Staff photo/Joel Wetzel Boardman’s Logan Thompson runs the 300-meter hurdles during the Mahoning County Championships on Saturday at Austintown Fitch. Thompson finished first in the event and earned the honor of meeting MVP on the Division I boys’ side.
AUSTINTOWN – Even under poor conditions, Logan Thompson was out to claim honors at the Mahoning County Track and Field Championships on Saturday.
And in his final appearance in the encounter, he accomplished that mission.
Thompson finished first in the 300 hurdles and long jump and added second-place results in the 4×200 and 200 to earn MVP status and help Boardman finish second behind Austin Township Fitch in the Division I boys’ meet.
Thompson started the day with a 19-11 jump, then followed up with a second-place mark in the 4×200. He won the 300 hurdles in a time of 40.60, and finished second to Fitch’s Dan Evans in the 200 hurdles, with a time of 22.96. Evans finished in 22.42.
“I started with the long jump, and we had a headwind, so it was tough. But we went 19-11, so that was enough to take first,” he said. Thompson said. “Then the 4×200, I was kind of beaten so I came out of it a little bit badly. Then I got into the obstacles knowing I was supposed to win, so I was kind of running the race. I know what I can do, just try to be A little clean, then we go to 200 and just see what I have and leave it all there.”
Thompson said he didn’t feel much pressure on the way to the 300, but it was hard to maintain consistency as the race went on.
“I come out strong, and the first four hurdles always feel really great, really consistent, and then I start to slide away, but I feel like that’s what happens to everyone. Then the last 100 was really bad, but I managed to finish it off and take the win.” He said.
After earning a trip to state one season early, Thompson set his sights on Columbus again.
Regardless, he says his main goal this year is to be a leader of the Spartans.
“Going last year showed me glimpses of being with the top guys. I want to be there again,” he said. Thompson said. “Other than that, I want to be captain this year, just help everyone else because I’m going away to college, and so just set the tone to leave Boardman in good stead.”
After going to Florida for spring break, Thompson says he’s working on getting back into rhythm now, but feels good about the state of things. Still undefeated in the 300 hurdles this season.
“If I win every race, I’m a state champ,” is without.
Fitch’s Thompson is also on top
Austintown Fitch’s De’Aunee Thompson also earned the MVP award as the Falcons finished second behind Boardman in the Division I girls’ meet.
She won the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, and 4×100 relay and finished second in the long jump to skip falcons.
Going into the day, she didn’t think of putting any personal best on her, but wanted to make an impact.
“I wouldn’t say I freaked out, but I definitely knew I didn’t set up any PR today. I still wanted to be open, of course, but I knew it was too cold to beat my records.”
With a strong headwind, Thompson slipped off her first time in her events, but still posted 16.68 in the 100 hurdles, 47.80 in the 300 hurdles and 14-5.50 in the long jump. The 4 x 100 relay team won with a time of 51.14.
With the wind blowing most of the meet, Thompson said she knew it was going to hurt “Sometime in the middle of a race, especially when it’s cold out,” But he persevered nonetheless.
With her season progressing well—she recently cleared the 300 hurdles this past week—she’s aiming for a podium finish in Columbus at the end of the season.
Riccitelli is running
Saturday did not start out the way Boardman’s Mackenzie Richetelli had hoped.
Team Spartan originally intended to win the 4×200 relay badly, and went on to finish fourth.
From there, however, Riktelli was unstoppable.
Boardman’s junior program had three first-place finishes, the 400, 200 and 4×400 relay as Boardman won the Division I girls’ meet.
“After 4 x 200 we should have won it, but we had a bit of a pickle on the stock exchange,” he said. Richetelli said. “Then, I knew the 400 was a big race for me. So to go ahead and win it gave me a good feeling, so I knew the 200 was an even bigger race, because we had to keep scoring, and then we finished it off with a 4×400.”
Riccitelli picked up the momentum with a time of 1:02.23 in the 400, then clocked 27.29 in the 200. The relay team finished in 4:18.36.
It was a strong day for the runner, who said that this season has not gone the way she had hoped in terms of time.
With that in mind, Richetelli said she stayed in during spring break and chose to work during her off days.
It paid off.
“I knew other people might take time off, and in my first race I had already run the PR season, and I just wanted to keep pushing from there.” She said.
she added, “I wish I could run a little faster, but I feel like I’m at a good pace. I just need to keep pressing and work harder.”
Girls’ notes: Fitch’s Savannah Jones won the long jump with a score of 14-11, and also took first place in the 4×100 relay. Her team ran 51.14. Jones also finished third in the 100 hurdles event. … Chaney’s Denaya Harris took first place in the 100 with a time of 13.50, and added first place in the 4×100 where her team ran 1:53.95. Harris was also third in the 200 and second in the 4×400. … Boardman’s Gabby Finetti has a pair of wins. I took the 1600 in 5:42.24 and the 800 in 2:31.06. … Fellow Spartan Sarah Biro was the best thrower of the meet. She won both the discus and shot put throws of 106-11 and 36-10.75, respectively, in the events. … My’Kayla Jones beat Cardinal Mooney in the high jump, 4-10. … Ava Littler of Canfield finished second in the 100 hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles.
Notes to the boys: Evans trailed Fitch’s runners with three wins. He won the 100 with a time of 11.06, the 200 in 22.42 and was part of the winning Falcon 4×400 team that delivered the event with a 3:33.90. In all, Fitch earned 41 points from the sprint events and 36 from the relay. … teammate Jamil Falcon James won the shot put 51-10.25 and was second in the discus. Vitch scored 26 points on throws and 38 points on jumps. … Boardman’s Joel Cuevas-Pixley was part of the Spartans’ two runner-up relay teams—the 4×200 and 4×400—and won the 400 race with a time of 52.07. … Boardman’s Tyler Chern won the discus with a throw of 152-11 and was second in the shot put.