AMHERST, Ohio (May 17, 2024) -- Buckeye State postseason action is underway, and the Pirates are off and running. And throwing, jumping, and vaulting. Competing in a DI Northeast District meet held Wednesday and Friday -- one of seven across Northeast Ohio, Rocky River earned a combined 15 qualifying slots for next week's Region 2 meet in Port Clinton. [
results]
The object is to qualify into as many state tournament slots as possible and then rack up as many team points as each squad can. And, at least after the first waypoint of the postseason, River appears to be well-heeled in that effort. The Double-R qualified into six region events (seven slots) on the boys' side and into seven events (eight slots) on the girls'. The district qualifying took place at Amherst High School.
Highlights of the district meet for the River boys included the Pirates earning district titles in the 110-meter hurdles (Owen Kleckner), 800-meter run (Henry Lange), and the long jump (Owen Walsh). Grant Preto also qualified in the 800 and is now a three-time qualifier for the region meet.
On the girls' side, the Runnin' Raiders won district crowns in the 800 (Grace Lavelle) and 4x400-meter relay. In the 800, the Maroon & White swept gold and silver, with Jane Rathbun earning a runner-up finish. In the 4x100-meter relay, the foursome of Olivia Harrington, Morgyn Cruz, Tess Aulisio, and Mary Sollars bashed the previous school record twice, crossing the wire in 50.53 seconds in the preliminaries and then posting a 50.0 in the finals.
The Rocky River girls finished second in team points; the boys took third. Overall, 19 schools competed in the event. The Pirates clocked a combined 20 season-bests in the meet.
The Region 2 meet will be contested at Port Clinton High School May 22 and May 24. Top-4 placers at the region test will qualify for the Ohio Championships to be held at Welcome Stadium in Dayton May 30-June 1.
Rocky River district qualifying performances: boys -- 110H (Kleckner), 800 (Lange, Preto), long jump (Walsh), 4x800, 3200 (Ruairi Zuercher), 4x100; girls -- 800 (Lavelle, Rathbun), 4x400, 1600 (Katie Stirm), 3200 (Brianna Chaves), 100H (Mary Sollars), 4x100, 4x800.
by Skip Snow
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