Cleveland clinches state team title by winning final two events

The third leg of the Cleveland NJROTC's 1,600-meter relay, Craig sold out down the home stretch to keep the lead he'd been given and pass the baton to anchor leg James Allen. In his first 1,600 relay race this season and with the state championship trophy hanging in the balance, Craig dug deep.

“Trying to keep the lead, it was real intense. There was a lot of pressure,” Craig said. “But I did it, though. It felt real good to do it.”

Allen took the baton, kept the lead and when he broke the imaginary tape at the finish line, the Commanders secured the team's second state championship.

Cleveland scored 62.5 points to win the Class 2 state title Saturday at Dennis and Roberta Licklider Track and Field Complex at Jefferson City High. Monroe City was runner-up with 53 points.

Cleveland also won the Class 2 meet in 2012 and is the only Public High League team to win a state track and field championship since Vashon eked out a 55-52 win over Sumner to claim the 1984 Class 4A crown. Cleveland was the runner-up last season.

SCOREBOARD: CLASS 2 BOYS STATE TRACK AND FIELD

The Commanders' final margin of victory gave them some breathing room, but entering the 1,600 relay they were behind by a point and sitting in third place. While they were the top seed in the relay, the relays had been anything but reliable.

On Friday, Cleveland's 400 relay was disqualified. Saturday, the 800 relay had a bad handoff that cost Cleveland precious seconds and resulted in a seventh-place finish. The 3,200 relay opened the day with a disappointing sixth-place finish.

Cleveland's final relay came through and brought with it sweet relief.

“It made us feel good at the end of the day because were having a rough day,” Craig said. “It took all the pressure off our shoulders.”

Junior Kelsey Cole felt the pressure. A triple jumper, he was in the finals of his event as the 1,600 relay was preparing to start. Cole knew he needed a good performance to give his team the best chance at the state title. He came through with a championship leap of 46 feet and 6.5 inches to earn another 10 points.

Cole said knowing he could have such a dramatic impact was both a blessing and bit of a curse.

“My coach kept telling me I had to win to secure the state championship,” he said. “It's a little bit of both. I believe it's more motivation. It helped me jump further.”

Junior Antonio Norman, another part of the 1,600 relay, defended his championship in the 300 hurdles in 38.11 seconds, more than a second better than the runner-up. He also finished tied for third in the high jump (6 feet, 3 inches).

Norman also ran on the 3,200 relay, which finished sixth in 8:26.37 as Maplewood-Richmond Heights nipped the Commanders at the line in 8:26.23.

Norman was fired up for his last race of the day. He wanted to go out on a high note.

“We had to make that up from the 4x8,” Norman said.

Allen, the anchor leg for the 1,600 and 3,200 relays, did what he could, too. He won the 800 on Friday in 1:56. He then took third in the 400 (49.65).

This was a hard season for Allen, whose identical twin brother Jerald Allen suffered a hip injury during the winter season. Racing and training without his brother for the first time in his young career was a tough adjustment for James.

“It's hard to train. We usually push each other,” Allen said. “(Norman) stepped up this season and started pushing me more. We were pushing each other. The results show up here.”

It was that type of adversity the Commanders dealt with all season. In a way it helped callous them for whatever might come their way this spring. In the biggest meet of the season, everything didn't go as planned. Cleveland still powered through for the big prize that eluded it a year ago.

“It's been a trying year. Our guys are resilient and gave it their best. That's all I can ask of these guys,” Cleveland coach LeTorre Swinney said. “It makes us look good but those guys are hard workers. The thing I like about those guys is they enjoy track and field.”

With so many underclassmen on the roster and a healthy Jerald Allen returning, there will once again be high expectations for the Commanders.

Just the way they like it.