Neidig’s pair of wins fuels Generals’ runner-up trophy in OCC boy’s track

  • brian questel
  • May 18, 2011
  • 268
                        
050523 OCCboystk Promo: Wooster grabs five firsts en route to second-place showing in Ohio Cardinal Conference Track and Field Championships Neidig’s pair of wins fuels Generals’ runner-up trophy in OCC boy’s track By Brian Questel Wooster High boy’s track coach Doug Bennett thought his Generals’ track team had an opportunity to make a run at the Ohio Cardinal Conference track title May 13. Even though that bid ultimately fell just short, Bennett was rewarded with a strong showing from this thinclads who ultimately ended up just shy of front-running Lexington. The Minutemen won the title with 135 points, outpointing the Generals (121) and Orrville (118) in the three-team race for the top trophy. Wooster won five events, including a pair of solo wins from junior Cody Neidig, to highlight its performance in a meet that was postponed twice because of lightning and thunderstorms May 13 and then finished the following morning at West Holmes High School. One of those wins came in the field events, where Wooster had a strong showing. Andrei Leabu won the discus with a career-best toss of 153-5, and he came back to lead a 3-4 showing in the shot put with a put of 44-5 to edge out teammate Trevor Villegas (44-1). In the high jump, senior Austin Carstensen achieved a career-best of 6-4, which placed him second, while in the pole vault the Generals’ Brett Breneman was fifth as he cleared 12-0. “In the field events, I thought we had some really nice performances,” said Bennett. “I did not expect Andrei and Villegas to place 3-4 in the shot with a pair of 44s and change, and then Andrei in the discus – wow. We haven’t had anyone throw farther than that since Avery Gray (in 2008). “And Austin – what a nice job. I watched that from afar and saw that unfold. I knew he was up there. That had to be intimidating to have two Lexington jumpers up there. He fended one off and I was quite pleased to see a PR of 6-4. I only wish he hadn’t hurt himself in the 100.” On the track, the night belonged to Neidig and his pair of distance firsts. Neidig led from the front and drew away from the field in the 1600, with his sprint allowing him to pull away to a three-second win (4:34.5). In the 800, Neidig pulled away again to win with a 1:59.5 showing. The 4x800 also went to the Blue and Gold as sophomores Zach Humrichouser, Drew Wigham and Bryan Dilyard, along with junior Brock Berlin, won with an 8:25.2. Humrichouser returned to medal in two other events as he was third in the 1600 (4:41.1) and just missed breaking the 10-minute barrier in the 3200 with a runner-up 10:01.1. Berlin was a sixth-place finisher in the 3200 (10:42.0). Wooster pulled out another first, shaving 10 seconds off its best 1600 relay time as Michael Styer, Jordan and Marcus Cremer and Neidig fashioned a 3:27.6. Jordan Cremer had a pair of top hurdle finishes, placing sixth with a 16.8 in the 110 highs and third in the 300s with a best of 40.4, while Marcus Cremer finished out his night with a fifth in the 400 (53.1) and a fourth in the 200 with a 23.7. Styer placed fourth in the 400 (52.8) and Thomas Dail was sixth in the 200 (23.9). Wooster scored also in the 800 relay with Dail, Styer, Marcus Cremer and Mason Tomblin placing fifth (1:35.3), while Dail, Mason Tomblin, James Hunter and Kyle Noel was eighth with a 47.1. “Cody ran with a purpose,” said Bennett, “and the 4x8 relay was a young relay and placed first with its second-fastest time of the season with different people, which was impressive. “The 4x4 PR’d with a 3:27, which we haven’t run in four years, and we double-scored with Michael and Marcus in the quarter-mile. And then Jordan had a 40.4 in the 300s. I’m really impressed with that kid to set a PR in the league meet. He’s getting close to breaking 40 and having a shot at regionals. “And who would have thought we’d double-score in the 200?” added Bennett. “No way I’d thought Thomas Dail would PR with a 23.9 and Marcus, who hadn’t run the 200 all year long, scores a fourth with a 23.7. In the two-mile, those kids put in a journeyman’s effort to get the job done. That was not one of Brock’s better times, but he scored points, and Hummer got his PR by 16 seconds. I was pleased with the 4x1 and 4x2 relays. That wasn’t bad changing the anchor leg and throwing someone in who hadn’t run in a while and not practiced sticks.” It was the fifth OCC runner-up trophy for the Generals, who scored more points than a year ago (116). “Did we want to win? Yes. But did we fight hard? We sure did,” praised Bennett. “If a couple of things had gone differently, we’d been league champs. We were motivated. Those kids stepped up. We had some major holes to fill this year and we didn’t always fill them where we wanted, but we found a way to suck up more points. “The kids did what they could do … and now we’re headed into the postseason.” Wooster competed in the North Canton Division I district this past week (May 18 and 20).


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