Woodridge relays, Morgan Hallett, Josiah Cox win Division II regional track titles

Akron Beacon Journal
·4 min read

TRACK AND FIELD

Austintown Fitch Division II Regional Meet

The Woodridge girls and boys 3,200-meter relay teams advanced to the Division II state meet Thursday night via their respective performances in a regional meet at Austintown Fitch High School.

Woodridge's Reese Reaman, Marissa Boone, Eloise Willett and Izzy Best placed first in the girls 3,200 relay in a time of 9:23.78.

The Woodridge boys 3,200 relay finished third with Seth Singer, Robbie Champa, Sam Su and Aaron Dutt compiling a time of 8:02.64.

Marlington's Cohen Boyce, Liam Blake, Noah Graham and Colin Cernansky placed first in the boys 3,200 relay in a time of 7:57.36. Field's Sean Silk, Ammon Hottensmith, Owen Roberts and Joe Simonetti advanced with a fourth-place finish in 8:03.25.

The St. Vincent-St. Mary girls 3,200 relay advanced to the state meet with a fourth-place finish. Kate Saum, Anne Rea, Olivia Kindbom and Aislynn McVicker posted a 9:41.90.

Five field events and the two relays on the track were scored Thursday in addition to the several preliminary races that were contested. The other remaining running finals and field events will be scored Saturday.

Manchester's Josiah Cox punched his ticket to the state meet by winning a regional title in the boys discus with a throw of 174-feet, 1-inch. Woodridge's Oliver Mayer (164-8) and Garrettsville's Riley Laporte (157-4) finished second and third, respectively.

Blake Sifferlin of STVM finished second in the boys pole vault with a result of 15-0. Brayden Richards of Lake County Perry placed first in the pole vault at 15-4.

Lexington Division II Regional Meet

Defending Division II state champion Morgan Hallett punched her ticket to this year's girls state shot put competition by winning a regional title at Lexington on Thursday.

Hallett, a sophomore, placed first with a result of 47-6.25.

Walsh Jesuit center fielder Andrew Gormley reacts after left fielder Will Harding makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Mayfield's Matt Snider during the 5th inning of the Warriors 10-1 win in the Division I District Final on Wednesday, May 26, 2022 in Macedonia, at Nordonia High School.
Walsh Jesuit center fielder Andrew Gormley reacts after left fielder Will Harding makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Mayfield's Matt Snider during the 5th inning of the Warriors 10-1 win in the Division I District Final on Wednesday, May 26, 2022 in Macedonia, at Nordonia High School.

BASEBALL

Macedonia Division I District Final

Walsh Jesuit 10, Mayfield 1

John Simecek hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning Thursday to propel Walsh Jesuit (22-5) to a victory over Mayfield (14-13) in a district championship game at Nordonia's Bernie Hovan Memorial Field.

Simecek's homer over the left-field fence gave Walsh a 4-1 lead that it did not relinquish.

"I saw a fastball," Simecek said. "Quick hands, drive through it, run down the line and it was a home run."

Walsh finished with 12 hits and advanced to a regional semifinal game at Louisville at 2 p.m. Thursday against North Canton Hoover.

Warriors catcher Mason Eckelman totaled two singles, a walk, a double, three RBIs and scored two runs. His cousin, shortstop, Henry Kaczmar, contributed a single, a double, a walk, two runs and an RBI.

"I have been working on trying to stay planted early and being ready for anything that comes my way," Eckelman said. "I am trying not to get beat. I am trying to stay up the middle with everything, go oppo and gap. I am seeing everything really well right now and trusting myself so all I need to really focus on is being on time and being ready for that pitch."

Walsh Jesuit left fielder Will Harding makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Mayfield's Matt Snider during the 5th inning of the Warriors 10-1 win in the Division I District Final on Wednesday, May 26, 2022 in Macedonia, at Nordonia High School.
Walsh Jesuit left fielder Will Harding makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Mayfield's Matt Snider during the 5th inning of the Warriors 10-1 win in the Division I District Final on Wednesday, May 26, 2022 in Macedonia, at Nordonia High School.

Walsh's other key hitters were Joey Canzoni (double, walk, two runs) and Will Harding (three singles, two RBIs). Topher Salek added an RBI, and Connor Romanini, Alejandro Covas and Andrew Gormley each scored a run.

Harding contributed a diving catch on a ball hit by Mayfield's Joey Barch to end the top of the fifth inning when the Wildcats had two runners on base and trailed 4-1.

Walsh pitchers Drew Erdmann and Jackson Phelps worked three innings apiece and Gormley pitched a scoreless seventh.

Mayfield's Rocco Monastero singled and scored a run in the top of the third when Drew Pattie hit into a fielder's choice to tie it at 1-1. Austin Ziance hit a single and a double, and Dylan Gamber walked three times.

"It was a close game early," Walsh coach Chris Kaczmar said. "A lot of credit to Mayfield. They are a good program. We have played some competitive games over the years, and today was no different. I thought really on our side it was a team effort. It was a story of so many different players making an impact.

"Drew, Jackson and Andrew on the mound. I thought Mason caught an extremely good game and we were able to execute offensively in a number of situations, and none bigger than John Simecek. What a day by him as well as Will Harding. Will played extremely well defensively as well as having some very key hits for us in our lineup."

— Compiled by Michael Beaven

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: John Simecek, Mason Eckelman lead Walsh to baseball district title