1/17 WKND: Walker US#1 2:10.52 800 @ Yale! Boys 3K explodes with 8 sub 9 minute marks!

Liz Mancini of Cardinal O'Hara won the 1600 (5:25.4) and 800 meter runs (2:27.3). Arianna Ruffin of Neumann Goretti won the 400 (60.0) and 200 meter dashes (26.7).

Girls Highlights

• 4x200 Meter Relay - Neumann Goretti 1:48.10

Germantown Friends now hold the top spot in both Distance Medley Relays after 5th place performances by the boys and girls teams in the Championship races. The girls ran 12:21.74 to take the state lead that Great Valley (12:30.03) held for about an hour. The boys snatched the state lead from Malvern Prep (10:36.29) with their performance of 10:33.10 in the boys race.

On Day 2, we had a US#1 performance in the girls 800 meter run from junior Sarah Walker of Germantown Friends. The 2014 PA#1 800 meter runner last spring ran a lifetime best 2:10.52 to win the girls 800 meter run by just over 5 seconds against PA rivals Karli Visconto of Nazareth Academy (PA#2 and US#7 2:15.44) and Elise Claffey of Great Valley (PA#4 2:16.85). The event finished with these three athletes completing a 1-2-3 PA sweep!

Prior to their performance, the boys in the 3000 meter run shook up the PA rankings, with Dominic Hockenbury of Lake Lehman claiming the state leading spot for himself with an 8th place finish of 8:38.39. Nick Dahl of Germantown Friends finished 9th in 8:44.12. Andrew Marston of Conestoga (8:51.47), Colin Wills of Malvern Prep (8:58.16), and Alex Knapp of West Chester Henderson (8:59.13) also broke 9 minutes.

Other Saturday highlights included a 2nd place finish for Erin Sample of Nazareth Academy in the shot put (38-1.50), and a 6th place finish from Billy McDevitt in the mile run (PA#2 4:23.08). Mike Kolar of Seneca Valley finished right behind McDevitt in a PA#3 4:23.54. Germantown Friends girls ran 4:01.83 to finish 2nd in the championship 4x400 meter relay.

Girls Highlights

Distance Medley Relay - Germantown Friends School 12:21.74; Great Valley 12:30.03

4x200 Meter Relay - Germantown Friends School 1:48.12

4x400 Meter Relay - Germantown Friends School 4:01.83

800 Meter Run - Sarah Walker (Germantown Friends School) 2:10.52; Karli Visconto (Nazareth Academy) 2:15.44; Elise Claffey (Great Valley) 2:16.85

Boys Highlights

• Distance Medley Relay - Germantown Friends School 10:33.10; Malvern Prep 10:36.29 Conestoga 10:41.00
• 4x800 Meter Relay - Downingtown East 8:19.14
• 3,000 Meter Run - Dominic Hockenbury (Lake Lehman) 8:38.39; Nick Dahl (Germantown Friends School) 8:44.12; Andrew Marston (Conestoga) 8:51.47; Colin Wills (Malvern Prep) 8:58.16; Alex Knapp (West Chester Henderson) 8:59.13; Colin Abert (Easton Area) 9:01.29
• One Mile Run - Billy McDevitt (Malvern Prep) 4:23.08; Michael Kolor (Seneca Valley) 4:23.54; Eric Diestelow (West Chester East) 4:26.92; Henry Sappey (Downingtown West) 4:28.64; Josh Hoey (Downingtown West) 4:29.10

MEET PREVIEW

PA will be well represented at the annual Yale Invitational, which will be streamed on MileSplit this weekend.

Nick Dahl of Germantown Friends will be competing in his first 3000 meter run of the season, qualifying for the seeded heat. Dahl had a solid fall season, breaking 15:30 for 5k, and he is the 2014 Freshman 2 mile New Balance Outdoor Nationals winner. Andrew Marston of Conestoga will be running in that same seeded heat after breaking 4:30 in the mile at the Hispanic Games last week. Colin Abert of Easton will return to the 3000 meter run to attempt to improve on his 8:55 performance from the December 30 Burdette Classic.

In the mile, Karli Visconto of Nazareth Academy will give it another go after competing in the invite mile at Hispanic Games last Saturday. She is currently PA#4 at 5:11.31. Sam Ritz of Germantown Academy will run his 3^rd mile in a one week period. In that time, he has run a lifetime best 4:14.59 last Saturday and he ran 4:16.99 to win the Millrose Trials and qualify for the Millrose Games. Eric Diestelow of West Chester East and Billy McDevitt of Malvern Prep will join Ritz in the seeded heat of the mile. Henry Sappey of Downingtown West will run his first mile of the season, while this meet will feature the Downingtown West debut of Josh Hoey, one of the freshmen of the season in cross country.

Erin Sample of Nazareth Academy will throw the shot put on Saturday. The senior is currently PA#8 at 38-11.75. Carol Burgess of Great Valley will enter the long jump, where she is currently PA#7 with a mark of 17-5.25. Sarah Walker of Germantown Friends will run her first 800 meter race of the year. The junior has topped the outdoor state list each of the past two seasons, and will be hoping to translate her successful outdoor track form onto the indoor oval. Three of Great Valley's 4x800 meter relay team that sits PA#2 at the moment will run the open 800 with Walker. Elise Claffey, Crosby Spiess, and Tabitha Wismer will look to take their relay success into an open race.

Most of these athletes will be competing on relays on Friday for their respective teams as they look to leave their mark high on the state list. You can find all heat sheets and performance lists HERE.

Kutztown University

Boys Highlights

• 1,600 Meter Run - Paul Power (Spring Ford) 4:24.57; Kyle Shinn (Wyomissing Area) 4:28.49;
• 55 Meter Dash - Keith Hunter (Milton Hershey) 6.53;
• Pole Vault - Danny Stoner (Biglerville) 14-3;
• Triple Jump - Isa Paschall (Carlisle) 45-9.25;

Archbishop Molloy