Malena Cybak breaks Stark County record in girls 800, Kendal Fisher hopes for shot at record
Tuslaw's Malena Cybak hoped to become a state champion Saturday.
Even though she came up short, Cybak did not walk away from the OHSAA Track and Field Championships empty handed.
Cybak broke the all-time Stark County record in the girls 800 meters with her time of 2:09.55. She finished fourth overall in the race.
St. Thomas Aquinas' Kalee Soehnlen held the old 800 record of 2:10.29 since 2016.
McKinley 800-meter relay comes close
Brothers Caleb and Colin Ruffin, Bri'Rell Pinkney and Braizhon Marshall almost became the standard bearers.
McKinley's boys 800-meter relay still finished strong even though it did not make history Saturday.
The Bulldogs finished third overall. Their school-record time of 1:26.63 was within two tenths of a second of the all-time Stark County record Massillon set at last year's state meet.
The Ruffins, Pinkney and Marshall own the second and third-fastest times in county history. They ran a 1:27.40 at last week's regional meet.
The girls take 3rd in the state and send Netz out with the best team State finish of his coaching career. Congratulations Coach Netz and to all of our incredible girls who competed today - we are beyond proud! #BearsForever 🐾 pic.twitter.com/MI4hnXXNKf
— Jackson Track & Field (@jhsbeartrackers) June 5, 2022
Jackson helps Rick Neitzelt go out in style
Rick Neitzelt's last Jackson girls team was his best.
The Polar Bears finished third overall in Division I at the state meet. It was their best state finish under Neitzelt, who is retiring after 47 years as head coach.
Jackson won Stark County, Federal League, district and regional team titles this season.
More Jackson Girls Track and Field: 'It was awesome': State runner-up finishes wrap up big year for Jackson's Leena Patibandla
No shoe, no problem for Connor Shingleton
Minerva's Connor Shingleton made the most of an awkward situation in the Division II boys 1,600.
Despite running with just one shoe for more than three laps, Shingleton was able to finish seventh overall and become an All-Ohioan for the second straight year. He lost his shoe when he was stepped on during the race's first 300 meters.
Shingleton ran a time of 4:18.43. It was his second-fastest 1,600 time of the season.
Proud of this kid! pic.twitter.com/q1B8k0KlXF
— Minerva Track & XC (@Minerva_XC) June 5, 2022
Kendal Fisher still hopes for shot at history
Perry pole vaulter Kendal Fisher took a shot at history after she won her Division I state title.
After jumping a school-record 13 feet, 2 1/4 inches, Fisher attempted to match the all-time Stark County record of 13-4 1/4 set by Fairless' Allyson Simmons in 2014. She missed all three tries.
Fisher may get one more chance. She will compete for Team Ohio at Saturday's Midwest Meet of Champions at Indiana Wesleyan University. The meet features many of the top high school track and field athletes from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.
A Perry pole vaulter set the boys all-time county record at the Midwest Meet of Champions. Lucas Kelley jumped 16-9 at the 2016 meet.
Kelley's record still stands.
Reach Mike at mike.popovich@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @mpopovichREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Tuslaw's Malena Cybak breaks Stark girls 800 record at state meet
