- WEEKLY POLL
Nick Tammerine tears up track during final season
By Scott Calhoun
Special to The Press
sports@presspublications.com
Clay senior Nick Tammerine has certainly put the “leg” in “legacy”.
The Eagle star athlete has done it all in both track and football for the
Green and Gold during his four-year career.
He owns four major career rushing and/or scoring records in Clay football history, and on the track team he owns the 400-meter all-time best mark (48.77 seconds) and shares in the best 1600-meter relay mark (3:21.37) set in 2007.
But before he takes his legs and their speedy legacy west to South Bend, Ind. for a collegiate track career at the University of Notre Dame, Tammerine has some work left to finish on the prep ovals back here in Northwest Ohio.
He still eyes the dream of reaching the final heat of eight runners in the 400 at Columbus.
“I want to get All-Ohio, top eight,” said the already legendary, record breaking Eagle athlete.
This June, he’ll look to improve on an 11th place Division I finish in the 400 a year ago at Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
And why not? All-Ohio would be a nice distinction to take with him to Notre Dame, where he’ll share time and space as an NCAA D-I track and field athlete with the best the nation has to offer.
A top time of 50.11 in the 400 already in his pocket this spring, Tammerine is well on his way to surpassing his career best 48.77 (2007 Amherst regional meet) and definitely the state performance 49.96 that left him on the outside of the state finals looking in.
“I’m ahead of schedule as opposed to this point last year,” Tammerine pointed out. “I’m running quite a bit faster than I was at this point last season.”
Five of the runners who reached last year’s DI finals graduated, and six overall who finished ahead of him in preliminaries.
That contingent includes former Central Catholic standout Dane Sanzenbacher, which brings up a more local, yet equally distinguishing goal Tammerine is intent on accomplishing this season.
After the departure of the former Toledo City League archrival 400-meter runner to Ohio State football, the door has also opened up for Tammerine to seize his first 400 crown in the CL Championships May 14-16.
“That’s my other goal, to win the City in addition to being All-Ohio,” he said.
Even with the importance of his progress in the 400 this season, Tammerine hasn’t been entirely confined to it or the 1600-meter and 800-meter relays he is competing in along with senior Jordan Kovacs (1600, 800), juniors John Zam (1600, 800) and Eric Holmes and (1600, 800) and senior Kahled Elwardany (800).
“To be honest, we’ve been experimenting a little with Nick,” said coach Scott Wamer. “He hasn’t been running his traditional 400 or 200 every meet. He’s been running a lot of relays such as the (3200-meter relay) and (800-meter relay).
“He’s also run the open 100 for us.”
Tammerine, not normally a 100-meter sprinter, has come across the finish line this spring in a pretty swift 11.3 seconds in that event.
But it’s the hurdles that really have him straying away from his accustomed norm.
“Notre Dame was asking me to try running the hurdles this year, because they’re talking about me running the hurdles next year,” Tammerine explained.
His success in the open 400 could translate into collegiate success in the 400-meter hurdles that are competed in at the college level, according to the Irish coaching staff train of thought.
“I think it’s just a guess and check kind of thing just to try it out and see if I can do it or not,” Tammerine said. “My (college) coaches said that it would be the best bet to experiment with (the hurdles) now and get some experience with them.”
So in a recent triangular league meet at Bowsher versus the Rebels and Central, he made his first ever attempt of running in the 300-meter hurdles. He took third and clocked in with a respectable 42.40.
“I did alright for it being my first time,” Tammerine said. “I just need to work on my form a little bit. I wouldn’t mind doing it again.”
Despite the experimentation at the request of his college coaches, Tammerine isn’t worried about infringing on his current training to reach his final prep goals.
“I think the coaches know what they’re doing,” said Wamer, “and it’s all going to help out in the end.”
The bottom line is that Tammerine will revert back exclusively to his wheelhouse events when the league and postseason meets commence.
“Hopefully by the end of the year he’s going to be on the (800 relay), the (1600 relay), the 200 and the 400,” said Wamer.
Tammerine also qualified for the state meet in the 200 when he was sophomore.
“He still has some team goals and some personal goals that have not been accomplished while he’s been here,” Wamer said. “We’re hoping he can break that 48.77 this year.”
“I need to continue working hard and stay focused on what is yet to be determined,” Tammerine said.
- BUSINESS DIRECTORY
- COMMUNITY RESOURCE
