Lee 3rd in long jump
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 3, 2007
COLUMBUS — Maybe Sarah Lee didn’t stand alone, but she stood right about where she wanted.
The South Point Lady Pointers senior long jumper realized a dream to get on the awards’ stand at the Division II state track meet Friday when she placed third in the event.
“I was a little nervous. Coach (Joe Stevens) said to give it your all and I did,” Lee said. “I thought, ‘I can’t believe I did that.’ I didn’t think I could place this high. My goal was to make it to the stand.”
Lee broke her own school record with a jump of 18-feet, 5-and-one half inches.
“It felt real good. I broke the school record and got a place in the meet. I can’t believe it,” Lee said.
The meet appearance was the third for Lee who also reached the state meet as a freshman and a sophomore.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it (to the state meet),” said Lee. “I was in fifth place in the regional after several jumps and it wasn’t changing. A jump camp out to get me third place and I got here.”
DeVonne Howard of Orrville won with a jump of 19-7.75.
Also competing Friday at the state meet was the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers 4×100 relay team, the Fairland Dragons 4×400 relay in the preliminaries, and South Point’s Chris Smith in the shot put and discus.
Ironton’s relay team consisted of Cinnamon Fletcher, Mandi Boykin, Michelle Pancake, and Rachel Walker.
The quartet ran a 51.91 but failed to advance in part to a pulled hamstring muscle Walker suffered near the finish line in the regional finals.
“It hurt every step I took, but I tried to run as hard as I could,” said Walker who also ran in the state meet as a sophomore.
Ironton coach Tim Thomas said the injury was very noticeable.
“We didn’t know if she would be able to run, but there really wasn’t anyone else we had with her speed,” said Thomas. “I was proud of all the girls. They made the state meet and gave a great effort all year.”
Fairland’s relay team of Chris Jackson, Matt Bloomfield, Chad Gibson, and Travis Jones ran a 3:34.28 time.
It marked the first appearance by anyone from Fairland’s boys’ track team in the state meet in five years.
Smith, who suffered a finger injury to his throwing hand in the district meet, threw the shot put 51-7.75 to place 10th as he reached the finals.
Smith, who threw 146-1 in the discus, owns the school record in both events including 57-feet in the shot put this season.
Fairland senior Chuckie Wentz ran in the 1600 meters
on Saturday and posted a 10:21.25 time.