District track preview: Waynedale sprinters looking forward to postseason challenge

A year ago, sprinters from teams like Dalton, Norwayne and Smithville walked away with their share of All-Ohio medals.

This year, Waynedale hopes to join the party.

The Golden Bears have burst onto the scene this spring with some of the top speedsters in the area — something that should be on full display this week at the Norwayne Division III District meet.

“It definitely has changed,” Waynedale junior Nayeli Cruz said. “Last year we weren't really the talk, but this year, I don't know, we've been going really hard at practice lately to hopefully get to state. Our coaches have been amazing to push us to be who we can be.”

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That they have as the quartet of Cruz, Skye Morris, Anna Pittman, and Callie Wolfe have combined to break school records in both the 4x100-and 4x200 relays earlier this month.

Those sprint relays added championships this past weekend at the Wayne County Athletic League championships, while Cruz won the 100 and was second in the 200.

But it's those wins as a team that Cruz enjoys the most.

“It's just a chemistry with us four,” she said. “We're all best friends, and we're all really competitive so we push ourselves to be the best that we can be every single time.

“Honestly, it's just us pushing each other every single time,” Cruz added. “I know when I'm running my last 100, my teammate Skye is right there telling me to give a little bit more, and that helps.”

The Golden Bears are among a loaded group of sprinters at the D-III District, which also includes Smithville's Maddy Lengacher, an All-Ohio 400 runner that has the Smithies 4x4 relay in prime position to make a length postseason run.

Here's a look at the district meets involving area teams:

DIVISION I

North Canton District

WHEN: Wednesday, 3:45 p.m. (field), 4:15 p.m. (4x8 final/prelims); Friday, 3:45 p.m. (field), 6 p.m. (running finals)

WHERE: North Canton Memorial Stadium (525 7th Street NE, North Canton)

AREA TEAM: Wooster.

OTHERS: Akron Garfield, Barberton, Canton McKinley, Dover, GlenOak, Green, Hoover, Jackson, Lake, Louisville, Massillon, New Philadelphia, Perry.

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Amahrie Harsh (Hoover, sr., sprints), Sydney Stevenson (Dover, jr., mid-distance), Daniela Scheffler (Lake, jr., distance), Camille Neutzling (Perry, sr., hurdles), Abra Manofsky (Jackson, jr., high jump), Alexys Sterling (McKinley, jr., long jump), Natalie Bisesi (GlenOak, sr., pole vault), Sloane Sypolt (Louisville, sr., throws), Isabelle Perry (Perry, sr., throws).

PREVIEW: Wooster's Grace Kostohryz had her personal-best mark in the shot put at the district last season to secure a regional berth. And on the heels of her Ohio Cardinal Conference championship last week, the senior is poised to do it again. Kostohryz's season-best 38-9 is the second-best distance in the district, trailing just Perry's Isabelle Perry — a state qualifier last season. The Generals' Mattie Dunlap also is expected to be in the mix in the 800 as her fastest mark from earlier in the spring is sixth overall in a field led by Dover's Sydney Stevenson (2:13.18).

AT STAKE: Top four individuals and relay teams in each event advance to next week's Austintown Regional, May 22 and 24.

DIVISON II

Orrville District

WHEN: Thursday, 3 p.m. (field), 4:30 p.m. (4x8 final/prelims); Saturday, 9:30 a.m. (field), 11:30 a.m. (running finals)

WHERE: Red Rider Stadium (841 N. Ella Street, Orrville)

AREA TEAMS: Chippewa, Orrville, Triway, Tuslaw. OTHERS: Brooklyn, Brookside, Clearview, Elyria Catholic, Fairview, Firelands, Holy Name, Keystone, Lutheran West, Northwest.

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Zuriah Radeff Koonce (Brookside, sr., sprints/throws), Audrey Smith (Firelands, so., sprints), Madelyn Begert (Northwest, so., distance), Ariannah Floyd (Firelands, jr., hurdles/long jump), Aubrey Cindia (Keystone, sr., high jump), Catrina Race (Orrville, sr., pole vault), Jorja Weber (Firelands, sr., throws).

