Track and field: Avon girls repeat as Comet Relays champion

AMHERST — The Avon High girls didn't miss a beat at Saturday's 70th Comet Relays. After winning the Lorain County Athletic Administrators' meet for a fifth straight time April 17, the Eagles picked right back up where they left off and won the Comet Relays for the second year in a row. Avon totaled 100 points to hold off second-place Solon (97). Avon and Solon were the top two girls teams a year ago with the Eagles prevailing over the Comets, 115.98 to 94. The Avon boys also did well, placing fourth for the second straight year with 57 points. Mentor won the boys meet for the first time since 2001, scoring 74 points. Walsh Jesuit (68) and Brunswick (63) rounded out the top three. Sophomore Ally Brediger, junior Paige Justice and senior Kaitlyn Reese led the Avon girls. Brediger defended her meet title in the 100 meters for the second straight year over Solon's Samantha Singleton. This time around, Brediger clocked 12.24 to 12.48 for Singleton. Brediger also helped the 800-meter sprint medley that included Molley Kennedy, Madison Gettings and Jayla Antrum defend its meet title with a time of 1:49.75. The Eagles sophomore also anchored the Avon girls' second-place 800-meter relay that included Antrum, Gettings and Paige Justice (1:42.78). Only Solon's 1:41.16 was better. Brediger's final anchor effort came for the second-place 400-meter relay that included Antrum, Kennedy and Gettings (49.42). Again only one team, Medina (49.26), was quicker. "I feel like there's a lot we still need to work on," said Brediger. "Yesterday's practice was canceled because of weather. A lot of it is just getting used to it, our timing. I feel like we still need some more practice. Today was just our second meet doing this (800 relay) all together." In between all the relay action, Justice contributed with a second in the 100 hurdles (15.44). She also contributed a leg on the sixth-place 1,600-meter relay (4:14.50), won by Solon (4:00.12), which got 10 points for the event win. The three sixth-place points by the Avon 1,600-meter relay was the difference in the margin of victory. Led by Reese, the Avon girls distance crew came through with three winning performances and one second and one third to account for a total of 44 of 100 points. Reese won the 1,600 in a time of 5:01.54 as she held off Bay's Maya Gonzalez (5:02.54). Reese also anchored the winning 3,200-meter relay that included Jessica Pendleton, Molly Suter and Olivia Pajak (9:26.25). Reese's other performance came as a member of the 4,000-meter distance medley relay that included Pendleton, Ava Melott and Pajak. The Avon girls' DMR clocked 13:15.37, second only to Twinsburg's 13:07.64. Molly Pomfrey, Suter, Reegan Kacenjar and Melott combined for the Avon girls other distance win, which came in the 6,400-meter relay (22:34.16). Second-place Solon (23:18.14) finished nearly 44 seconds behind. Sophomore Lauren Kershaw of Avon accounted for the Eagles' other distance points with a third in the 3,200 (11:40.87). "I am so proud of the tenacity of this group," said Avon girls coach Sam Ulery. "They work hard in preparation for days like today and to see the results show up on the track and in the field is really special. I'm especially proud of my senior sprinters, Jayla Antrum and Madison Gettings. Both were in four relays today and were the driving force behind this win. "We also had a particularly good day in long jump (three points for sixth place, versus eight points for Solon for second place in that event), which was the last officially scored event that allowed us to edge out a tremendously talented Solon team." The Avon boys shot put relay of seniors Maximus Hauck (57-4.25) and Jacob Abfall (56-3), along with junior