The Akron area will have three athletes competing for the United States of America in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The athletes are: basketball player LeBron James, swimmer Mark Gangloff and javelin thrower Kim Kreiner. The trio all competed and represented USA in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Gangloff won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics as a member of the 400-meter medley relay and placed fourth in the 100-meter breast stroke. James won a bronze medal on the basketball team.

James graduated from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003 and currently stars for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association.

Gangloff graduated from Firestone High School in 2000 and Auburn University in 2005.

Kreiner graduated from Mogadore High School in 1995 and earned a degree from Kent State.

The Akron Beacon Journal wishes the trio good luck in Beijing!!!

The George Auten Invitational was conducted in mostly rain at Ellet High School, yet North won the boys title and Firestone won the girls crown.

North won the boys meet with 155 points and Firestone (118) edged Ellet (117) in the girls meet.

North senior Troy Burgan was the boys meet high-point scorer with 32 points after winning the 110 meter hurdles and the 300 hurdles. Burgan also placed second in the long jump and fifth in the high jump.

The Vikings won two relays: the 3,200 (Steve Triola, Davon Coman, Shaun Cummings and LaRue Wimley) and the 400 (DeMonte Powell, Lase Brooks, Antuan Logan and Larry Dawson).

Brooks, a senior, also won the 100 and 200.

“We had prom last night and had everyone show up today in the rain, which was nice,” North coach Tom O’Neil said. ‘”They are an extemely dedicated senior class.”

Firestone senior Nia Johnson won the 3,200 and the Falcons won two relays: the 800 (Julie Kostura, Monique Ransome, Courtney Carter, Rachel White) and the 1600 (Alex Olmedo, McKenna Morton, Courtney Carter, Kachay Hullum).

“Our team has worked very hard this season and they are very deserving of this victory,” Firestone coach Malia Milec said. “I am confident that they will continue their success.”

Kenmore’s Shanequa Williams won the girls 100, 200 and 400.

Ellet, Archbishop Hoban and Firestone rounded out the top four teams on the boys side. Hathaway Brown and North placed third and fourth on the girls side.

When it comes to track, it’s always about who ran the fastest, jumped the highest or threw the shot or the discus the farthest. But sometimes there are stories, GREAT, INSPRATIONAL STORIES, that don’t have to do with who won.

For instance, I remember watching the local news in the fall, I think it was, and there was an amazing story about a young lady (she may have been from the Youngstown area), who was competing in the state high school cross country meet and was almost near the finish line. Then came a gruesome sight. She broke her leg on the course and fell to the ground.

But this young lady had the courage and fortitude to crawl and limp her way to the finish line, despite being in obvious pain.

It was a story of incredible self-will. This young lady needed medical help, but she didn’t want it. She was withering with pain but she wanted to finish that race, and if you watched the video, you couldn’t help but get a little emotional, knowing she was in a world of pain. But watching her will her way to that finish line, regardless of the pain she was experiencing, was breathtaking and moving.

The yound lady gave a great television interview a few days later and it was great to see she was doing well and was in good spirts. I think she even joked that all she was thinking about, when she went down, was that she wasn’t going to be able to dance at her sister’s wedding later that night.

I witnessed another incredible story, but it didn’t involve injury. A few years ago I was covering a regional track meet at Ravenna and the Copley girls were favored in this particular relay event. As the race began, Copley was right there, as expected. But during one of the exchanges, the baton was dropped and the team was out of the race.

The young lady who dropped the baton was devasted. I mean, I had never seen an athlete more distraught. What I found out later was that the young lady was only a sophomore and there were two seniors on that relay team. The sophomore felt she had blown it for the seniors because it was their last chance to make it to state.

She was on the infield of the track, as the race was still going, slumped over an emotional ball.

She just shuddered and shook as she cried.

Then, former Copley standout Carrie Dyer, who was a senior and on that relay team, ran to the young runner to comfort her.

