by Ken Lahmers

Editor

Aurora -- Despite three of its best sprinters not being able to compete, the Greenmen girls track team (68 points) finished third in the annual Aurora Invitational on April 25 behind Chagrin Falls (147) and West Geauga (81).

Rounding out the eight-team field were Ravenna, Berrkshire, Garrettsville Garfield, Streetsboro and Mogadore.

Two of the sprinters were out with injuries, while the third was appearing in a school drama production.

Victoria Meneese is still sidelined with a sore hip, while sprinter Ashley Smith was nursing a tender foot. "Hopefully, both will be back in full form by the Chagrin Valley Conference meet," coach John Kudley said.

Sophomore Brooke Hradisky blew the field away in the 400 dash with a first-place time of 1:00.97, besting the second-place time by nearly two seconds.

"That was the highlight of the night," said Kudley. "She ran a personal best and just missed our own Laura Moore's meet record (2004) by 0.07 seconds."

Jill Sweress took second in the 3,200 in 12:11.3 and was third in the 1,600 in 5:32.9.

Katie Davidoff took second in the pole vault at 8-0, Jordan Curtis was third in the high jump at 4-10 and Kahli Hale was third in the 100 dash in 13.27.

Other top individual efforts were: Fifth -- Davidoff in the shotput (28-3 1/2); sixth -- Breanna Boswell in the pole vault (6-0) and Heather Schroeder in the 800 (2:38.6).

IN THE relays, AHS was second in the 4x800 (Danielle Lewandowski, Schroeder, Brooke Eastman and Annie Dankelson) in 10:30.3, and third in the 4x400 (Jessica Milner, Schroeder, Kelsey Fischer and Hradisky) in 4:22.6.

In other relays, the Greenmen were fourth in the 4x200 in 1:55.3 and fifth in the 4x100. Running both of those events were Hale, Curtis, Milner and Hradisky.

Kudley noted freshman Hale had a difficult night, having to run six races. "She ran good times that were comparable to her season-best," Kudley said.

"While they did not place, Jamie Mervin [300 hurdles] and Schroeder [800] ran personal bests, while Sweress continued on her path to getting stronger in every meet."

She ran a personal best in the 1,600 and a season-best in the 3,200. She is on pace to break her school record in the 3,200 and has her eyes on the 1,600 record (5:21) set in 1982 by Nancy Clossin.

"The 4x400 relay team ran a season-best time," according to the coach, who noted the evening was exceptional in that it did not rain or was not cold as has been the case in most of the past invitationals.

"With the help of outstanding adult workers and coaches, the finals were contested in a record 3 hours, 7 minutes," Kudley said, adding also contributing to the success was assistance from the Aurora All-Sports Boosters.

"As one coach said to me, 'this is one meet that I tell the kids not to bring food, because Aurora has an outstanding refreshment stand,'" he said.

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