Weeman’s long toss earns return to Regionals

  • By Brian Questel
  • May 29, 2010
  • 471
                        
The Wooster High track teams are down to one – but she’s a good one. Aly Weeman highlighted the North Canton Div. I District Track and Field championships last weekend by advancing to Regional competition. The senior advanced in her specialty by placing second in the discus with a throw of 126-11 to earn a spot in the Austintown Fitch Regional (May 26 and 28), where the top four athletes looked to advance to State. Weeman has been among the top throwers in the state this year with a school-record 138-0 as her best, and it will take a similar throw to return her to the State meet at Jesse Owens Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, June 4-5. “Probably seven of the top 10 throwers in the state are in the Regional,” said WHS throws coach Drew Gerber. “She was nervous at Districts and that’s the first meet I’ve seen her nervous like that. She put a lot of pressure on herself. Going in, she was the No. 1 seed and I think she was thinking, What if I don’t make it? instead of putting the pressure on everyone else. “I think she is going to need to throw 130 to get out … but if she throws her best, she will be fine. She needs to put the pressure on everyone else.” Weeman, who was nervous at Wooster’s Kiwanis Invitational in part because she opened with two fouls, said she would “probably be nervous all day” heading into Regionals. “Last year I wasn’t because I just wanted to see what I could do,” said Weeman. “This year I want to do well and move on.” Weeman finished 11th in the State a year ago. “Aly obviously wanted to win, but when you get to this point of the season, being in the top four is all that matters,” said WHS girls coach Nikki Reynolds. “She will have her work cut out for her, but she is capable of stepping up and doing it. With all the work she has done throwing, on top of her (distance) running, it would be nice to see her rewarded.” No other General was rewarded with a Regional berth, although several came close. On the girls’ side, Claire Miller ran her second-best time in the 3200 as she finished with an 11:36.39 to place eighth. “Claire ran well and Jackie White, a freshman, had her personal-best (in the 3200 with a 12:41.97),” said Reynolds. “Autumn Hauenstein had a personal best in the 400 (1:06.7) … and several girls ran their second-best times of the year. The more opportunities you have to compete at the District or Regional level helps you mentally each time.” On the boys’ side, sophomore Stewart Turner was fifth in the 100 (11.47) and sixth in the 200 (23.08), while sophomore Cody Neidig was sixth in the 1600 as he lopped nearly three seconds off his previous best in that race (4:27.65). “Stewart got to finals in the 100 and 200, which was a good showing for a sophomore in a veteran field,” said WHS boys coach Doug Bennett. “Grant Stokes set a freshman record in the shot put, one that had stood over 30 years (42-6) and Bryan Dilyard got to the finals as a freshman in the 800. Cody was sixth in the 800 and Zach Humrichouser, a freshman, ran a 10:06.09 in the 3200 … all that is very good stuff. “I thought we had a very young team and I was encouraged by the performance of the kids. Some of them will come back and do better, and the kids who were on the cusp will be able to qualify next year.”


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