Beachwood's girls sprint relays perennially rise to occasion on biggest stages
May 30—Maintaining tradition through transition is a difficult feat.
One of the best at achieving that delicate balance in recent memory in News-Herald coverage area track and field has been Beachwood's vaunted girls sprint relays.
The personnel may change.
The circumstances may be different year over year.
But you can always be sure the Bison will be in the argument when it matters most — just like they will be this weekend in Columbus.
Beachwood takes its 4×200- and 4×100-meter relays to the Division II state meet June 3 and 4 with rightfully high hopes.
#NHtrack @BisonAthletics' Amelie Cotta discusses Beachwood's 4×2 & 4×1 titles at the D2 Fitch Regional
49.10/1:42.57 with usual precision is nice work heading into Cbus
(BTW, saving a Lauren Luxenburg interview from today for a Beachwood sprint relay feature story for state week) pic.twitter.com/s38qCIpZeU
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) May 29, 2022
The quartet of sophomore Dakota Houston, seniors Sarah Brown and Amelie Cotta and junior Lauren Luxenberg has been firing in both events all spring in all kinds of weather to make a strong statement across Ohio.
May 28 during the D-II Austintown-Fitch Regional, the Bison reigned in each sprint relay, with 4×2 recording a time of 1 minute, 42.57 seconds and 4×1 going for a 49.10.
"Yeah, it's definitely really exciting," Luxenberg said. "I feel really accomplished, because we've been working for this all season. It's really good times going into state prelims.
"(The exchanges were) good. We've been working really hard on that with the steps and seeing what feels right. I think we're going to do really well."
That caliber has been a mainstay.
Beachwood has qualified its girls 4×1 to state 11 times now, the first coming in 2000 and five since 2016. Its 4×2 is on its fifth state berth and fourth since 2015.
Not only are the Bison advancing those relays to state, but they're making the most of the journey.
Their 4×1 is a six-time state champion, including four in the last five seasons and is the reigning D-II title holder in the event after a 49.09 last spring. Houston, Brown, Cotta and Luxenberg are all back from that group.
Of the Beachwood girls' 21 state top fours all-time in all events, one-third have been in 4×1 with seven.
It's a calling card to be sure, one which the current edition of the Bison are acutely aware.
Luxenberg attributes that consistency to Bison coach Willie Smith and assistant Olivia Mayfield. Smith is one of Greater Cleveland's most well-regarded program builders in the sport, and Mayfield knows the drill well as a 2012 Beachwood alum and sprint relay stalwart during her days with the program.
"It's definitely Coach Smith and Coach Liv and their love and support," Luxenberg said. "Them just being so understanding, going through everything, and continuously doing that with every athlete through every year. It's definitely them."
The quartets through the years for the Bison have had their share of all-time great leaders and adaptation along the way.
In the early 2000s, when they won their first state titles in D-III in 2000 and D-II in 2001, they had Arealia Warren leading the charge with fellow experienced performers in Tina Ngangana, Lesli Williams and Amanda Martin.
Then came Mayfield and her generation in the early 2010s.
Later in the decade, program legend Mia Knight was the glue and, eventually, hammer on the anchor as Beachwood three-peated in 4×1 in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Staples in Ashaunti Griffin, Ashley Perryman, Maddie Alexander and more came along, too. Griffin was a state-caliber long jumper and 400 runner when healthy, and Perryman (long jump) and Alexander (high jump) were skilled in field events. Perryman and Alexander were robbed of a chance to go for another gold in D-II 4×1 in 2020 in what would have been their senior season due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
These days, Cotta and Luxenberg essentially are sprint relay specialists, not entering any other events in the postseason. Brown is another in that field-event standout lineage, as a great shot putter, and Houston is a developing sprinter whose turn is rapidly en route as an anchor option in the back half of her career.
#NHtrack Beachwood girls 4×1 1st 49.10 pic.twitter.com/CisV8tpyWm
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) May 28, 2022
That specialization aspect can be helpful.
"Yeah, definitely, because we can give it all our energy and all and work together as a team in relays," Luxenberg said.
If any member of the Bison needs a reminder, all they need to do daily after practice, walking up the steps from their stadium toward the school on the corner of Fairmount and Richmond, is glance over at the D-II state champion banners with Knight, Perryman, Alexander and Leah Roter standing in front of those trophies that have helped put the program on the map in the Buckeye State.
#NHtrack Beachwood girls 4×1 with a 2022 NH area best 49.16
❤️ seeing that in early May pic.twitter.com/w4sQNf0j9p
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) May 6, 2022
What has helped lead Beachwood to this point is sprint relay greatness, a facet that should add another chapter this weekend.
Toledo Central Catholic, Akron Buchtel and Gilmour will have a say, but the Bison hope to maintain that standard of tradition through transition that has served them so well.
"Keeping the exchanges well," Luxenberg said of the key to going sub-49 in 4×1 and pushing for more gold in Columbus. "Leaving on time, and just running through the lines. I think we can get to a low-48."
#NHtrack @BisonAthletics 1st girls 4×1 50.37
REALLY nice work from a young relay
The rich tradition continues for Beachwood girls 4×1 — somewhere, Mia & company will be very proud pic.twitter.com/0TPlhSI2t9
— Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) May 29, 2021
