CHESAPEAKE – Mother Nature must not be much of a track fan.

Saturday, April 07, 2001

CHESAPEAKE – Mother Nature must not be much of a track fan. Rain and lightning brought the annual Chesapeake Lions Club Invitational track and field meet to a halt after nine boys events and eight girls events.

The Chesapeake Panthers won the shortened boys meet with 64 points. Gallipolis was second with 50 followed the Ironton Fighting Tigers with 44.5, the Coal Grove Hornets with 30.5, Wellston 30, Winfield 28, River Valley 22, the Rock Hill Redmen 7.5, and the Fairland Dragons 2.5.

Chesapeake did more of its damage with depth. The Panthers had one first place finish as Luke Beach cleared 6-foot to win the high jump.

Coal Grove’s Ricky Wynn was first in the shot put with a heave of 49-1. Eric Myers of Chesapeake was second and Wynn’s teammate Dan Cordle was third.

The Panthers Cody Hunt was second in the 110 hurdles and fifth in the 100 meters. Eddie Neel was third in the 1600.

Ironton’s Mark Gleichauf was first in the discus with a toss of 146-3 and teammate Redgie Arden was second. The Fighting Tigers also won the pole vault as Jesse Collins cleared 11-6.

One area Ironton didn’t figure to do as well was the 4×100 meter relay. But Marcus Turner, Jeff "Scooter" Pleasant, Matt Blankenship, and Erique Bacon combined for a 46.7 time and placed second behind Gallipolis.

"Our guys who got to compete early did well. Jesse went 11-6 in the pole vault, our discus throwers did well, and our 4-x100 surprised us," Ironton coach Greg Cronacher said.

In the girls meet, Winfield was first with 69 points, Gallipolis second at 55, Rock Hill 34, Chesapeake 25, Ironton 23, River Valley 17, Wellston 13, Fairland 8, and Coal Grove 4.

Rock Hill’s talented junior Jessica Kerns won two of the eight events as she ran a 15.7 to win the 100 meter hurdles and leaped 15-3 1/2 to take the long jump.

Ironton’s Sarah Herman ran a 5:38.5 to just take first place in the 1600 meter run. The clocking set a new Ironton school record in the event.

"I hate the fact some of our girls didn’t get any work in . It’s not that big of a deal to miss part of the meet, but you need the workout to get better," Lady Tigers coach Tim Thomas said.

"But the girls who got to compete did well. Sarah Herman had a great race. She and the girl from Gallipolis ran neck-and-neck and she beat her right at the line. And Lilly ran well."

Christy Lilly was second in the 100 meters and was among the leaders in the high jump when the meet was called off.

The Giovanni’ Pizza/Coal Grove Invitational will be held Thursday night.