BOYS: Harkelroad paces fast Tigers; Perkins' Young dominates 100

PERKINS TWP. — Beau knows first. That's Beau Harkelroad, the standout Huron senior, who crossed the finish line in first place three times — and led off for a winning relay — on Friday night at the Pirate Invitational. He won the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles. He anchored the 4x200 relay. And he handed off the baton in first at the start of the Tigers' victorious 4x100. Just another day at the track for the Kent State commit. "The biggest compliment I can give him is, it used to be me telling him he did this wrong, and now he comes to me and he just knows," Huron coach Mike Lemponen said. "He's not just an athlete but a student of the sport." Harkelroad's first event was the 110 hurdles, which he won in 14.7 seconds. That's just shy of his personal best from last week but right about even with what he ran at last year's state final. "The start wasn't the best, hit some hurdles, but we can learn from that," Harkelroad said. Harkelroad then anchored the 4x2, flying around the bend for a dominant win, before leading off on the 4x1. Both those relays featured the same quartet – joining Harkelroad were Austin Brunow, Nick Walls and Joe Schaeffer. "I feel really good about our relays," Harkelroad said. "Worked as a team together, and I'm proud of that." Brunow shone bright in the 4x1 as the anchor. The junior anchored for the first time last week, and he loves the chance to bring it home for his teammates. "I'm really liking the anchor leg and all the adrenaline that comes with it," Brunow said. Walls was the biggest breakthrough of the night, a senior tennis player out for track for the first time. "He's a natural," Harkelroad said. "He's one of the fastest kids in our grade. I'm happy he came out for track. He made a good choice." Walls has now given Huron five good options in the sprint relays, also including Andrew Delaney, who was out of town Friday night. "He's really picked up on the handoffs quickly," Brunow said of Walls. "He's really contributing a lot." Harkelroad finished his night in 40.47 seconds in the 300 hurdles. "On the 300 hurdles, I slowed down on the second hurdle, but I felt smooth with my opposite leg," Harkelroad said. Huron has been putting up fast, early-season times on the Perkins track for the past couple seasons. The Tigers have gone on to turn the quick starts into the best trips to state the program has ever had. So far, so good. The Tigers are flying. "It really helps me feel a lot better when I'm running knowing that we're seeded very highly," Brunow said. "It just gives me more confidence and gives all the other guys a lot more confidence, too." Young sprints to 100 title Perkins junior Mikey Young showed his speed on his home track, sprinting away from the field to win the 100-meter dash. Young ran the race in 11.18 seconds, a couple tenths off his PR set at last season's state meet. "Definitely not super fast out of the blocks, but when my turnover picks up around 50 meters, that's when things start going well for me," Young said. Young, one of Perkins' most well-rounded and impressive athletes throughout the school year, is hoping to turn last year's state trip in the 100 into more this time around. "Been working hard in the weight room and practice," Young said. The junior also long jumped past the 20-feet mark on multiple occasions. "Definitely not satisfied," Young said. "I'll take it as a little boost of confidence." Young also recently released his final-eight football options. The list includes Yale, Columbia, Harvard, Toledo, Akron, Ohio, Miami (OH) and Buffalo. He plans to make his final decision for Division I football in June. McGlashan, Chrisman runners-up Two local athletes were second-place finishers on Friday night behind only a couple of the region's best competitors. Perkins southpaw thrower John McGlashan was runner-up in the shot put to Ashland Crestview standout Wade Bolin. Clyde's speedy Damarius Chrisman came in second in the 400, only behind Elyria star Mateo Medina. The meet did not conclude by press time, meaning team scores had not yet been compiled.