| Dover's
Lilly chasing four golds at state meet
By ED MURPHY WOODSIDE -- Dover High's Jason Lilly has waited an entire year for the opportunity to capture a gold medal or two at the state track meet. Last spring, Lilly pulled a hamstring while running in the 800-meter relay race and never got the chance to shoot for titles in the 200 and 400, and in the 800 and 1,600 relay events. Now healthy and producing some of the top times of his sprinting career, Lilly is ready to let it all hang out today. "Last year was a real disappointment," Lilly said. "It was on my mind in the morning. I tried to focus on the task at hand and not think about what happened last year. "I'm having my best year. The competition will be there. I just have to run my race." The Dover junior took it easy on the opening day of competition at the 58th annual Delaware High School Track and Field Championships at Polytech Friday. Lilly, who only had to qualify in the 200, will compete in the 200 and 400 and in the 800 and 1,600 relays today. "I have the same goal to win four gold medals," Lilly said. "I'm confident in all the events." Lilly won gold medals in those events at the Henlopen Conference Meet last weekend and has the state's top times in the 200 (21.52) and the 400 (48.58). Newark picked up 18 team points in the shot put event. Omar Rogers, a junior, won the Division I title with a 59-7 toss. Senior Isaac Wolkowicz finished second with a 56-6.75 throw. "I'll have to wait for the Meet of Champions to go for the state record," Rogers said. "Isaac and I push each other all the time. I just didn't feel it [Friday]." Howard's Terry Thomas owns the state shot put record with a 64-8 in 1982. Rogers has a career best of 63-4.25 at the Penn Relays. "This is out first year working together," Wolkowicz said. "We have a friendly competition." Wolkowicz has his sights set on the discus title. He threw a 173-0 at the New Castle Meet and feels he has a shot at Thomas's incredible 195-10 state record, which he also set in '82. "I've just got to hit my technique," he said. The top eight finishers in each division, in every event, qualify for the Meet of Champions, which will be held Tuesday at the University of Delaware. Brandywine's Ivan Schmidt won the Division I high jump title with a 6-6 leap. Schmidt, who hit 6-10 in a dual meet this year, missed at 6-8 three times. Cape's Antonio Alford won the Division I long jump with a 21-2.50 jump and teammate Kevin Blankenship was second at 21-2. Schmidt was third at 21-0.50. Cape Henlopen, the Henlopen Conference champion, picked up 18 points in the long jump. Tower Hill's Rob Randolph won the Division II long jump with a 21-6. Randolph is the defending 300 hurdles champion and has won the 110 high hurdles two straight years. Salesianum began the meet by capturing the 3,200 relay. Brian Monaghan, Tim Lord, Dave Lobue and Charlie Dielmann won in 8:01.36. Tower Hill won the Division II title. Chris Cassells, James Miller, Carl Smith and Adam Kalamchi won in 8:21.98. Reach Ed Murphy at 734-7946. |
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