Dominic Grasso (42-11.25), notched the lone first place finish. "I thought that I could of went a little better looking for PRs," said Hauck. "We (Hauck and Abfall) both did pretty good today, just competing against each other. I was hoping for a higher 57 or 58 today, but it's a good mark and sets the day off pretty well." "Every year at this meet we always have a great team," said Abfall. "We're getting ready to start tapering soon for districts, regionals and state, which start coming up in a few weeks. To be where we are, fouling 56-60 foot throws, it's really a testament to our coaching staff and our weight room program led by our throws coach (Jared Cecchetti)." "It's an honor and to be out here and throw with these guys," said Grasso. "This is a great meet to show what Avon has got and that we are still here. Today shows how all of hard work in the offseason really pays off." Avon senior Jackson Hughes had the meet's best long jump (22-5) and the meet's second best high jump (6-6). He helped Avon take second in high jump (18-6) behind Berea-Midpark (18-9.5). Teammate Jairel Fenton cleared 6-4 while Adam Bahr went 5-8. Hughes' long jump effort helped Avon take fourth with a combined mark of (58-8), along with teammates Alec Ferreira and Trevor Maly. The Avon boys 400-meter relay and 3,200-meter relay finished third. Bishop Weatherspoon, Sam Ulery (girls coach Sam Ulery's son), Graham Rowlison and Fenton clocked 42.90 for the 400 relay. Jose Alvelo, Owen Burns. Matt Lochbihler and Jared Keressi went a time of 8:09.36 for the 3,200 relay. Alvelo, Luke Fox, Keressi and Burns also added a fourth in the 4,000-meter distance medley (11:08.79). "The boys did an outstanding job, considering the weather conditions," said Avon boys coach Scott Lanham. "The coaching staff did an outstanding job preparing our athletes for today's events. We scored in 10 of the 17 events. All five field events scored, which I'm very happy with, but we still have a lot of room for improvement. Overall, a great team effort. Very happy with the results." Host Amherst was led by the winning performance of its boys pole relay of juniors Cole Lugar (14-6), Grady Pellittieri (13-6) and Devin Juristy (11-6), who combined for a total of 39-6. Contact Paul Heyse at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. BOYSTEAM SCORES1, Mentor, 74; 2. Walsh Jesuit, 68; 3. Brunswick, 63; 4. Avon, 57; 5. Solon, 56; 6. Beavercreek, 48; 7. Medina, 41; 8. Berea-Midpark, 39; 9. Amherst, 37; 10. St. Ignatius, 35. Out of 23 teams that scored 100 METERS: 1. Perrine (Bay), 11.02; 2. Walker (St. Ignatius), 11.21; 7. Patton (Amherst), 11.46; 12. Weatherspoon (Avon), 11.581,600: 1. Allen (Beavercreek), 4:22.37; 2. Penkowski (Mentor), 4:24.61; 9. Nicely (Amherst), 4:45.453,200: 1. Newman (St. Edward), 9:15.51; 2. Davis (Beavercreek), 9:17.37110-METER HURDLES: 1. Piskach (Brunswick), 14.97; 2. Walkiewicz (Strongsville), 14.98; 13. Cao (Avon), 16.84; 18. Dick (Amherst), 18.55300-METER HURDLES: 1. Piskach (Brunswick), 39.06; 2. Taylor (Solon), 39.44; 11. Danicki (Avon), 43.36400-METER RELAY: 1. St. Ignatius, 42.53; 2. Walsh Jesuit, 42.81; 3. Avon (Weatherspoon, Ulery, Rowlison, Fenton), 42.90; 5. Amherst (Rhoads, Donald, Boone, Patton), 43.22800-METER RELAY: 1. Brunswick, 1:27.74 (MEET RECORD, old record 1:28.33 set in 2022 by St. Edward); 2. Amherst (Boone, Donald, Patton, Thompson), 1:28.18; 6. Avon, 1:30.231,600-METER RELAY: 1. Walsh Jesuit, 3:23.66; 2. Olmsted Falls, 3:25.54; 5. Amherst, 3:31.283,200-METER RELAY: 1. Beavercreek, 8:03.09; 2. Medina, 8:04.49; 3. Avon (Alvelo, Burns, Lochbihler, Keressi), 8:09.36; 8. Amherst, 8:39.18 6,400-METER RELAY: 1. Mentor, 18:33.94; 2. Medina, 18:44.99; 10. Avon, 19:52.88; 11. Amherst, 19:57.01 800-METER SPRINT MEDLEY: 