MANSFIELD, Ohio — Alaya Grose didn’t have time to dwell on the discomfort in her back.
Mansfield Senior’s sophomore sensation had a gold medal to win during the 84th Mehock Relays.
Grose took first in the 100 meter hurdles in 15.35 seconds — .01 ahead of runner-up Lauren Micham of Sylvania Southview — on a sun-soaked Saturday afternoon at Mehock Field. The victory came shortly after Grose withdrew from the long jump competition after aggravating her back on the first attempt in the finals (she placed sixth with a jump of 15 feet, 8.5 inches).
Grose would win two more medals as a member of Senior High’s fifth-place 4 x 200 team (1:46.58) and fourth-place 4 x 100 quartet (50.48).
“It was a long day,” Grose said. “My back was hurting but I knew I only had one chance and I couldn’t blow it because I wanted to be No. 1 in the hurdles.
“It was good because last year at Mehock I didn’t even get on the podium (in the 100 hurdles). Then coming back and getting first, it was really exciting.”
Grose’s older cousin, junior Alaysia Grose, also picked up four medals Saturday afternoon. She was fourth in the 100 (12.63), third in the 200 (25.98) and joined her cousin on the 4 x 200 and 4 x 100 teams. The Groses were joined on the 4 x 200 by sophomore Nayasha Franklin and junior Mikala Krim. Franklin and freshman Na’Kyra Petty rounded out the 4 x 100 unit.
The Groses were both on the Senior High 4 x 100 team that qualified for the state meet last spring.
“We went to state last year and we know what we’ve got to do to get there and get where we want to be,” Alaya Grose said.
Decisions, Decisions: Ontario junior Rachel Miller has qualified for the state meet in the 400 each of the past two years, finishing eighth last year. Miller didn’t run in the 400 Saturday, however, instead focusing on the 300 hurdles. She finished second in 46.81 seconds, behind Micham (45.76).
“(The 300 hurdles) is a different race, but I enjoy it,” Miller said. “It’s tough to do both because they are back-to-back events.”
So which event does she prefer?
“That’s a difficult question,” Miller said. “I’m really liking the hurdles this year, but I haven’t ran the (400) at all.”
Girls Placers: The area was well represented Saturday.
Mansfield Christian’s Claire Reynolds was third in both the 1,600 (5:19.60) and the 3,200 (11:47.33), while Shelby’s Makenna Heimlich was fourth in the 800 (2:27.10).
Shelby’s Jaimie Blunt was sixth in the pole vault (9-6), while Clear Fork’s Maija Johnson tied for seventh (9-0). Galion teammates Sydney Hunt (16-9) and Marisa Gwinner (16-2.25) were third and fifth, respectively, in the long jump. Gwinner (5-6) was second in the high jump, while Madison’s Kaylee Howe (5-0) was fifth.
Galion’s Briana Streib was fourth in the shot put (37-6) and seventh in the discus (105-5). Gallon’s Dani Court (124-8) was second in the discus, while Shelby’s Megan Crain (114-6) was fourth.
Shelby took third in the 4 x 800 relay in 10:07.55. Ontario (10:10.93) was fourth.
