Fast 3: Savannah Swanda sweeps sprints to lead Twinsburg girls track to district title

MACEDONIA — Savannah Swanda has been a mainstay of Twinsburg's sprint squad since her freshman year.

While Swanda has earned All-Ohio honors on the Tigers' sprint relays, individual glory has eluded her. Which sprint will the senior focus on to find her postseason mojo? The answer is "yes."

Swanda showed off her versatility by winning a sprint triple Friday at the Division I district track meet at Nordonia's Boliantz Stadium.

Swanda opened by winning the 100 meters in 12.08 seconds, set a personal record in the 400 to win in 56.12 and won the 200 in 25.12.

"I put the work in this offseason. I know nobody works harder than me, so I really should go out there and believe in myself," Swanda said. "I'm thinking I can turn it up even farther next week."

"Savanna was incredible today," said Twinsburg coach Sarah Kmet. "On Wednesday, she lowered her time in the 200 below 25 seconds for the first time. Today, she destroyed her PR in the 400. She competes when it really matters. She's a leader. Her maturity is just unmatched."

Swanda's 30 team points helped propel the Twinsburg girls team to its fourth district title in six years. The Tigers won with 137 points, while Revere had its best day in the Division I district meet, placing second with 102 points.

In the boys team race, Hudson ran away with the title with 126 points, followed by Walsh Jesuit in second with 86.5 points.

Swanda's sprint triple leads Twinsburg girls track to district title at Nordonia

Swanda said overcoming any self-doubt was huge.

"I know last year, I lost. So I worked really hard to redeem myself this season," she said. "The person out there I'm racing is me. I want to live up to my team's legacy."

Swanda usually anchors Twinsburg's 1,600 relay, but Kmet held her out Friday.

"She really wants to make the podium in those individual events," Kmet said. "We have the personnel to still compile some pretty good relays. She's probably going to run the 4x4 next week."

Twinsburg's proved its depth by winning the 1,600 relay without Swanda or hurdler Lia Stewart. The quartet of Devan Wilson, Sanayah Ruffin, Lexi Furman and Teighlor Humbert edged Revere to win in 4:02.24. Twinsburg also won the 400 relay in 49.27.

Stewart also looked to win the hurdles double, but ended up dueling with Maple Heights' Jamaya Gaines.

Gaines edged Stewart at the line to win the 100 hurdles in 15.47, but Stewart got revenge in the 300 hurdles, winning in a PR of 55.33.

Twinsburg's Madison Langston and Drew Gossel finished two-three in the pole vault, with both clearing 10 feet, 4 inches. Nordonia's Sarah Marchant won with a 10-8.

"It's going to be great," Kmet said. "Fitch [regional] is going to be a meat grinder, but we're ready."

Elsewhere in the girls meet, Stow's distance crew continued to roll after winning the 3,200 relay Wednesday.

State champion Jayla Atkinson cruised to a win in the 800 (2:12.5), and Danzi Jones outlasted the competition in the 3,200 (11:22.56).

Walsh Jesuit's Christina Viers won the discus (118-11), and Hudson's Katie Will claimed the 1,600 (5:05.73).

Hudson boys track cruises to district track title, as Walsh Jesuit finds sprinting legs

The Hudson boys team's win felt similar to its win the previous week in the Suburban League National Conference meet, as a strong finish allowed the Explorers to pull away.

"This what we've trained for since February," said Hudson coach Mark McConnell. "They're completely focused. They want to go to states, and they took a good first step today."

Reece Bacak started the Explorers' stretch run, winning the 200 in 21.96. He also was part of Hudson's 1,600 relay team, which closed the meet by edging Twinsburg for the title in 3:22.82.

"We were close in the prelims. I was a super excited after the 200, I was ready to go," Bacak said. "I've seen my side working so hard all season that we just wanted to come out and win."

"There are not many guys in school history who have done that [broke 22 seconds] and he wants to be remembered as one who did," McConnell said. "He really wants to go to state. I couldn't be more proud of him."

Crew McDaniel joined teammate Bacak atop the podium with a victory in the 1,600 (4:18.92).

The Walsh Jesuit boys team had one of its best district sprinting days in a while, largely because of senior John Keough.

Keough won the 100 in 11.02 and anchored Walsh's winning 400 (42.89) and 800 (1:28.54) relays. A Sagamore Hills resident who will play football at Buffalo, Keough admitted this is the first spring he has taken track seriously.

"I put in work in the offseason with my guy Drew (Fouche), our 400 runner," Keough said. "This is the first time I'd put in offseason workouts for track. It's all for football, too."

Fouche won the 400 for Walsh in 49.22.

Twinsburg also picked up individual wins from Sam Hopp in the 800 (1:54.21) and Derrick Pou in the high jump (6-4).

In a battle of Suburban League shot put champions, Copley's Trevin Jordan (57-5¼) distanced himself from Hudson's Ben Shabino (48-11½).

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Swanda's sprint triple leads Twinsburg girls track to district title