Schools handle challenges of completing CVC Lake track and field meet
May 11—SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — It was old school all the way around on Friday evening.
Track and field scoring was done on a note pad and athletes dug deep to bring a team championship home.
The second day of the Chagrin Valley Conference Lake Division Track and Field Championships was postponed on Thursday afternoon when a rain storm hit at just the wrong time.
Coaches and administrators decided to delay the field events until Friday and compete the running events on Thursday. As the rain intensified, it was decided to postpone the full second day until Friday, coaches said.
The delay caused several issues as Jefferson Area High School held their prom on Friday evening and lost some competitors, and the timing company had another gig on Friday.
As the meet progressed, Madison girls track coach, and calculus teacher Tedd Wagner used his math skills to keep an unofficial running score of the event.
That unofficial score set the tone for an amazing finish to the boys meet with Geneva at 149 points, Perry 146 and Madison 145 going into the 4X400 meter relay.
The Eagles beat Perry to clinch the meet unofficially, winning 159-154. Madison finished third at 151 points.
Since there weren't any online live results, the coaches gathered and the unofficial scores were announced.
The drama was made more intense.
Geneva junior Donald Shymske ran the anchor leg of the 4X400 realy and held off the Pirates for the victory. Shymske had the kind of day usually portrayed in Hollywood movies.
The three-sport athlete already won the 1600=meter run in a school record hand-held time of 4:24, then a victory in the 800 and finally the 4X400 relay.
Shymske said he was not happy with his 2023 track season so spent a lot of time running before or after basketball practice during the winter.
"I am happy I could help the team. I hope we won," he said before the unofficial results were announced.
Geneva boys coach Emily Long said she was very proud of her team.
"These boys are warriors, they are Eagles, but they are warriors," she said of the intensity the boys brought to the meet.
The girls meet ended with the same order of finish.
The unofficial results showed Geneva winning with 168 points, followed by Perry at 156 and Madison third with 133.
Geneva girls coach Jason Dalton said his girls were "all in," and it was a good meet for a lot of different performers.
He said Alyssa Palmisano set the tone Tuesday with her win in the shot put, recofrfding a personal best of 38-foot-10, after helping the softball team to a Division II sectional semifinal win on Monday.
Madison boys coach Jeremy Verdi said he tried a lot of different moves to try and keep the meet close.
"Most of them worked, but it just wasn't enough," he said.
One of those moves was asking shot put and discus expert Ryan Radkowski to try the high jump. He placed fifth, less than nine days from his first attempt at the event.
Verdi said he only cleared 5-10 in practice, but cleared 6-0 on Friday and nearly cleared 6-2.
"Anytime you can come down to the 4X 400 [meter relay] with these three teams it is a good thing," he said.
Perry boys and girls head coach Lance Richards said his team had a good meet with a lot of good performances.
He said his teams are getting ready for the district meet next week and peaking at the right time.
