Sycamore Aves track looks to land in postseason meets

SYCAMORE TWP. – The man in the green and gold cap is hoping the short bus ride from Cornell Road to Mason-Montgomery is jovial on the way and celebratory coming home.

Coach Hank Ray will take the Sycamore High School boys and girls track teams to Atrium Stadium in Mason May 14 for the Greater Miami Conference meet.

"Our strong areas are our relays and our field events," Ray said.

The boys team leads the GMC in the 4x100 and is looking to move up from third in the 4x200, 4x400 and 4x800.

The Aves would like to improve in the 4x800. It features Adam Lucken, currently second in the 800 meters, and Ray Berling, currently third in the 1,600 and 3,200.

"It could be any one of seven or eight different guys," Ray said.

Martin Gonzalez, Kevin Lawson and Max Hill are others that could join Lucken and Berling.

Ray's sprinters in the 4x100 are seniors Jamar Hunter and Ronnie Williams, sophomore Jeremiah Hunter and freshman Brendan Archer. At presstime, they topped the league at :42.79.

Individually, Williams leads the league in the 100 and Jeremiah Hunter is third.

"It's going to be tops in the city by the end of the season I hope," Ray said of his 4x100 team.

Senior John Vuotto is the heralded hurdler at :14.65 in the 110 and 39.94 in the 300 intermediates. In the shot put and discus, senior Todd Lewis rules.

"He's one of the top ones in the city in the shot and still trying to come along in discus," Ray said.

Lewis has heaved the shot 54' 1" and the discus 154' 9". In the hunt for the GMC pole vault crown is Nathan Gregg, one of Ray's busier Aves.

"He's gone 13 feet," Ray said. "We knew he was our No. 1 pole vaulter. He's just doing a lot. He's also a leg of our 4x200 and 4x400."

Sycamore's girls are second in the 4x100 relay and league leaders in the 4x400 and 4x800. A year ago, the Lady Aves were dominant in the 4x800.

"They're all new faces except Rosie Menyhart," Ray said.

Seniors Menyhart and Maggie Thompson, junior Julia Mattis and sophomores Grace Louis and Ali Garcia have been relied upon for this spring's 4x800.

Menyhart leads the GMC in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs by considerable margins.

"The mighty midget," Ray joked. "She's a tough little girl. I'm glad we have her on our team. She's got a number of schools interested. She's going to have her choice."

In field events, freshman Angela Ruffin leads league high jumpers, freshman Alexis Tillman is second in the long jump and juniors Tori Swart and Molly Gearin are one-two in the pole vault.

"She's been to the indoor state meet," Ray said of Swart. "She's our most seasoned pole vaulter. She's also long jumping and doing a couple of relays."

On May 14 and 16, field events begin at 4 p.m. at the GMC meet with races commencing at 5:30.