Eagles continue winning ways with sweep of county track and field meet

May 2—SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — The Geneva Eagles boys and girls track and field teams continued their winning way in the Ashtabula County meet.

On Wednesday at Lakeside High School, the Eagles ran away with the team titles.

Geneva tuned up for the Chagrin Valley Conference Lake Division meet next week at Lakeside by bringing a balanced effort from distance, sprints and the field events.

The girls team won with 181 points. Edgewood finished second with 82.4 points, followed by Jefferson with 61, Pymatuning Valley 59, Grand Valley 50.80, Conneaut 49.40 and Lakeside 42.40.

"Our throwers did amazing," Eagles girls coach Jason Dalton.

Alyssa Palmisano won the shot put with a 36-10.25 mark and Ella Haeseler was first in the discus at 104-11 for Geneva.

Dalton said his pole vaulters did well and athletes across the board are gearing up for the big meets to come.

Ava Sartini won the pole vault at 9-0 for the Eagles.

Geneva won three of the four relays.

The 4X800 team of Maggie Moon, Grace Dubsky, Mackenzie Lyons and Mya Evangelista won in a time of 10:29.42; the 4X200 quartet of Lily Schiemann, Sydney Park, Delaney Marrison and Caramia Boland ran a 1:53.17 and the 4X100 team of Riley Williams, Allison Sochia, Cali Boland and Caramia Boland notched a 51.79.

Geneva won its fourth straight all-county meet since 2020.

The Eagles had won 18 straight county championships before the 2020 season. The event that year was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dalton is looking forward to the league meet, which is Tuesday and next Thursday. Madison and Perry will join the county teams in the conference meet.

"I like the two-day better because it gives some time to fill events," Dalton said "Our relays are coming along. Our 4X100 [meter relay] is really young."

He said the team may be a bit ahead of last year's squad at the same time.

Edgewood's second-place finish was about where coach Steve Hill's could finish with Geneva having such a talented team.

"We pretty much knew that was where we wanted to be," he said.

Hill said he hoped to hold off some county teams that were starting to improve quickly. He said he also likes the two day format. "It is great preparation for district and regionals," he said.

Maddie Crooks is finally able to run well after battling injuries through the 2023 campaign. The junior won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:27.42. Tammy Liplin won the 3200 in 12:03.60 and 1600 in 5:29.41.

For the Falcons, Emma Phillips posted first in the high jump at 4-8.

PV's Rowen Jenkins swept the hurdles, winning the 100 in 17.20 and 300 at 48.20.

Reagan Boiarski claimed first in the long jump at 17-2.50 for the Mustangs.

Conneaut's Macey McBride placed first in both the 400 in a time of 1:00.45 and 200 at 27.58. In addition, the Spartans' 4X400 team of Raymie Fill, Mylliaunna Riddle, Bailey Carlson and Anna Ring checked in at 4:26.10 for the top spot.

In the boys competition, Geneva's boys team scored 181.5 points to outdistance PV's 71.33. Lakeside took third with 70.50 points, followed by Edgewood with 67.33, Jefferson 63.33, GV 37 and Conneaut 36.

Geneva coach Emily Long is happy with her team as well.

"A lot of good performances," she said.

The Eagles won their fourth-straight all-county title.

Geneva also won the title in 2019. The meet didn't take place in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic cancelled all high school spring sports in Ohio.

The weather played into the meet for athletes who were adjusting from temperatures in the 40s and 50s to border line 80 degrees.

"I think the heat was a little surprising," Long said of the some of athletes experience.

Geneva's Charlie Myers stepped up in the field events, clearing 6-3 in the high jump and finishing fifth in the long jump.

"He starting long jumping two weeks ago," Long said.

Long said the 4X100 and 4X200 meter relays teams of Giovanni Rice, Kyle Opron, Jamil Daghlas and Owen Pfeifer have been running very well.

The group won both events in 43.56 and 1:32.01, respectively.

"They have the chemistry," she said of the hard work to make sure handoffs occur smoothly." Long said.

Also taking first for Geneva were the 4X800 team of Luke McKinney, Larry Stamper, Joalexander Sanchez and Donald Shymske in 8:45.66; Shymske, 1600, 4:31.89 and 800, 2:01.80; Opron, 400, 53.95; the 4X400 relay team of Abe Rosales, Opron, Luke McKinney and Shymske in 3:35.81; Patrick McKinney, pole vault, 11-6; Rice, long jump, 21-3 and Jacob Clemens, shot put, 41-1.25.

For the Lakers, Brayden Shinault ran a 22.99 for first in the 200.

"The sun came out and the boys came out," PV coach Ryan Shontz said. "I am so proud of them all. One of my milers, Jacob Dean broke 5 [minutes] in the mile. .. We are expecting a lot from him."

Jefferson's Kaige Boczar captured first in the 100 at 11.36, as did Carter Schabert in the 3200 in 10:31.89.

Conneaut's Wyatt Payne won the 110 (16.80) and 300 hurdles (43.05).

Lakeside had two first-place finishers.

Karrye White won the high jump at 6-3 and Paul Siler bested the field in the discus at 122-7.