Hudson comes up big late to win Suburban League National Conference boys track title

Suburban League National Conference track athletes had a tall order if they hoped to match the excitement produced by their American Conference counterparts Wednesday.

Soggy conditions at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium on Thursday didn't help with the atmosphere, but there was another late push which led to a title.

Hudson repeated at National Conference boys champion with a big push in the final three events. The Explorers finished with 122 points, breaking open a three-way battle with Wadsworth (104 points) and Solon (104).

"Our guys, particularly at the end of the race in the two mile, the 200 and the 4x4, they really helped secure the victory today," said Hudson coach Mark McConnell.

In the girls meet, an old rivalry was renewed as Solon leads Twinsburg 128-119. The girls team results are not official, as the pole vault competition was postponed to Friday due to the weather and completed after our press time.

Hudson surges to repeat as National Conference boys track champion

The Explorers' push began in the 200 meters, as they were sitting third with three events to go.

In the 200, Reece Bacak bested a fast field to win in 22.27 seconds.

"It's been tight for all the teams." he said. "We were third going into the 200, so we got a good boost. I'm pretty happy with our team. I was pretty nervous going into it, because I wasn't the top seed."

"He's definitely a gamer," McConnell said of Bacak. "Sometimes, you get nervous and he might not say it, but if you're not getting nervous, you don't care."

Following the 200, Hudson's distance crew went to work in the 3,200. Ryder Kessick and Bradley Schuster ran a perfect race, running shoulder-to-shoulder for six laps before finishing 1-2.

Kessick won in 9:40.86 with Schuster close behind in 9:44.01, giving the Explorers 18 team points to clinch the title.

"Me and Brad just tried to work together as much as we could, because we knew it come down to us," Kessick said. "He pushes me so hard. Today was just my day. I kind of had a feeling we needed to go 1-2."

"It's very hard to go 1-2 in a meet of this quality," McConnell said. "They made sure they could by taking out so aggressive at the start, which I was impressed with."

It was Hudson's second distance 1-2 finish, as it also swept the 1,600. Crew McDaniel (4:25.01) edged teammate Ben Beucler (4.26.25) for the win.

Hudson got a perfect start to the day when thrower Ben Shabino picked up his second title. In the shot put, Shabino's toss of 50-feet-7.75 on his first throw provided to be the winner.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from Ben," McConnell said. "He's an All-Ohio guy. This is his senior year and his celebration of his outstanding career."

Elsewhere, Wadsworth's Drew Jones fought through the rain to repeat as high jump league champion with a leap of 6-2.

"I just tried to come out and do my best," Jones said. "Conditions aren't the best, so you've got to fight through the adversity. Your competition is yourself. I always think I have a shot at winning."

Solon and Twinsburg renew rivalry in National Conference girls track meet

Before Twinsburg joined the Suburban League, its most bitter rival was its neighbor to the north. Girls track has been one the most hotly-contested sports between the Tigers and Comets.

Twinsburg finished behind Solon, but it claimed the meet MVP Thursday. Savannah Swanda swept all three sprint events and anchored the Tigers' winning 1,600 relay.

Swanda opened by winning the 100 (12.71), followed by the 400 (58.37) and the 200 (25.27). She then joined forces with Lia Stewart, Sanayah Ruffin and Teighlor Humbert to win the 1,600 relay in 4:00.56.

"Last year, I came here and I lost my races, so I knew I needed to make up for it," she said. "It's my last time on this track, so I really wanted to make up for myself."

Swanda said she's not sure what her race schedule will be for the postseason, but she's ready for anything.

"I want to be what's best for my team," she said. "I want to just make a name for myself. Me and my team have a legacy to uphold and I just want to make sure I do my part."

Twinsburg also saw Stewart nearly pull off the hurdles double Thursday, as she won the 100 hurdles (personal-record 15.13). In the 300s, Stewart ran a personal-best 46.32 in taking second to Solon's Mackenzie Blackford.

"It was really good to see what the competition was," Stewart said. "[Blackford] is a really good athlete and I wish the best for her."

Meanwhile, Stow's distance crew was at it again after winning the 3,200 relay Tuesday.

State champion Jayla Atkinson cruised to victory in the 800 (2:14.26), while Danzi Jones went wire-to-wire in the 3,200 (11:31.31).

Stow started the day by going 1-2 in the shot put. Cammie Densevich won with a throw of 105-5, followed by Kyra Andrews (101-6).

Hudson scored a pair of wins Thursday, as Alyssa Maniar won the long jump (16-11) and Katie Will won the 1,600 (5:09.47).

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hudson High School boys track wins Suburban League National title