Wadsworth OH Adds New Memories at Penn Relays

By Brian Towey of DyeStat

PHILADELPHIA -- Decked out in red, Wadsworth OH coach Chris Beery bellowed off the first curve at Franklin Field during the boys 4x800-meter relay Championship of America race Saturday.

"Come on Gabe! You can do it!"

ON-DEMAND VIDEOS FROM THE 2018 PENN RELAYS

In a short time, Wadsworth, located about 20 miles outside of Akron in northeastern Ohio, has established itself as a regular among the Penn Relays cohort. Finishing sixth last year in 7:48.02, the group returned this session to finish fifth, running 7:44.01 and placing second among American teams.

"Last year was the first year our school came, just for the 4x800," senior anchor leg Gabe Szalay said. "It was an awesome experience. My best memories are always here."

Wadsworth stuck its nose in the action immediately, as senior leadoff leg Nick Miller contributed a 1:52.58 lead leg, pressing among the leaders. The team remained near the front through senior Josiah Sovine's 1:55.12 second leg, and battled with Lake Braddock VA during junior Kai Wagner's third until the University of Kentucky-bound senior Szalay brought them home with a 1:53.96 anchor carry.

"(Penn Relays) is where you come to get a PR for a relay and prepare for the postseason," Szalay said. "I feel like people care more about this than nationals."

Wadsworth’s result underscored the power of the Ohio middle distance scene right now, with runners like Lakota East's Dustin Horter, Thomas Worthington's Arjun Jha and Dublin Coffman’s Lucas Bons.

"I've been to states every year in the 1,600," Szalay said. "Last year I barely made podium with a 4:11 mile."

Californian Presence

Following Bellarmine CA's 10:06.10 win in last year's boys distance medley, the Golden State made another strong appearance.

Robert Miranda, a senior at the Menlo School, which sits between San Francisco and San Jose in the northern part of Silicon Valley, led the boys invitational mile through 800 meters before fading to sixth in 4:16.45. The Thacher School, with only 250 students and a team of five, finished eighth in the boys Distance Medley Championship of America (10.20.31), marking the return of coach Ed Italo, who guided Nordhoff to a third-place finish in the boys 4x800 championship in 2015.

Long Beach Poly made its annual return to Franklin Field in the newly created "National" 4x100 boys and girls championship, which invites teams from across the country. Traditionally a flag-holder for American teams in the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays, the Poly girls finished second in 47.19 to Las Vegas Rancho NV (46.64). 

"Until I got on the plane, it didn't really sink in," said Miranda, who'll run at Yale next year. "It's an amazing experience, especially coming from the West Coast."

Encouraging Foray Into Hurdles

In only his second race of the season at the distance, E.C. Glass VA senior Emmanuel Waller evinced a growing familiarity with the 400-meter hurdles. He was out-leaned only by Jamaican Rovane Williams (51.22) in a 51.36 finish. Waller was the top American finisher (St. Joseph's Prep PA senior Miles Green was third in 52.30) and scored a US#1 in an event that he is still very much figuring out.

"He's still not a very good technical hurdler," said Van Porter, the head coach at E.C. Glass of Waller, who owns a 14.07 PR in the 110 hurdles. "He's going to explode in college. Once he gets the quality coaching at that level."

Waller gave up football before his senior season, committing himself to a summer exercise regimen.

"I stopped playing football and dedicated myself to track," said Waller, who'd earlier won the Bojangles Classic in South Carolina in 52.29 and will run at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. "Really, I've just been lifting and running and praying. I'm very deep into my religion."

Pole Vault Dual

East Pennsboro PA senior Payton Morris, with his orange singlet and mane of shaggy hair, won the boys pole vault at 16-4.75, defeating Bayard Rustin PA senior Charles Dever, who'd recently broken the Pennsylvania state record at 17-0 on April 24) at 16-0.75. Morris took a shot at Jordan Yamoah's 2011 meet record of 16-6.50, but missed.

Javelin U

Mississippi State's Nicolas Quijera and Anderson Peters finished first and second in the men's college javelin championship at 242-1 (73.80m) and 237-10 (72.51m). When Quijera threw 261-8 (79.75m) at the Tennessee Relays earlier this month, Mississippi State became the first NCAA Division I program to have three different javelin-throwers surpass 79 meters (Curtis Thompson, who is redshirting this season, is the third).

"We didn't have our best day. I don't know if it was the wind or what it was," said the junior Quijera, of Pamplona, Spain. "We're training for nationals. That's our main goal. We have SEC's in two weeks. That's also our main goal. Penn Relays was, like, kind of come here and compete, try to win, get some throws in."