For once, Solon shot put star A.J. Hicks got pushed.
Good friend and competitor Jesse Braun of Brunswick pressured Hicks into coming up with something special to win the event and the North Carolina recruit responded magnificently Wednesday afternoon.
Hicks' final toss of 61 feet, 11 ½ inches was the best throw in the state this season and captured one of his two titles, earning him MVP honors at the Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division Track and Field Championships at Pat Catan Stadium in Strongsville.
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“I was down on that last throw, and I really needed that,” Hicks said. “I just let it all go, and it flew.”
Hicks, who also won the discus with the third-best throw in the state (186-9), helped Solon sweep both the boys’ and girls’ titles and win the division’s dual meet crown for both squads this season.
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Solon’s boys posted 150 points, followed by Medina (140.5), Brunswick (103.5), Strongsville (46), Hudson (42) and Twinsburg (39).
Solon’s girls had 125 points to defeat Medina (114), Brunswick (104), Twinsburg (91.50), Strongsville (49.50) and Hudson (38). Brianna Neitzel of Brunswick was named MVP of the girls’ meet winning the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes.
The Solon boys were happy to regain the title after yielding it to Medina last year.
“It feels good. These kids had a goal. They ran with a little bit of an edge because they know how last year went,” Solon boys’ head coach Dan Iwan said. “This year, we have some really outstanding leaders who would not let that happen.”
Khoury Crenshaw sprinted to the 100 title (10.94 seconds), while Rod Jackson won the 300 hurdles (38.50). The Comet boys won a pair of relays as Jackson, Jeremy Nelson, Crenshaw and Matt Thompson set a 4x200 meet record (1:28.81), while Kyle Hammonds, Thompson, Nelson and Crenshaw won the 4x100 (42.91).
The girls’ victory kept the Comets undefeated in dual and invitational meets for the season. Focus is the name of the game for the Comets on the field, in practice and in the classroom.
“I never have to yell at them at practice to motivate them,” Solon girls’ head coach Leigh Ann Leugers said. “They self-motivate each other. We treat each other a lot like a family.”
For the Comet girls, Paige Yaeger broke her own meet record in the 300 hurdles (44.50). Last year, Yaeger posted a time of 46.68.
The Comet girls swept the relays as Kelsey Aamoth, Julia Haiss, Melissa Yasnowski and Therese Haiss teamed up to win the 4x800 (9:41.51). Tinisee Kandakai, Kristen Baldwin, London McNair and Jelvon Butler took the 4x200 (1:47.31). And in the 4x100, Baldwin, Butler, McNair and Yaeger won in 49.81, while Yasnowski, Rachel Jurewicz, Therese Haiss and Yaeger grabbed the 4x400 (4:02.51).
While the boys' and girls' teams generally cruised to victory, Hicks had a rough go of it. Hicks hasn’t lost in the shot put this year and is the reigning indoor state champion in the shot put and weight throw.
In Wednesday’s competition, Braun broke Hicks' meet record with a throw of 58-08¾, which bettered Hicks' 2010 mark of 56-7 and left the surrounding spectators gasping. With one final throw, Hicks’ heave splashed in the sand and nearly out of the pit for the win.
Hicks was glad to face a test he so rarely sees.
“I really hadn’t been under pressure all year, and it feels good to finally overcome it. In past years under pressure, I wouldn’t perform as well. But Jesse did a great job out there. He really pushed me. I thank him for that. We’re going to go at it again down the road.”