PREVIEW: The pole vault competition on the district's final day will be loaded with area talent eager to punch their respective regional tickets. Orrville's Catrina Race, a state qualifier a year ago, is the lone athlete in the field to clear 10 feet and is expected to be the leader once again, while teammate Chloe Albrecht and Chippewa's Izzy Lattea both have been well over 9 feet this season. Triway's 4x1 comes in with the second-fastest time after a 51.97 — just off the pace of Brookside (50.80) — while Titan sprinters Cierra Kemery and Ava Gaffey are in the mix for the 100 and 200, respectively. Tuslaw senior Ashley Eberhardt has the second-fastest time in the 800, while Paige Marthey is third in the 300 hurdles. While a host of others are in the mix across several events, Alexis Coolbaugh of Triway could find herself in one of those regional spots for the shot and discus.

AT STAKE: Top four individuals and relay teams in each event advance to next week's Austintown Regional, May 23 and 25.

DIVISION III

Norwayne District

WHEN: Wednesday, 2 p.m. (field), 4 p.m. (4x8 final/prelims); Friday, 4 p.m. (field), 5:30 p.m. (running finals)

WHERE: Norwayne Community Stadium (350 S Main Street, Creston)

AREA TEAMS: Dalton, Hillsdale, Loudonville, Northwestern, Norwayne, Rittman, Smithville, Waynedale. OTHERS: Black River, Canton Central Catholic, East Canton, Lake Center Christian, Mapleton, Mogadore, Rootstown, St. Thomas Aquinas, Windham.

ATHLETES TO WATCH: Maddy Lengacher (Smithville, sr., sprints), Nayeli Cruz (Waynedale, jr., sprints), Gianna Ritchie (Lake Center Christian, so., mid-distance), Kaitlyn Carr (Smithville, so., distance), Maryn Erdman (Smithville, fr., distance), Olivia Todd (Black River, sr., hurdles), Skye Morris (Waynedale, sr., hurdles), Kaylee Graham (Norwayne, so., hurdles), Jule Stoller (Northwestern, jr., high jump), Sarah Stock, Lake Center Christian, sr., long jump), Anna Pittman (Waynedale, so., pole vault), Brooklynn McIntyre (Rootstown, sr., throws), Haley Bittinger (Norwayne, so., throws).

PREVIEW: Smithville's Kaitlyn Carr is in the midst of a record-breaking season and will look to continue that this week as she comes in with the fastest 1,600 and 3,200 times. She won't be alone as locally all three individual distance races are loaded with talent with fellow Smithie Maryn Erdman, Loudonville's Tess Shultz, Waynedale's Clara Sundberg and Rittman's Annabelle Snyder all in the mix. Maddy Lengacher of Smithville and Nayeli Cruz of Waynedale are among a host of sprinters to watch, while Waynedale's 4x1 relay has the fastest time in the field. Look for Smithville's 4x4 and Rittman's 4x8 also to be relay teams eager to qualify. The field is also full of area athletes that should be among those to lock up one of the four regional berths in their respective events. Norwayne's Haley Bittinger and Northwestern's Emily Thompson are expected to advance in both throwing events — Thompson's season-best shot-put mark matching that of Rootstown's Brooklynn McIntyre. The pole vault has a host of area athletes, led by Anna Pittman that could move on with MacKenna Thiel (Dalton), Adalyn Tipton (Hillsdale), Elandria Kindy (Dalton), Kendra Berger (Norwayne) and Ryver Ramsier (Rittman) all having cleared 9 feet or better. Jule Stoller of Northwestern broke the school record in the high jump last weekend — one that was on the books since 1980.

AT STAKE: Top four individuals and relay teams in each event advance to next week's Norwayne Regional, May 22 and 24.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: District track preview: Waynedale sprinters looking forward to postseason challenge