State mettle (05/31/07)

FORT RECOVERY - There is no question Holly Stein and Matt Vagedes have the ability to win state medals. Now they just have to prove it on the biggest stage.

Fort Recovery's pair of field event stars will try Saturday when they compete in the OHSAA Track and Field State Finals at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus.

"I like both these kids' chances," said Fort Recovery coach Jason Grieshop prior to Wednesday's practice. "They both have a great chance to be on the podium and have their name called in front of a couple thousand people. That's something to be excited about."

Vagedes, a junior making his first state appearance, is seeded fifth in the boys pole vault. Stein enters as the No. 10 seed in the girls shot put at No. 12 in the discus.

The top eight competitors out of 16 in each event earn state medals. The last Fort Recovery athlete to earn the honor was Tyler Niekamp, who placed third in the high jump in 2003.

For Vagedes, it's been a breakout season.

He was always good, having already held Fort Recovery's pole vault record at 12 feet prior to this season. However, in the last several weeks he has skyrocketed.

Vagedes shattered his own school record at the Midwest Athletic Conference Championships as he cleared the bar at 13 feet, 6 inches, and won the district title a week later. He pushed the record up two more inches at the regional meet, where he finished second to defending state champion Gray Horn of Waynesfield Goshen.

"The season has been long. I'm grateful it's been long," said Vagedes, whose year ended at the district meet in 2006.

"I got a lot faster," he added of his improvement this season.

"Last year I was running the 200 in about 25, 26 seconds. Now I can run it in about 23. ... My speed overall has gone up."

While Vagedes is a rookie to state competition, this is old hat to Stein. She will be appearing in the state meet for her third consecutive season, and will compete in two events for the second year in a row.

Stein finished 14th in the state in the shot put as a sophomore before narrowly missing a medal last season. She finished in ninth place, just 11/4 inches behind Sheena Taylor of Cleveland Central Catholic.

"Hopefully the third time is a charm," said Stein, who was also 12th in the discus in 2006. "It should be exciting. Hopefully I go there and throw well and have fun since it's my last time."

Vagedes' regional height of 13 feet, 8 inches has him in a three-way tie for the No. 5 seed with seniors Kole Coburn of Defiance Tinora and Dusty Spangler from Van Buren. Horn is the No. 2 seed at 14 feet, 8 inches behind Heath Nickles (15 feet, 7 inches) of Columbus Grove.

While he said he expects Saturday's experience to be intense, Vagedes exudes confidence. He has gotten a little help from Midwest Athletic Conference rival Coldwater in the form of longer poles, one of which is made of carbon, which he says will give him "more energy return."

"Not a whole lot phases him," said Grieshop of Vagedes, who said he thinks he can add another foot to the school record and give himself a chance at a top-three finish. "You could tell at regional he was pretty nervous and wound up, but it didn't really phase his approach. ... When he went out there and it was time to perform there was nothing that held him back. That's the way he's always been. The more noise and the more excitement, it seems like the better he does.

"He seems to think he's going to blow that school record again this week. ... He's already a foot-and-a-half better than he's ever been in his life. ... I wouldn't put it past him. ... He's got that chance."

Stein also has a chance, despite entering as a double-digit seed in both events. She sits No. 10 in the shot put after placing third in the regional at 37 feet 83/4 inches and 12th in the discus following a fourth-place regional finish at 115 feet, 3 inches.

The No. 8 seeds in each event are Kenzie Kaufman of Sugarcreek Garaway (38 feet, 63/4 inches) and Emily Overmyer of St. Joseph Central Catholic (123 feet, 2 inches) respectively.

"Where I'm sitting in both events I have potential to get on the podium," said Stein. "I'd have to throw my best ... but from what I've been throwing lately in practice I should be good. But, I haven't thrown it in a meet yet."

"It's a matter of her having her best," added Grieshop. "It's about turning it on. ... I think she's got a lot more in her. We've seen it in practice at times."

Stein's best career throws in both events are both school records.

She broke her own shot put mark in winning the district title with a toss of 38 feet 91/4 inches. Her discus record came at the 2006 regional meet at 119 feet, 2 inches.

Stein has her share of MAC, district and regional medals and seeks state gold to top off her collection.

"If she could end up on the podium this year that would be absolutely phenomenal," said Grieshop. "She's worked her tail off. I know basketball is her love, but she's put a lot of time and effort into this track program. She spends a lot of nights, a lot of extra hours, working on it. ...

"For her to be able to take that step and get on that podium, I'm sure there would be a tear in her eye, and if not I guarantee there would be one in her dad's."[[In-content Ad]]