Northview boys take first NLL track and field crown in 10 years; AW wins girls title
May 15—NAPOLEON — There was a little bit of post-race drama calculating the final points, so the celebration at Napoleon High School was delayed. But, when the official numbers were in, Northview had its first Northern Lakes League boys team track and field championship since 2011.
The Wildcats posted 133.5 points to edge runner-up Perrysburg, which finished with 127 points. Southview was third in the boys meet at 115 points.
"The kids have done an outstanding job," Northview coach Doug Downing said. "The group of seniors were great. Gabe Singh had four wins, and we had other kids really step up. It was a total team effort.
"Our field events came around and got us points that helped out. Those were the big things we hadn't had before [in recent years]. This is big for the program, and big for the school. We want to get a track on our campus, so this helps to try to push to get that to complete our stadium complex. It's all positive."
On the girls' side there was no drama at all, as Anthony Wayne easily captured its fifth straight league crown.
The Generals totaled 176.5 points to top second-place Perrysburg (142.5), and Northview (103) finished third.
Northview, which had not won an NLL boys title since taking three in a row from 2009 to 2011, placed first in seven of the 17 events.
That effort was led by Singh, who won the 100-meter dash (11.29 seconds), the 300 hurdles (39.02), and anchored Wildcats wins in both the 800 and 1,600 relays.
"I was excited compared to previous races," Singh said, "and I was mentally there today. I came in like a new person and had a confident mindset. I stayed focused and worried about myself, and ran the races they way I wanted to run.
"Our team is great. We've worked hard through thick and thin, and we're doing really good."
Northview's Andrew Bolek won the 200 (23.32) and ran legs on all three of the winning relay teams, and teammate Gavin Losey won the 800 (2:02.36) and ran a leg on the first-place 1,600 relay effort.
The Perrysburg boys took wins in five events, highlighted by Marc Baroncini's NLL meet-record 9:30.73 in the 3,200.
The Yellow Jackets also picked up first from Dylan Ball in the 400 (51.08), Ethan Timm in a photo finish in the 110 hurdles (16.046), Josiah Brown in the shot put (47 feet, 11 1/2 inches), and Carson McNulty in the pole vault (12-6) .
Other boys event winners were Southview's Zack Harshman in the discus (141-1) and the Cougars' 3,200 relay team, Bowling Green's Elijah Kendrick in the 1,600 (4:21.95), Anthony Wayne's Evan Ray in the high jump (5-8), and Maumee's Cornell Lawrence in the long jump (20-9 3/4 ).
The Anthony Wayne girls captured six event titles.
"Five in a row is testament to these girls and the tradition they've built," AW coach Kevin O'Connor said. "They are all tough competitors, and they care about the team and each other. The throws, distance, the sprints, across the board, and its from all levels from seniors down to freshmen. Also, our relay teams were great. "They were terrific tonight. They know that tradition of success was there even before this five-year streak. There have been other streaks of titles in the past, and it matters to them."
AW's team title included wins from Ana Karmol in the 1,600 (5:11.00), Reese Neumeyer in the 100 hurdles (15.52), Karen Flory in the 300 hurdles (46.49), and Jenna Rybicki in the high jump (5-4), and victories in the 400 relay and 3,200 relay races.
"I'm really proud of the team," Karmol said. "We've had a great season, and this is a good way to finish [before tournaments] by winning the league. I was happy to win my race. I was glad to get out there and run. We all work hard and I think it pays off."
The Generals indeed used balance and depth.
"It was breakthrough for me," Rybicki said. "I PR'd in the high jump, and also had a few running events. All around, the team did so well."
Added Neumeyer: "I'm really happy with my performance. I had a PR in the 100 hurdles, and we had a lot of people have personal bests all night. We've all worked hard to get it for the fifth time in a row. We just push each other every day, and work well together."
The star of the meet was Springfield freshman sprinter Maira Scott, who swept to titles in the 100 (12.61), 200 (25.30), and 400 (58.45). The Blue Devils' fourth event title went to ReighAnnon Pillarelli in the pole vault (10-6).
The Northview girls also posted four event wins, getting firsts from Emma Steingass in the 3,200 (11:31.83) and Alana Sulewski in the discus (116-8), and winning the 800 relay and 1,600 relay races.
Perrysburg's two champions were Madison Wagner in the 800 (2:21.49) and Adele Francis in the long jump (17-2 3/4 ), and the other event winner was Southview's Chaise Brown, who won the shot put (35-1 1/2 ).
