Gambrell leads field to state

Rogers' DerJuan Gambrell wins the 400 meter dash during the Division I Regional track meet Friday at Amherst Steele High School in Amherst, Ohio. THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH Enlarge | Photo Reprints

AMHERST, Ohio — Rogers’ DerJuan Gambrell didn’t run at the Division I state meet as an individual qualifier in the 400 meters a year ago because of injury after qualifying a year earlier as a sophomore.

Last year’s setback served as motivation for this track season.

The Rams senior assured himself of a trip back to state competition yesterday evening when he streaked to a personal-record time of 48.08 to finish first in the 400 at the Division I regional meet at Amherst Steele.

“It was really important to me to get back there in my senior year in the 400 after getting there as a sophomore,” said Gambrell, who was hampered last spring with a hip injury.

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Gambrell is one of several track and field athletes who placed among the top four spots in an event at the regional competition to guarantee a trip to the state meet.

Gambrell also qualified in two other events. He ran the anchor leg on the Rams’ victorious 1600 relay team, which included Devante Blanks, Shane Royster, and Glandoy Hill. They posted a winning time of 3:22.10.

Gambrell also placed third in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.67. Whitmer’s Mark Meyers was also timed crossing the finish line at 14.67, but he was awarded second place.

Central Catholic’s Caleb Goings, James Freeman, Joshua Stump, and Willis Sowle teamed up to win the 400 relay with a time of 42.24. Whitmer’s Joseph McNabb, Jody Webb, Mark Meyers, and Alonzo Lucas ran fourth with a time of 42.63.

Notre Dame's Lexis Williams runs the final leg of the 4x200 meter relay during the Division I Regional track meet. Notre Dame won the event. THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Notre Dame’s Chantalia Young, Kaila Gardner, Lexis Williams, and Jessika Matthews also produced a first-place effort by winning the girls’ 800 relay with a swift time of 1:42.32.

Whitmer’s Chris Wormley is headed to state for the first time after finishing third in the discus (181-10) and fourth in the shot put (54-2.75).

“It’s a really good accomplishment,” said Wormley.

Maumee’s Willy Fink and St. John’s Greg Turissini crossed the finish line for the 1600 in second and third place with times of 4:17.60 and 4:18.85, respectively. Richfield Revere’s Josh Sabo won with a time of 4:15.

“I’m happy I’ve made it to state again,” Fink said. “I just hope I do better this time.”

Bowsher’s D’Angelo Wilkes-Sharpley led the 800 through the first lap but couldn’t hold on to the lead on the second lap. Yet, he turned in a personal-best time of 1:54.98 to finish second behind Revere’s Sabo (1:52.08). St. Francis de Sales sophomore Daniel Lenart finished fourth with a time of 1:57.86 and earned a trip to state.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” Wilkes-Sharpley said, a junior, looking forward to running in the state meet for the first time.

Southview’s David Renner and St. John’s James O’Shea are headed to state after clearing 6-5 to place second and fourth, respectively, in the high jump. Steele’s Tyler Parrish also cleared 6-5, but on fewer attempts to end up as the regional champion.

Bowling Green’s Kevin Budge took fourth place in the 3200 (9:25.61), finishing ahead of St. Francis’ Scott LaVoy (9:29.98), who finished fifth.

St. John’s Randall Hueston raced to a third-place effort in the 300 hurdles by turning in a personal-record time of 39.14. Titans teammates Jacob Mills, Max Gorski, Kyle Wagner, and Turissini finished fourth in the 3200 relay (8:02.81).

Start’s Quincy Wells and St. John’s O’Shea finished second and third in the long jump with efforts of 22-6.75 and 22-5.75, respectively.

Sandusky’s Demar Adcock won the 200 with a time of 21.66 and Start’s Wells placed sixth (22.58). Findlay’s Cody Swished cleared 13-9 for third place in the pole vault.

Notre Dame’s 1600 relay is also a state-qualifier after placing second with a time of 3:55.10.

Anthony Wayne’s Brittany Green earned a trip to state by finishing second in the long jump with an effort of 17-1.25, and teammate Aisha Potts-Tyre placed second in the 100 hurdles (15.10).

Tiffin Columbian’s Autumn Nichols clinched a third place in the 300 hurdles with a time of 44.97, while Perrysburg’s Andrea Ault ran third in the 3200 (10:59.31).

“This was perfect running weather,” said Ault, a senior, who took 11 seconds off her previous PR time while running in the 50-degree temperatures. “The wind wasn’t too bad, and I like it this cold.”

Ault, along with Taylor Monheim, Courtney Clody, and Emily Wyrick, earned second place in the 3200 relay (9:19.09), while Northview (Abigail Masters, Janelle Noe, Maureen Dean, Alison Work) ran fourth (9:23.40).

Wyrick also qualified for state in the 400 with a time of 58.72.

Notre Dame’s Diamond Battle, Young, Gardner, and Williams also finished second in the 400 relay (48.79), while Central’s Dwanna Williams, Jean Hampton, Ja’Lyn Lathan, and Kiana McClendon followed in third (49.11).

Young will also run in the 200 at state after placing fourth with a time of 25.69.

Southview’s Elizabeth Sares is state-meet bound after a fourth-place finish in the high jump with an effort of 5-4, edging out Start’s Azia Bishop, who cleared 5-3.

Findlay’s Kyesha Neal placed third in the shot put (40-2).

Medina won the boys team championship with 46 points, followed by Brunswick with 39, Sandusky 38, St. Ignatius 38, St. John’s 37, St. Edward 34, Revere 30, Berea 29.50, Whitmer 29, and Midpark 26.50 to complete the Top 10.

Midpark claimed the girls team title with 83 points, followed by Lorain 55, Medina 54, North Royalton 42, Notre Dame 40, Magnificat 35, Brunswick 34, Perrysburg 28, Avon Lake 26, and Ashland 22 to complete the Top 10.

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