Brobeck earns third

Ron Firth
COLUMBUS — Salem senior Sarah Brobeck had the state title in her hands — for a few seconds.

Brobeck along with fellow seniors KaiCee Kubicina of Newton Falls and Nikki Murphy of Ravenna Southeast staged a nail-biting thriller in the Division II girls discus at the 101st annual state track meet Friday.

“We were going back and forth,” Brobeck said. “I had a lot of fun.”

Kubicina had a personal-best toss of 146-feet-5 on her final attempt to edge out Murphy by 3 inches.

Brobeck had her best group of throws ever, including a career-best 143-11, to take third place for the second straight year.

“Up until today, it was up in the air who would win,” Minerva senior Ashley Evanich said. “It was going to be who had the best day.”

Evanich broke her own school record at 125-3 to take fifth place.

Kubicina, Murphy, Brobeck and Evanich all came out of the Salem district and all stood in the top five on the podium at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

“I got to know them and it helped,” Brobeck said.

“It’s fun seeing faces for three weeks and getting to know the girls,” Evanich said.

The battle between Brobeck, Murphy and Kubicina was one of the highlights on the opening day of the state track meet.

The three combined for nine throws over 140 feet. All six of Murphy’s throws went over 133 1/2 feet, while Brobeck and Kubicina had five apiece.

“Everybody was really throwing great,” Brobeck said. “I thought (the heat) helped us.”

Brobeck took the early lead at 133-6.

“My first throw I wanted to makes the finals to takes some pressure off,” Brobeck said. “Then I had five more throws.”

Two throwers later, Murphy jumped ahead at 136-6. Brobeck responded with a 140-11.

“I knew it wouldn’t be enough,” Salem throwing coach Julie Moore said. “I watched the other girls warm up. They were here for the same purpose.”

Murphy came right back with throws of 140-11 and 146-2.

Kubicina jumped into second place in the next flight at 141-2.

In the finals, Brobeck had tosses of 138-2, 143-11 and 139-11.

Kubicina had a 145-1 on her next-to-last throw and a winning toss of 146-5 on her final attempt.

“Sometimes pressure can affect people differently,” Brobeck said. “She stepped up today. I knew she could.”

Brobeck wanted to place higher than third like she did last year, but she was smiling like a champion after receiving her medal.

“It’s OK,” she said. “Obviously you try to place as high as you can, but I had my best throws ever.”



Two of the best

Earlier in the season, Brobeck topped the Columbiana County discus record of 139-11 set by her coach, Julie (Williamson) Moore, who was the Class AA state runner-up in 1988 for Beaver Local.

“She told me the moment she broke my school record,” Moore said.

Her second-place finish was the best by an area girl in the discus.

“I’m always nervous,” Moore said about Friday’s state finals. “A lot of nerves you have as a coach are because you want them to do well and excel.

“My dad said you weren’t this nervous when you were competing. I said I was in control then.”

Moore’s marks gave Brobeck something to shoot for the past two seasons.

“Her last throw was the same as my last throw, 139-11, and 20 years difference,” Brobeck said.

She didn’t make any remarks about her coach’s age, either.

“She’s still young,” Brobeck said.



Up in the air

• “I didn’t think I was nervous at first, but when I got back to the tent after my first throw, my hand was shaking,” Evanich said.

She had her best day, too, with tosses of 122-8 and 125-3 on her first two attempts and three more over 116 1/2 feet.

“I’m happy with that,” Evanich said.

• Brobeck didn’t know if she has thrown 140 feet in practice or not.

“We don’t measure throws in practice,” she said.

Why not?

“Because it doesn’t count,” she said. “Nobody cares what you throw in practice.”