AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Track & field teams from all over the state of Ohio were at Austintown Fitch High School for the 42nd Optimist Track & Field Invitational, and the host team put on a show by taking both the boys and girls titles.
They did that with the help of Optimist Meet MVP and Fitch senior Nick Tibolla, after first-place finishes in the 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and the 4 by 100 meter relay.
“From the start, I knew that this is going to be a big race and big meet so I knew that I had to get out and had just finished our race the last 100,” Tibolla said. “I feel like having that team aspect really helps and I know that the seniors on my team are great with all of us being together and being able to finish our our season at home really makes it a great feeling.”
While many others were using this meet to gear up for the back stretch of the season, like girl’s 800 meter winner, Lowellville’s Sophia Yon, who finished more than 4 seconds in front of the field.
“It’s awesome just to be able to come to meet like this and have awesome competition for all of these events,” Yon said. “It’s good to just see what you could do and whatever race you might want to like focus on and see like what eggs you should put in, what basket when it comes time for this race, regional’s and hopefully state so.”
Toward the end of the day, records were set by Untied standout and Division III state record holder Kaleb Nastari ran the fastest 800 in the state of Ohio this year and broke the Optimist Meet record, set last year by Canfield record-breaker Nick Plant.
“My main purpose for coming out here is trying to break that Nick Plant record from last year, I came second to him last year so I really wanted to break that,” Nastari said. “It just gives me something to sit on when I’m running, it has just given me like more of a purpose to start running faster and that’s kind of why I look at the records and try to beat them.”
View local Top 3 finishers from the 2023 Optimist Meet below:
Boys Teams: 1.) Fitch 108 points – Girls Teams: 1.) Fitch 73.50 points
3200 Meter Boys: 1.) Blake Baker, Canfield (11:41)
4×800 Relay Boys: 1.) Maplewood, 8:15.02 (Alex Donaldson, Andrew Donaldson, Brandon Calderwood, Bryson Himes)
100 Hurdles Girls: 1.) Savannah Jones, Fitch (15.59), 2.) De’Aunee Thompson, Fitch (15.68), 3.) Ava Hulett, Mineral Ridge (15.82)
110 Hurdles Boys: 1.) Nick Tibolla, Fitch (14.77), 2.) Josh Cayson, Fitch (15.29), 3.) Michael Ballone, Lowellville (15.33)
4×200 Relay Boys: 2.) Lowellville, 1:31.60 (Braylen Dabney, Vinny Ballone, Drew Modelski, Josh Pazel), 3.) Fitch, 1:32.12 (Josh Cayson, Deonte Stallings, Dom Perry, Brody Herman)
4×100 Relay Girls: 2.) Fitch, 52.18 (Kaelyn Bower, Chloe Smith, Ta’Laya Hunter, Madison Bucko),
3.) Mineral Ridge, 52.92 (Audri Gaydosh, Ava Hulett, Aubrey Maglis, Gianna Wilson)
4×100 Relay Boys: 1.) Fitch, 42.45 (Cordale McDowell, Nick Tibolla, Dan Evans, Jayden Eley)
300 Hurdles Girls: 2.) De’Aunee Thompson (46.65)
300 Hurdles Boys: 1.) Nick Tibolla (40.15), 3.) Michael Ballone, Lowellville (41.02)
800 Meters Girls: 1.) Sophia Yon, Lowellville (2:22.95)
800 Meters Boys: 1.) Kaleb Nastari, United Loacl (1:50.48, meet record)
4×400 Relay Boys: 1.) Lowellville, 3:30.78 (Braylen Dabney, Matt Lucido, Vinny Ballone, Michael Ballone), 3.) South Range, 3:37.26 (Logan Butcher, Ayden Leon, Hudson Moorefield, Gaven Nagy)
Pole Vault Boys: 2.) Harrison Spalding, Fitch (14-0)
Pole Vault Girls: 1.) Meghan Vadas, Fitch (10-0)
Discuss Girls: 2.) Kennady Grace, Champion (117-0), 3.) Olivia Booth, Mineral Ridge (115-0)
Discuss Boys: 2.) DJ Williams, Fitch (148-10)
Shot Put Girls: 3.) Olivia Booth, Mineral Ridge (35-5)
Shot Put Boys: 3.) Jamell James, Fitch (51-2.50)
High Jump Boys: 1.) Brody Herman, Fitch (6-4), 2.) Kory White, Fitch (6-4)
High Jump Girls: 3.) Katie Grexa, Badger (5-0)
Long Jump Girls: 2.) Savannah Jones, Fitch (16-7.25), 3.) Hannah Betts, Badger (16-4.75)
