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Embracing the moment

D’Amico, Devils relish state berth

Tribune Chronicle / John Vargo Lordstown’s Dominic D’Amico, right, hugs teammate Marcel Jenkins after the team qualified for state by taking second in the boys 4x400-meter relay at last week’s regional meet.

MASSILLON — Dom D’Amico wandered into the grassy infield still a bit dazed.

The Lordstown senior just needed a hug from his teammates.

All he wanted to do is celebrate and embrace the moment.

Sophomores Marcel Jenkins and Jermaine Jones, along with senior Jordan Beyah, set up D’Amico for what was to come, yet another school record.

Baton in hand, D’Amico set forth on a 400-meter journey around the Massillon Perry High School track, which transformed him and his relay team. They not only set a new personal-best mark, once again on this regional track, but they went 10 seconds faster than districts — running 3:25.87 to take second last Friday.

Those four are heading to this week’s Division III state meet in Columbus, starting Friday morning at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

He knew the defending state champions, East Canton, were the stalwarts in this race, not to be touched. The Hornets won easily. Lordstown had Northeastern Athletic Conference rival Badger, once again, challenging them. The Braves took fifth, but got one of the Ohio High School Athletic Association reprieves implemented in September of last season. The top two in each running event, in all divisions, not in the top four at regionals, advance to state.

Badger’s team of Brandon Greathouse, Scotlund Shaffer, Sam Macchione and Devin Moore got their at-large bid after taking fifth with 3:27.45 at the Division III Massillon Perry Regional.

Their rival will be there as well, led by D’Amico.

“As soon as I got the baton, I don’t feel anything,” D’Amico said. “All the adrenaline goes forward.”

Beyah knows what this moment means.

There’s a display at Lordstown High School, commemorating the school’s first-ever state champion — the 4×800 relay team of Tom Andriko, Seth Mansell, Allen Keeley and Jacob DiEugenio in 2005. Andriko, the following day, won the 800.

“We basically look up to them as gods,” Beyah said.

Mansell, who coaches and teaches at the school, tells his athletes he should be like him.

Friday, after the 4×400, it was hard not to emulate their heroes.

“I’m not going to lie, I feel like I’m in god mode right now,” Beyah said. “Give me a couple of days to touch ground again because this is the best feeling in the world.”

D’Amico is grounded from his experiences. Prior to the 4×400, his track existence stunk.

He false started in the district 400. D’Amico not only had a chance to win that title — and at regionals — but compete for a podium spot at state.

Then there was the long jump, something he’s been doing for the last couple of years. He and two others were tied at 20 feet, 8 inches as their best jumps. Cuyahoga Heights’ Dylan Drummond got the nod to advance because his combined jumps were better than the other two.

All he had left was this 4×400 relay, his last shot at Columbus.

Teammates, friends and family told him to embrace the shortcomings.

“Never forget that experience, but move forward from it,” D’Amico said. “That’s what I tried to do.”

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