian 1.

Wormley took part in the Panthers’ sweep of the shot put and discus relay events. He teamed with Storm Norton to score victory in the shot put with a combined effort of 102 feet, 3 inches, which set a meet record.

Wormley, who earned the most valuable player award for field events, also combined with Ken Hayes to win the discus relay event with a combined effort of 298-4.

Bedford’s Nick Kaiser delivered a meet-record time of 1:51.73 to easily claim victory in the 800 meters. Kaiser, who will run track in college for the University of Tennessee, shattered the old meet record of 1:57.30 set by Colin Pettiford in 2008.

“I ran pretty close to my personal-best last year, so I’m pretty happy with that,” said Kaiser, who earned the meet’s most valuable player award for running events.

St. Francis’ Lawrence Jajou, Will Cameron, John Cameron, and Dan Lenart commenced the running event finals by winning the 3200 relay with a Knights season-best and meet-record time of 8:04.34.

“I just wanted to go out and keep a steady pace and maintain the lead,” Lenart said. “Overall, we did great and everyone contributed.”

Adrian’s Cory Miller and Colt Arnett won the pole vault relay with a meet record of 28-6, while Southview’s Dave Renner and J.J. Pinckney placed first in the high jump relay with a meet-record effort of 12-6.

St. John’s Jesuit’s Greg Turissini took control early in the 1600 and crossed the finish line first with a season-best time of 4:26.94.

Delta senior Colin Fisher made his first Knight Relays experience memorable by winning the 3200 (9:33.42).

Clay’s Noah Buehrer won the 300 hurdles (40.11), and Central’s James Freeman won the 100 (10.91).

Freeman, Caleb Goings, Josh Stump, and Willis Sowle took first for the Irish in the 400 relay (43.08), while Bedford’s Cory Schoendorf, Jake Nye, Dan Thompson, and Kaiser won the 6400 relay (18:33.38).

Contact Donald Emmons at: demmons@theblade.com or 419-724-6302.