1. Walsh Jesuit, 1:33.51 (MEET RECORD, old record 1:33.47 set in 2022 by Twinsburg); 2. Amherst (Donald, Patton, Boone, Thompson), 1:33.95; 7. Avon, 1:36.564,000-METER DISTANCE MEDLEY: 1. Mentor, 10:48.87; 2. Brunswick, 10:55.75; 3. Medina, 10:56.89; 4. Avon (Alvelo, Fox, Keressi, Burns), 11:08.79; 9. Amherst, 11:29.53SHOT PUT: 1. Hauck (Avon), 57-4.25; 2. Daniels (Harding), 56-5; 3. Abfall (Avon), 56-3. Team winner: Avon, 156-6.5DISCUS: 1. Conrad (St. Ignatius), 183-5; 2. Bush (Solon), 175-6; 5. Dawson (Avon), 158-1; 6. Simo (Amherst), 154-5; 8. Hauck (Avon), 150-3. Team winner: Solon, 467-0HIGH JUMP: 1. Jones (Berea-Midpark), 6-9.5 (MEET RECORD, old record 6-9 set in 1988 by Elyria's Mark Cannon); 2. Hughes (Avon), 6-6; 3. Tie – Fenton (Avon), Bailey (Berea-Midpark) and Higgins (Mentor), 6-4. Team winner: Berea-Midpark, 18-9.5LONG JUMP: 1. Hughes (Avon), 22-5; 2. Taylor (Solon), 21-7.75; 10. Ferreira (Avon), 20-6.25. Team winner: Solon, 62-4POLE VAULT: 1. Cole Lugar (Amherst), 14-6; 6. Owen Stepsis (Medina), 13-6; 13. Judah Carrell (Medina) and Brayden Belloma (Brunswick), 11-6; 30. Brayden Lewis (Medina) and Spencer Burger (Brunswick), 9-0; 37. Colin Arthur (Brunswick), 8-0. Team winner: Amherst, 39-6 GIRLSTEAM SCORES1, Avon, 100; 2. Solon, 97; 3. Beavercreek, 71; 4. Twinsburg, 51; 5. Medina, 49; 6. Brunswick, 45; 7. Painesville Riverside; 40; 8. St. Joseph Academy, 26; 9. Tie - Mentor, Norwalk and Perkins, 20; 18. Lorain, 10; 19. Amherst, 6. Out of 23 teams that scored. 100 METERS: 1. Brediger (Avon), 12.24; 2. Singleton (Solon), 12.501,600: 1. Reese (Avon), 5:01.54; 2. Maya Gonzalez (Bay), 5:02.54; 12. Woskobunik (Amherst), 5:56.843,200: 1. Cayne (Solon), 11:12.27; 2. Nolan (Brunswick), 11:29.99; 3. Kershaw (Avon), 11:40.87; 11. Falbo (Amherst), 11:56.59100-METER HURDLES: 1. Urbas (Riverside), 14.97; 2. Justice (Avon), 15.44; 3. Roberts (Lorain, 15.79300-METER HURDLES: 1. Brown (Beavercreek), 44.95; 2. Urbas (Riverside), 47.05; 5. Roberts (Lorain), 50.04; 17. Vitelli (Amherst), 55.98400-METER RELAY: 1. Medina, 49.26; 2. Avon (Antrum, Kennedy, Gettings, Brediger), 49.42800-METER RELAY: 1. Solon, 1:41.16; 2. Avon (Antrum, Justice, Gettings, Brediger), 1:42.78; 12. Amherst, 1:49.84; 14. Lorain, 1:53.181,600-METER RELAY: 1. Solon, 4:00.12; 2. Beavercreek, 4:05.88; 6. Avon (Antrum, Justice, Pendleton, Gettings), 4:14.50; 15. Amherst, 4:31.283,200-METER RELAY: 1. Avon (Pendleton, Suter, Pajak, Reese), 9:26.25 (MEET RECORD, old record 9:31.26 set in 2009 by Magnificat); 2. Medina, 9:55.486,400-METER RELAY: 1. Avon (Pomfrey, Suter, Kacenjar, Melott), 22:34.16; 2. Solon, 23:18.14; 7. Amherst, 24:39.10 800-METER SPRINT MEDLEY: 1. Avon (Kennedy, Gettings, Antrum, Brediger), 1:49.75; 2. Twinsburg, 1:52.63; 11. Amherst, 1:58.834,000-METER DISTANCE MEDLEY: 1. Twinsburg, 13:07.64; 2. Avon (Pendleton, Reese, Melott, Pajak), 13:15.37; 7. Amherst, 13:51.71SHOT PUT: 1. Schirg (Perkins), 40-8; 2. Green (Perkins), 39-3.5; 7. Phillips (Lorain), 34-8.5. Team winner: Perkins, 114-1.5 (MEET RECORD, old record 111-10.5 set by Magnificat)DISCUS: 1. Schirg (Perkins), 119-11; 2. Swann (Brunswick), 119-10; 3. Kiesel (Avon), 116-2; 8. Hricovec (Avon), 103-7; 9. Phillips (Lorain), 102-2; 14. Mull (Amherst), 96-0. Team winner: Perkins, 338-5HIGH JUMP: 1. Chandhok (Berea-Midpark), 5-5.5; 2. Mcgreal (Magnificat), 4-10; 4. 13-way tie including Merthe (Amherst), 4-8. Team winner: Magnificat, 14-0LONG JUMP: 1. Chandhok (Berea-Midpark), 18-2; 2. Klue (Walsh Jesuit), 17-11.25; 6. Walsh (Avon), 17-1; 16. Sixbey (Amherst), 15-6.5; 22. Owens (Avon), 15-1. Team winner: Brunswick, 51-5 (MEET RECORD, old record 50-3.25 set by Medina)POLE VAULT: 1. Lepley (Norwalk), 10-6; 2. Tie – Sixbey (Amherst) and Santori (Berea-Midpark), 10-6. Team winner: Twinsburg, 27-6