State track and field: Milford, Cape shine;
Savini vaults to front
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| Delmarva Christian's Justin Savini clears 12 feet, six inches to take the Division II pole vault state title Saturday at Polytech. Savini, who transfered from Cape Henlopen, placed second in the event last year. Delaware State News/Daniel Korup |
WOODSIDE - Justin Savini just wanted a change.
The junior pole vaulter wanted to be able to focus on academics and athletics.
So, prior to the school year, Savini transferred from Cape Henlopen to the newly
opened Delmarva Christian in Georgetown.
"I just wanted something different, a little bit of a higher standard where I
can get a Christ-centered education as well as sports and everything," Savini
said. "It's different. I kind of miss a big school, but it's nice to have
one-on-one attention."
Little did Savini know that he would give the school that enrolls a little more
then 80 students some notoriety.
Savini cleared 12 feet, six inches taking the Division II pole
vault title at the state track and field meet at Polytech Saturday. He beat
Caravel's Mark McMahon by a half a foot.
Milford won the Division II boys meet, collecting 85 points. Mount Pleasant was
second with 78 and Hodgson third with 62.
In the Division I boys meet, Salesianum was first with 110 points, beating
Newark out by just one point. Christiana was third with 93 points.
Competing on a team that fields just four players and doesn't have a home track
didn't deter Savini, who placed second at the state meet last year and took this
year's Diamond State title. And he had a little incentive coming in.
Savini got his wish last week when his brother Matt, who is a Marine, came home
from Iraq. Just having the elder Savini there was enough for Justin.
"I didn't know if he was going to be home for the state meet,"
the younger Savini said. "I really wanted him to and his schedule got pushed
forward so he was able to be home. It was awesome ... It's always good to have
family close by."
Savini's state title just might put Delmarva Christian on the map. And Royals'
coach Stephen Lee feels it could increase interest in the school as well as the
program.
"It's awesome. I mean it's a first-year school," Royals coach Stephen Lee said.
"I just told him, now we get to go bug the principal about getting more
equipment."
Savini added, "I think so, absolutely. Now I think people are going to know what
purple is."
As Savini is celebrating his first title, Milford captured its first state
championship since 1986.
And they did it in dramatic fashion.
The meet came down to the 1,600-meter relay - the last event of the day. Milford
needed to finish the relay ahead of Mount Pleasant.
But the Knights had a 10-yard lead in front of Bucs' anchor Darrell Davis. Davis
motored and soon caught Mt. Pleasant's James Van Stone at the second turn.
Davis ultimately took Milford to a second-place finish in the relay in 3:31.9,
while Mount Pleasant was fourth (3:32.9).
"It was outstanding," Milford coach Czar Bloom said. "Mount Pleasant was right
there on us and we knew we had to be ahead of them or close to them.
"It's just absolutely outstanding to have Darrell Davis on that
anchor leg. If you count all the guys on this team, I think he was the guy who
wanted it most."
Ending his career with yet another two titles is Ross Horsey. The Woodbridge
senior, who finishes high school with nine state titles, won the 100 (11.45) and
the long jump (22-4 1/4).
"Without a lot of hard work in, you can't get nothing out of," Horsey said.
"It's like a train. If you don't put any coal in it, it's not going to run. I
guess the practices were like the coal and it was filling my engine."