Patriots Fifth at Dick Dei

Gahanna Lincoln runs away with team title

By TRACY WATSON
To say that Gahanna Lincoln dominated the 2008 Dick Dei Track Classic on Saturday afternoon would be a major stretch.

However, battling a strong field that divided up points along the way, along with capturing four events of their own, the Golden Lions were able to rack up 82 points and capture the team title at the C.R. ‘’Dick’’ Dei Track Complex at Wheeling Park High School.

Cleveland Heights took home the runner-up trophy with 75 points while St. Edward was third at 74 and Dayton Dunbar finished in a fourth-place deadlock with the host Patriots with 55 tallies.

Surprisingly, Gahanna coach Ed Rarey’s squad did not score a point in the individual sprints while managing just two in the sprint relays.

Lincoln’s biggest individual winner was senior hurdler Austin Curbow, who zipped over the 110-high hurdles in 14.51 before skimming the 300 intermediates in a sizzling 39.57. Curbow also all but helped the Lions clinch things by anchoring the runnerup shuttle hurdle relay team.

The other two victories by Lincoln came from senior Ben Ellsesser with a 13-foot, 6-inch effort in the pole vault and sophomore Earl Cunningham with a 20-8 leap in the long jump.

Wheeling Park senior, and University of Tennessee recruit, Ryan Beabout left his mark on the two longer distance events, as expected. Beabout took the 1,600 in 4:24.13 and won the 3,200 by more than 10 seconds with a 9:18.33.

There were two other local champions with River High junior DJ Duke heaving the shot put 55-1¢ to defeat St. Clairsville senior Anthony Skrabak by more than 5 feet.

Skrabak got revenge however, twirling the discus 144-2 to capture that event against Duke’s Pilots teammate Harold Earley.

St. Edwards took a pair of sprints with sophomore Latwan Anderson breaking the tape in the 100 in a scorching 10.82 and classmate Seth Cunningham outlasting the 200-meter dash field with a 22.38.

Anderson also teamed with Alex Cameron, Mike Schweisthal and Brandon Williams as the Eagles won the 400 relay in 43.68.

Senior Dontave Cowsette had a nice day for Heights with a 1:57.42 clocking to win the 800 meter run while also helping the Tigers to victory in the 800 and the 1,600 baton-passing events.

Cowsette’s teammate, and classmate, Sylvester Watts finished behind him the 800 while joining him with Jerrell Settles and Wael El-Halaby for a 3:24.22 in the 1,600.

Strongsville senior Kendall Gregory recorded a very impressive 49.68 to win the 400 while assisting the 3200 relay unit to a victory in 8:14.01.

Hedgesville sophomore Chris Deaner soared 6-8 to win the high jump while Dayton Dunbar captured the shuttle hurdle relay title in 58.07. Earlier this season the Wolverines were team champions at John Marshall’s Fred Tweedlie Invitational.

While Wheeling Park was the only local squad in the top eight of the final standings, Ohio Valley Athletic Conference competitors fared well in the field events.

The Patriots’ Travis Ellis was fifth in the high jump with Linsly’s Cody Campbell and Brooke’s Isacc Jones deadlocking for sixth. Junior Eric Ripley of Park was second in the pole vault (13 ft.) with teammate James Oliver fifth while the Shadyside duo of David Bonar and Johnny Merryman were fourth and sixth respectively.

Senior Brandon McKinley of the Patriots went 20 ft. 3 in. to take second in the long jump while Weir High’s Cameron Brown was fourth.

Meanwhile, local athletes secured nine of the 12 available spots in the weight events. Along with Duke and Skrabak in the shot were the Cadets’ Chidozie Oparanozie in third and River’s Early in sixth.

After Skrabak and Early in the discus were Seth Myers of Wheeling Park third, Aaron Schneid of Wheeling Central fourth and Sam Cecil of Linsly fifth.