by Frank Aceto

Associate Sports Editor

Veteran Streetsboro head girls track and field coach Tom Fesemyer may have considered the field events a major weakness early in the season.

He probably doesn't anymore.

Thanks to the Rockets' heroics in the field events, Streetsboro finished fourth with 79 points at the eight-team Labrae Invitational April 19 in Leavittsburg.

McDonald won the competition with 135 points and Warren Howland (125) and Warren JFK (92) finished second and third, respectively.

"We scored 29 points in the field events," Fesemyer said. "That was an area where we were lacking. It was nice to see the ladies step up and perform."

Kellie Radic placed third in the discus with a career-best throw of 101 feet, 3 inches. Freshman Marissa Goodman also scored with an eighth-place discus throw of 78-5.

Tiara Bivins and Dare Gleason added points in the long jump. Others who fared well in the field events were Kayla Brown in the shot put (third, 32-1.75) and Kelsey Cianci, who scored in the high jump (4-8).

Rounding out the places for Streetsboro were the following:

3,200-meter relay: Rachel Oravec, Alex Lesak, Gaby Ryczek and Heather Poston, fourth, 11 minutes, 31 seconds

400 relay: Bivins, Kaitlin Twigger, Gleason and Ashley Lawson, second, season-best 53.3

800 relay: Cianci, Twigger, Gleason and Lawson, second, season-best 1:54.1

1,600 relay: Lawson, Poston, Cianci and Tiffany Yanulaitis, fourth, 4:41

1,600: Lesak, eighth, 6:20

400: Yanulaitis, third, 1:07.9

800: Poston, fourth, 2:42.6

200: Bivins, second, season-best 26.5; and Dare Gleason fifth, 28.2

"It was our best performance of the year," Fesemyer said. "There's still room for improvement. It's nice to see the relays come together."

On April 15, Streetsboro earned a split against Portage Trail Conference County Division rivals Mogadore and Woodridge at Woodridge High School.

The Rockets posted a 102.5-25.5 win over Mogadore and lost an 82.67-45.33 decision to Woodridge, which scored a 113-24 win over Mogadore.

The following Streetsboro athletes placed in their events:

Shot put: Brown, second

Discus: Radic, second

Long jump: Bivins, second; and Gleason, third

High jump: Cianci, second; and Katie Schlegel, tied for third

100: Bivins, first, 12.9

400 relay: Cianci, Poston, Amanda Cobourn and Yanulaitis, first, 53.1

400: Yanulaitis, third

300 hurdles: Cianci, third

200: Bivins, first, 26.5

3,200: Ryczek, third

The Rockets were scheduled to visit County Division foe East Canton April 22. Results were not available at press time.

They are set to compete in the Aurora Invitational April 25 before heading to Ravenna to face County Division rivals Garfield and Waterloo April 29.

Both meets are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

E-mail: faceto@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3914