Solon Comets Lead After First Day of Regional Track Meet

After the first day of competition in the Division I regional track and field meet in Youngstown, Solon is in a very familiar place.

First place.

The Comets finished Wednesday's competition at Austintown-Fitch with a team total of 23 points. Alliance Marlington is in second with 14 points with favored Glenville yet to score but waiting to pile up points in the sprints and relays when competition resumes Friday afternoon.

A.J. Hicks continued his impressive season for Solon by winning the discus with a heave of 181-7. Hicks will also look to score points in the shot put Friday as he takes aim on his own school record.

The Comets' Karl Pierce came up with a clutch effort in the pole vault as he cleared 14-4 to earn a second place and a berth in next weekend's state meet in Columbus. Pierce's effort was the second best vault in school history. Solon also advances its 4x800-meter relay team of Zach Zimmers, Max Haiss, Eric Hansen and Paul Arters, which placed fourth with a time of 8:00.

Hurdler Rod Jackson is well positioned in the 110-meter hurdles with the second fastest qualifying time of 14.66. Jackson did not make the cut for the finals in the 300 meter hurdles, placing 14th (41.72).

Khoury Crenshaw made the finals in the 100 meters (10.91) and is seeded fourth and Matt Thompson is seeded fifth in the 200 meters (21.99). Also advancing to the finals are the third-seeded 4x200-meter relay of Jackson, Jeremy Nelson, Crenshaw and Thompson (1:28.72); the third-seeded 4x100-meter relay of Darian Hicks, Thompson, Nelson and Crenshaw (42.83) and the fourth-seeded 4x400-meter relay of Rod Jackson, Nelson, Christian Jackson and Thompson (3:24.16).

Darian Hicks finished 11th in the long jump (20-6.5) and Reggie Jagers was 12th in the discus (145-07).

Solon's girls advanced to the finals in three events. Paige Yaeger had the second-best qualifying time in the 300-meter hurdles with a 45.09 clocking, Tinisee Kandakai got the eighth and final spot in the 200 meters (25.63) and the 4x200-meter relay of Kandakai, London McNair, Jelvon Butler and Yaeger was fourth (1:44.13) in the prelims. Kandakai also finished sixth in the high jump competition, clearing 5-3.

The Lady Comets had three near misses in qualifying for the finals. Butler was 10th in the 100 meters (12.69), the 4x100-meter relay of Kristen Baldwin, McNair, Natalie Ockunzzi and Butler was ninth (49.85) and the 4x400-meter relay of Melissa Yasnowksi, McNair, Therese Haiss and Yaeger finished 10th (4:06.16) in preliminary heats.

 Regional competition at Austintown-Fitch resumes Friday at 4 p.m.