The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Big Reds successful at Saturday's Clinton Relays
Girls bring back 43 medals, the most in the last 12 years
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: April 10, 2008
If Milan's overall performance at the Clinton Relays on Saturday is any yardstick by which to measure the coming season, it promises to be a successful year for Milan's track athletes.
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The girls' team brought home 43 medals, the most they've earned since the Big Reds began attending the meet 12 years ago.
"It's our best team start since 1989," said girls coach Steve Porter. "We are very optimistic about the upcoming track season. With less than 10 girls returning from last year that have ever scored in a meet, we are off to a great start."
Delivering first-place performances were the 400-relay team of Minah Johnson, Shaqua Green, Alexia Pope and Taylor McGovern in a time of 56.7; the middle distance team of Jordan Tomecek, Amelia Horton, Ashley Agar and Kara Porter in a time of 7:50.5; and the shuttle hurdle team of Gina Mann, Nicole Crawford, Courtney Trudeau, and Horton in a time of 1:21.6.
Big Reds Samantha Harmon and Taylor McGovern took first place in the high jump with a combined 9 feet 2 inches, and Agar won lone individual event, the 100 hurdles, with a time of 17.8.
The shot put team of Kai Beverley and Brittany Westfall took second place with a combined throw of 56 feet 3 1/2 inches.
Second-place finishes were earned by Minah Johnson, Tiffany Kitchen, Harmon and McGovern in the 800-relay; by Meg Sinclair, Jenna Manor, Porter and Tomecek in the 3,200-relay; and Manor, Agar, Porter and Tomecek in the distance medley.
The Big Reds had a sixth-place finish in the 1,600 relay and a seventh in the Clinton medley, along with a third-place finish by the freshmen sprinters.
Porter was pleased with his young team's execution.
"We didn't make any mistakes, no dropped batons or disqualified relays," he said. "The next two weeks will be the most critical of the season. We must improve our work ethic and put in some good training efforts."
The boys' team opened the season strong as well, recording seven first-place finishes at the meet.
"We did pretty well," said head coach Rich Pellegrini. "We had some good times."
The Milan long-jumping team of Ron Spears and Robert Logwood took first, with Spears reaching an impressive 21 feet 11 inches.
The 1,600-relay was won by the team of Kyle Anderson, Anthony Mann, Joe Martin and Brian Kirkpatrick. For their win, the team received a plaque dedicated in honor of Whitmore Lake High School track and field icon Larry Steeb, who died recently.
Eric Betts won the individual 110-hurdles and the team of Bill Egolf, Randy Butts, Anthony Marshall and Spears won the 800-relay with a time of 1:30.36.
The Big Reds also brought home first-place honors in the shuttle relay, run by Betts, Butts, Egolf and Logwood, as well as in the 400-relay, run by Egolf, Butts, Spears and Marshall.
Ryan Spears, David Bates, Leo Pittman and Tyler Borso won the freshman relay, while the team of Scott Kenyon and Cory Iott placed second and third in the shot put and discus, respectively.
"We're looking forward to a good year," said Pelligrini. "The key is we've got to stay healthy."
Milan has its first league meet 4 p.m. Tuesday at home against Riverview.
Staff Writer Brian Cox can be reached at 429-7380 or bcox@heritage.com.
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