Medina athletes advance from Division I super regional

This year was the first go-round for Ohio’s Division I track teams competing in so-called “super regionals,” which were run in place of district meets and featured only shorter running events.

Only events with enough competitors to require an extra preliminary round were contested. For example, there was no 200-meter dash for boys or girls. The boys competed in the 4x800 relay, while the girls did not.

Of those contested, the top 16 athletes advanced from the super regional to the semifinal round in what would be the actual regional meet.

Medina’s girls had seven athletes advance, while the boys team had three individuals and one relay team advance.

For the girls, senior Brooke Diello (100-meter dash), junior Mariana Cunningham (100), junior Anna Carpenter (400), senior Alexis Warnement (1600), junior Alanya Yanmaz (1600), senior Ruby Lloyd (100 hurdles) and sophomore Macie Tighe (300 hurdles) all advanced to semifinal heats. Diello posted the third-fastest 100-meter time.

The boys were led by senior Jackson Riffle (400), senior Joey D’Aurelio (1600), senior Nate Fischer (400) and senior Peyton Davis (1600). Riffle recorded the second-fastest 400-meter time.

The 4x800 relay team of Fischer, D’Aurelio and seniors Carson Henning and Liam Meade turned in the second-fastest time, just a couple seconds behind Strongsville. The girls field did not have more teams entered than could advance, so all teams were scheduled to race in the final.

The Northeast Super Regional included 27 schools from seven counties. Qualifiers moved into semifinal heats, which were scheduled for May 28 at North Royalton. Field semifinals also were scheduled that day. Finals will be May 30 at North Royalton, with the top four in each event from each super regional qualifying for the state meet.

The Division I state meet will take place June 6-7 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus as part of a new four-day state meet format created by the expansion from three to five divisions.

Softball

Medina fell just short of the Division I Sweet 16, but the Bees did not go quietly. After opening postseason play with a 5-4 district semifinal win over GlenOak, the sixth-seeded Bees lost a 14-13 slugfest May 22 to No. 2 Massillon Jackson at Washington High School.

Hannah Neal went 3-for-3 with three RBI in the loss. Brooke Housum finished 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored. Bailey McCoy also homered, while Ryan Allar added two hits and scored three times. Three Medina errors led to six unearned runs. The Bees finished the season 19-8.

Lacrosse

Medina, seeded third in Division I, Region II, moved within one game of the state final four with a 12-5 win over No. 6 Strongsville in a regional quarterfinal May 20.

The Bees were scheduled to play May 26 in a regional semifinal at North Canton Hoover while seeking their first regional final appearance in five years.

Against Strongsville, Paige Armstrong, Audrey Thompson and Campbell Burns each scored three goals. Burns also added two assists.