Firestone athletes show 'resilience' to repeat as City Series champion in track and field

Firestone boys coach Tracey Lane and senior Johnathan White used the word "resilience" Saturday after the Falcons track and field teams repeated as City Series champions.

Firestone's girls and boys teams hope to show the same resilience this week in the Division I district meet at Nordonia after a steady rain and gusts of wind greeted everyone at Ellet.

Athletes from all six Akron Public Schools high schools competed and Firestone came out on top again in the boys and girls team standings with 156 points and 181 points, respectively.

Firestone won its 10th City Series boys title in a row with Buchtel second with 90 points, followed by Garfield (87 points) and North (57).

"It took resilience," Lane said. "It was raining. It was cold. Some kids pulled up with injuries, so to get out here and get on the track in the weather conditions, it showed their committment to the program as well as being resilient at a time where you don't want to be here, but you are here anyway for your team."

Firestone won its third league girls crown in a row with Buchtel second with 122 points, followed by Garfield (62) and North (49).

"We came in with a mission to place and finish where we knew we were capable of," Firestone girls coach Janelle Harris said. "We didn't really have to come out and do anything crazy in order to get the final result that we were looking for. The weather, although it was bad, it wasn't our main focus or main setback. We knew we needed to come in and get the scores and head out. We came in with the right mindset."

Reese Brady, Haley Moore and Sarah Schueler lead Firestone girls track and field

Firestone sophomore Haley Moore won the long jump (14-foot-11), junior Reese Brady won the 1,600 (5:54.55) and sophomore Sarah Schueler won the 3,200 (13:20.81).

"I am really proud of us," Brady said. "We usually try to keep ourselves outside with the weather to prepare for things like this. I think it really benefited us to keep practicing in bad weather and in the rain. We were more prepared."

Falcons freshman Chyan Rogers and junior Kortlyn Thomas tied with Garfield junior Kanija Kimbrough for first in the high jump at 4-2.

"We have grown as a team and as a family, which I think is really beneficial for us," Schueler said. "It helps us with our meets, especially in the relays."

Firestone won the girls 400 relay in 53.07 with Aliza Blair, Amari Banks, Kiara Smith and Sanei Miller.

"I want to go all the way to state," Smith said. "I have never gotten that opportunity. The farthest I have made it to is regional. I want to see what it is like to go to state."

Harris, a 2015 Firestone graduate, knows the feeling as a Division I state qualifier during her time as a track and field athlete.

"Reese Brady really showed up in terms of her ability to hit us with the 4x4, the mile, the two mile and the 8[00]," Harris said. "We have a really strong standing with our distance runners. We have had a really big come up with freshman Chyan Rogers, who held it down for us in the 400 all year and the high jump as well.

"Xyia West always finishes well in the shot put and with her throws in the discus. On top of that, we have another freshman come in with sprints, Aliza Blair, and then we have some senior sprinters like Kiki Smith. They made a big impact for us. We have a pretty well-rounded team this year."

Johnathan White, Eli Dunlap and Rylan Garden lead Firestone boys track and field

White won the 200 meters (23.54) and was on the winning 800 relay (1:36.95) with Gucciano Stephens, Jermaine Campbell and Bryant Robinson.

"There was a lot of reslience this year with our group," White said. "Starting from the beginning of the season and seeing a lot of change with the atmosphere with some new athletes coming in and a new coaching staff [on the boys side led by Lane]. Everything was different this year. There was a lot of change for us."

Firestone sophomore Eli Dunlap won the 1,600 (4:51.50) and tied Buchtel sophomore Dwight Shade for first in the 800 (2:05.55). Falcons senior Rylan Garden won the 3,200 (10:34.11).

"This team has been my family for the past two years," Dunlap said. "I came in last year as a freshman not knowing any of the sprinters and they welcomed me like we were all family. This year, we have all become super close together. Every Friday, we run a mile together, the sprinters and the distance runners. It really bring us all together.

"We get out here and hype each other up. If anybody has got a problem, we sort it out with each other. ... The atmosphere of our team is amazing. Everybody is super positive."

Lane said she is seeing "continued growth" in her athletes.

"Jaymion Jones in the high jump and long jump, every meet, he is giving us points," Lane said. "He is bringing something every meet. Bryant Robinson and Johnathan White bring a lot to the program. My distance runners bring a lot to the program, too. Every week they are scoring points and PRing. They are out there having fun doing what they do. That is the great part about it, when they come here, all of these kids are having fun."

Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Firestone repeats as Akron City Series champion in track and field