Dover junior LaToya Johns gives it her best shot during the Division I girls discus competition Saturday afternoon during the state track and field meet at Lake Forest High.
Staff photo by Jason Minto
DeVilbiss, Dover, Delaware highlight state track first day
Dover junior LaToya Johns gives it her best shot during the Division I girls discus competition Saturday afternoon during the state track and field meet at Lake Forest High. Staff photo by Jason Minto |
By Mike Lewis, Staff writer
FELTON - At meets throughout the spring, Cape Henlopen junior Katharine DeVilbiss is forced to hustle from event to event in order to participate in her wide variety of specialties.
Consequently, her journeys Saturday from the heats of the 100-meter hurdles to the pole vault finals to the 200-meter heats were not particularly unusual.
And given her abilities, the results from those events shouldn't be that surprising either.
DeVilbiss sandwiched a Division II pole vault record of 9 feet, 6 inches with two victories in her heat races for an impressive performance during the opening day of the Delaware High School Track and Field Championships at Lake Forest High.
"I was hoping I would get over 9 feet, and then take what I could get," said DeVilbiss, the defending champion in the event. "I'm happy with the result."
Both DeVilbiss and Seaford's Christie Tobin achieved the record mark, but DeVilbiss was awarded first place due to less overall attempts.
Charli Tabler also stood out for Cape, capturing first place in the discuss with a toss of 113-2.
Cape and Seaford are also first and second in the girls Division II team standings after four completed events, with the Vikings gaining 27 points and the Blue Jays holding 25.
Also in Division II, Paula Green of Polytech won the long jump crown with a leap of 16-11 1/2.
Final competition in all divisions begins Monday at 3 p.m. at Lake Forest.
DeVilbiss is one of many athletes who have to shuttle between events to help their teams gain as many points as possible. Several Saturday were forced to make an opening attempt in their field events, hustle to the track for a heat race, and then return to the field for their final attempts.
"For some people its OK, but other people have trouble with it," said Lake Forest senior Harry Barrett, who finished second in the Div. II long jump finals and won his 110-meter hurdles heat.
"You have to concentrate and work hard."
Spartans coach Bill Moore said having a consistent and versatile athlete such as Barrett is key in large meets.
"A lot of attention goes to guys who win two events but I think it's much more important in a meet like this to have a guy who can get two seconds, a third and a win for the team," Moore said. "You have to be mentally tough to go from event to event and he's responded extremely well."
Both Barrett and Ross Horsey of Woodbridge will be competing in four events during the meet. Horsey finished second in the high jump finals Saturday and fourth in the long jump.
"The only thing difficult about (multiple events) is the competition," Horsey said. "I know it takes lot out of me, but I'm just happy I can make the finals in some events."
Lake Forest, with 16 points, is second in the Division II boys' standings, one point behind Mount Pleasant. Woodbridge, with 14 points, is third.
For the Division I boys, Dover holds a slim two-point lead over Salesianum 22-20.
"It doesn't mean too much," Senators coach Jim Solomon said about the early lead. "Sallies, Newark and Sussex Tech are still there. We just have to hang in there and take it a race at a time on Monday."
Henlopen Conference girls champion Caesar Rodney sits fourth with 12 points. William Penn is first in the Div. I girls standings with 28 points