Then the rest of the realy team followed.

To me, that was one of the most inspirational stories I had ever witnessed.

The sophomore was heartbroken. But she was heartbroken because she cared about her teammates and wanted to perform at her best so that it would help the seniors.

It didn’t happen. But when it didn’t happen, the seniors weren’t mad, bitter or upset. They showed support for their younger teammate because they loved her. And in the end, winning didn’t matter.

So, with that, I’m asking readers to post any inspirational stories you witnessed, in track or any other sport, that didn’t involve someone winning.

A story where someone overcame odds to get where they are. Or a story about teammates helping one another.

Those are the most compelling stories.

Tom O’Neil is still the track coach at North even though he gave up his position as head football coach after the 2006-07 season.

But that football mentality is still in his head.

While I was at a City Series track meet at Ellet Tuesday, I found it odd that O’Neil was standing along the fence near the finish line with a stop watch. Now keep in mind, the meet was between host Ellet, Buchtel and Firestone. North wasn’t competing.

So I asked O’Neil, “Hey Tom, are you helping with the timing?” He answered, no, we run against Buchtel in a few days so I’m just scouting.”

I doubled over in laughter. I couldn’t believe it.

Then again, as competitive and thorough as O’Neil was as a football coach for 12 years at North, it didn’t surprise me.

This is going to be Nefertitia Phair’s year. At least that’s what she’s hoping.

Phair is a junior at Ellet and last year she had a solid season by finishing runnerup in the shot put at the Division I district meet in Austintown. In fact, Phair’s toss (38-8) was tied with Twinsburg’s Leah Love but Love had a better throw during seeding. Still, Phair qualified for regionals and although she came up short in qualifying for the state meet in Columbus, she said she’s motivated this year.

“I want to break the school record, which is 38-10,” Phair said, as she competed in a three-way meet Tuesday at Ellet against Buchtel and Firestone. “My personal best is 38-8,” she said. “”And my other goal is to get to state.”

Phair said she’s going to put in the work this season so that she gets that opportunity. Yet, as proud as Phair is of her accomplishments last year, she’s just as proud of her work outside of track, more specifically, her job as an employee at McDonald’s on East Market Street and Mogadore Road, not far from the high school.

And Phair proudly stated, with big smile, that she does it all at the fast food restaurant. So I asked her, “”Can you make an ice cream cone so it’s not lopsided and ready to fall over before I even take one lick?” Her response, “”I can do it with no problem.”

“”OK, can you make a McFlurry so it’s extra flurry,” I asked. She laughed hysterically and responded, “”I can hook you up.”

Then, my last question was, “”So, when the timer on the fries goes off, and it’s beeping like crazy and no one goes over to take them off the rack, do you know how to take them off that little rack, shake the grease off and dump them into the tray?” She answered, “”Of course. I told you, I can do it all.”

Her attitude was refreshing and as long as she can apply that same work attitude that she has at McDonald’s to the track, she’ll be well on her way this year.[ep

Wadsworth senior Brittani Peltz has committed to continue her track and field and academic careers at Xavier University.

Peltz won Division I district and Suburban League titles in the 400 and 800 and 1,600 relays.

Eric Mitchell is beginning his first season as Firestone boys track and field coach.

Mitchell took over after Matt Beaven resigned. Beaven, who coached the Falcons boys team the last two seasons, left to focus on his family and job at the University of Akron.

Mitchell is also the football coach at Warrensville Heights and teaches in the Brush school district.

Here is a Q&A with recent Crestwood graduate Matt Nichols, the Beacon Journal Track and Field Male Athlete of the Year:

Age: 18

Height: 5’ 10’’

Weight: 141

Favorite athlete: Dean Karnazes.

Favorite TV show: I don’t really watch TV.

Favorite movie: Man on Fire.

Favorite food: Anything healthy.

Hobbies: Canoeing, Guitar, Art (photography).

Family members: Parents Dave and Patricia and brother Ryan.

