by Devan Matthews
Correspondent
The Twinsburg girls and boys track and field teams qualified a number of individuals and relays for the fourth annual Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Ohio Indoor Championships March 15 at Stiles Field House on the University of Akron campus.
In Division I action in the OATCCC, the girls track and field team placed third overall (26 team points) behind state powers Reynoldsburg (45) and Cleveland Collinwood (44.25).
Twinsburg beat the likes of Cleveland Heights Beaumont, Cleveland Heights, Massillon Jackson, Powell Olentangy Liberty and Cincinnati Walnut Hills.
It was the final meet before Twinsburg prepares for its outdoor season.
The Twinsburg boys placed 11th overall with junior Stuart Edmonds finishing second in the 3,200-meter race with a personal-best time of 9 minutes, 36.42 seconds.
Edmonds also ran in the fourth-place 3,200 relay, which had a time of 8:10.26. Joining Edmonds on the relay were juniors Chris Kelly, Nate Tarach and sophomore Josh Edmonds.
Pacing the Lady Tigers was senior Danielle Kirkpatrick, who was on the winning 3,200 relay, that had a time of 9:46.35.
Joining Kirkpatrick were senior twins Amanda and Brittany Buck and sophomore Taylor Vidovic.
Kirkpatrick, who is headed to Eastern Michigan University, also placed sixth in the 1,600 with a personal best of 5:23.11 and seventh in the 800 (2:29.1).
The Lady Tigers' 1,600 relay finished second overall with a time of 4:01.26 behind a young cast that includes freshmen Jasmine Smith and Samantha Eberman; junior standout Taylor Brown and veteran senior Melissa Pickett.
Smith also ran seventh in the open 400 (59.95). Rounding out the scoring for the Lady Tigers was senior Kenya Garner, who ran a personal best in the 200 with a time of 26.15 for eighth place.
The boys 1,600 relay was ninth (3:28.95). The relay comprised of seniors Shawn Barker, Shawn Rall, Maurice Chambers and junior Nate Tarach. Edmonds was an All-Ohio pick in cross country.
Coming into the meet, Tarach qualified in the 800 (1:58.73) and the 1,600 (4:28.8); Kelly in the 1,600 (4:33.28) and Edmonds, in the 3,200 (9:55.54).
All three relays for the Lady Tigers qualified. The 800 cast, which ran a time of 1:33.75, includes Chambers, Rall, Barker and junior Eric Cooper. The members of the 3,200 relay were Tarach, Kelly, Edmonds and sophomore Joshua Edmonds.
Senior Evan Hunter also is a tested runner and can run in a host of relays (1,600 or 800).
Individual qualifiers for the Lady Tigers were Brown (26.44 seconds) and Eberman (26.56) in the 200. Craig Taylor's girls squad also has 400-meter qualifiers in Smith (59.65) and Pickett (1:00.3) while Eberman was ranked 17th (1:00.7) overall. The top 16 qualified.
The Lady Tigers are the defending division I outdoor 3200 relay champions.
The girls' 800 and 400 relays also have qualified. These two relays included Brown, Eberman, Smith, Pickett, Kirkpatrick, Amanda Buck, freshman Taylor Coghlan, senior Kenya Gardner, and Brittany Buck.
"I think the 200, 400 and 800-meter events are very deep for the Lady Tigers and should be a strength," said Twinsburg coach Mike Martin.
The indoor season has consisted of the following meets: Feb. 9 at the Akron Performers Meet, the Feb. 23 Akron Rubber City Open Meet and the March 1 St. Charles Meet.
E-mail: stowsports@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-686-3914