By Ray Sarvis
FPS Correspondent
The Carrollton boys’ track team began its week with a dual meet, hosting Beaver, before making the journey to the F.E. Cope Invitational, held at Salem’s Sebo Stadium on Friday, April 4.
In the dual meet, held April 1, the Warriors dominated the relays, winning three of them, but the Beavers recouped the points in the individual events while also holding an advantage in several field events that powered them to a 73-55 win over Carrollton.
That’s not to say there weren’t any great performances from the Warriors, as Ricky Sibila won the 1,600 in 5:06.9 and Brayden Limbacher won the 3,200 with a time of 11:29. Landyn Winkler also won the long jump with a leap of 19-1.
In the relays, Carrollton cleaned up, winning three of four—the 4×100, 4×200 and the 4×800. The two sprint relays featured the same athletes but in slightly different orders: Landyn Winkler, Tayvian Johnson, John Bajornas and Andy Husk. The 4×100 (Husk, Bajornas, Winkler, Johnson) clocked in at 47.15, while the 4×200 (Winkler, Johnson, Bajornas, Husk) finished in 1:38.62. The 4×800 relay of Limbacher, Turner Eddy, CJ Ash and Sibila also won, with a time of 9:39.1.
Using the Beaver meet as a tune-up, the Warriors were ready to take on the other 15 teams attending the Cope Invitational. It was a tough field, but Carrollton hung in and finished 11th with 18 points. Warren Howland was the boys’ team champion with 88 points, edging Austintown Fitch, which finished with 82. Wadsworth placed third with 67, one point ahead of host Salem.
Top-eight finishes for the Warriors included Sibila’s runner-up medal in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:56.15. In the long jump, Winkler finished fifth with a distance of 18-11.5. Lastly, Husk placed eighth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 54.16.
Carrollton also competed in two relays, as the 4×800-meter relay placed sixth, clocking in at 9:06.15, while the 4×200-meter relay team finished seventh in 1:38.62.