Q: Matt, in the fall you finished 11^th at the state cross country meet. In the spring, you became a Division II track and field state champion in the 3,200 meter run. What happened between the two seasons?

A: One of the biggest differences between cross country and track for me, I believe, is confidence. In cross country, I sometimes questioned my abilities but in track I started to realize what I was capable of, which has made a huge difference in my running.

Q: Aaron Melhorn of Fairless was the defending state champion in the 3,200, and Scott Hilditch of Woodridge is another elite area runner. Do you think winning the state title was even more exciting because you knocked those guys off?

A: Beating both Melhorn and Hilditch was definitely an added bonus to winning the state title due to the fact that they are such accomplished runners.

Q: Your classmates, Cassandra Schenck and Alan Vanderink, also made a lot of noise at the state meet. How do you feel about being part of such a successful class?

A: I am very happy to even be mentioned in the company of those such as an Alan Vanderink or a Cassie Schennk. These are athletes that work harder than anyone, and I am honored to be a part of the class of 2007 with them.

Q: How did you celebrate after you won the state title?

A: I came home to the congratulations of friends and family members.

Q: You just barely missed qualifying for the state meet during your junior year. Tell me about the “shoe incident” at the 2006 regional meet.

A: The “shoe incident” happened on the third lap of the 3,200 last year at the Division II Ravenna Regional when the runner behind me accidentally stepped on the back of my spike, collapsing the heel and creating in a sense, a clog with spikes. Since the shoe was flapping under my foot and hindering my stride, I had to kick it off and I ran the last five laps with one shoe. I remained in fourth the entire race but was passed in the last 50 meters and came in fifth, one second off of fourth place and a trip to Columbus.

Q: How did you become involved with running?

A: Now that’s a funny story. My family had just moved to Mantua a couple of months before my freshman year and one of the only people I knew was a girl that ran cross country, whom I had liked at the time. The funny thing is that I joined cross country because she was doing it. She quit when I joined, and I fell in love with the sport.

Q: Describe your training regimen on a typical day.

A: A typical practice begins with the entire team (sprinters, distance runners, and throwers) doing an 800-meter warm-up and 400-meter dynamic warm-up. Then each group splits up and distance will either do a maintenance run, a speed workout, hills, or a long run, depending on the day.

Q: What has motivated you the most?

A: What has motivated me is mainly just the desire to progress and get better every season; to see how much time I can drop and how much better of a runner I can be.

Q: Why did you pick Malone College?

A: I picked Malone College for a number of reasons. Malone has the academic programs I am interested in, the guys on the team are awesome, the coaches are very knowledgeable and there is a distance running tradition at Malone that has had a lot of success.

Q: What do you want to do after college?

A: I would like to attend graduate school and obtain my Ph.D. in physical therapy.

Posted by Michael Beaven for the Beacon Journal

Firestone senior Collister Fahie plans to continue his track and field career at the University of Akron.

Fahie placed second at the Division I state meet in the long jump with a personal-best distance of 22-feet-7.75 inches this season. He also qualified for the state meet in the 100 meters.

Fahie was the high-point scorer at the City Series meet this season with 36 points. He won the long jump and the 100 and was second in the 200 and the 400.

Fahie was also the high-point scorer at the Kent Roosevelt Rough Rider Invitational and the North Paul Sehzue Invitational.

Here are some highlights from the Division III state track and field meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus:

GIRLS

Dalton sophomore Karissa Dalessandro took second in the 100 hurdles (15.10). Dalton junior Chelsea Dalessandro took third in the high jump (5-3).

BOYS

East Canton senior Nicholas Dysle took fifth in the 3,200 (9:36.59).

Smithville junior Bryce Indermuhle took fifth in the discus (159 feet, 4 inches).

 Smithville seniors Darrell Cabahug, Cory Besancon, Kevin Beichler and sophomore Andrew Fox finished sixth in the 400 relay with a 44.67.