Ironton’s 400 meter relay team ran its way to the state meet this weekend, but that run came to an end Saturday afternoon.

Sunday, June 04, 2000

Ironton’s 400 meter relay team ran its way to the state meet this weekend, but that run came to an end Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Fighting Tigers, who surprised most track experts by reaching the state level, finished eighth in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II state track and field meet .

Seniors Rachael Perry and Alisa Philabaun and juniors Christy Lilly and Sarah Herman had a combined 52.13 time in the finals.

The quartet ran the second best time in school history with a 50.58 in the semifinals on Friday to post the fifth best time overall and qualify for the finals.

"We won the regional, so we got a good lane assignment (lane five)," Philabaun said before the semifinals. "We just tried to tell ourselves it was another race and relax and get our handoffs."

The Lady Fighting Tigers won the regional meet with a 50.71 clocking. All regional champions draw a preferred lane assignment (lanes four and five) in the state semifinals regardless of times.

"Everyone turns it up in the final, but we still thought we could at least be sixth," Ironton coach Tim Thomas said. "But it just didn’t happen. Maybe there was something I could have done for them."

Aurora won the 400 relay with a 49.58 and Dayton Stivers finished second with a 49.67 clocking.

Dunbar was third at 50.22 followed by Springfield Shawnee at 50.27, Akron Hoban 50.29, Akron East 50.39, and Napoleon was seventh at 50.82.

"They had a great year. They worked their tails off and got better each week. They had a big challenge Friday and they stepped it up to get to the finals. The thing you have to remember is we pointed in the state meet, and most teams don’t even get that opportunity," said Thomas.

"We had a goal of getting out of the district, and we win it. Then we try to get in the top four of the regional to get to the state and we win it. I know they’re disappointed now, but they’ll realize later just what they’ve accomplished."

In Friday’s semifinals, Aurora had the fastest time at 49.61 and Stivers ran a 49.78. Akron East was third at 50.323, Napoleon ran fourth at 50.46, and then came Ironton.

In the boys Division II meet, the Chesapeake Panthers ran a 3:34.36 time and placed 16th.

The Panthers quartet of Ryan Slone, Brad Fulton, Scott Perry, and Danny Wassell came into the meet on the heels of setting a school record in that event at the regionals.

Wassell also competed in the high jump Saturday. Wassell leaped 6-foot-2 to place 12th.

Wheelersburg’s Andy Gill cleared 6-foot to finish 13th.

Both Wassell and Gill went 6-3 in the regionals with Wassell winning the event on fewer misses.