While an unseasonable April snow shower has derailed most of the action in the PA high school track and field scene on Saturday, there was some good Friday action to hold us over for the weekend. Let's dive into Friday's recap.
Panther Classic Invitational (@ Cheltenham)
Pennsbury's Olivia Sargent won the 3200 meters in a new PA#1 time (Photo by Patty Morgan)
There weren't very many teams at Cheltenham for their annual girls invite, but we got a ton of big performances from the day.
Chanel Brissett of Cheltenham added another PA#1 to the leaderboard in a three-win day for her. Brissett clocked a 12.02 to take over the state lead in the 100 meters. She also won the 200 meters in 25.46, a PA#3 and anchored the PA#1 Cheltenham 4x100 in 48.28.
Madison Langely-Walker had a big afternoon as well. The Cheltenham sophomore won both hurdle races and the long jump for a stellar debut to her season. She nipped Penn Wood's Janae Pitt in the 300 meter hurdles, running a PA#4 46.01 to Pitt's 46.02. In the 100 hurdles, Langely-Walker ran a PA#3 14.61 for the win.Then she took the long jump with a leap of 17-2.75.
Pennsbury's Olivia Sargent made a strong invitational season debut, winning the 3200 in a new PA#1 time of 10:48.83. Cheltenham's MaryGrace Rittler was second in a PA#3 11:02.09
Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren picked up a win and two runner-up finishes on the day. Warren, only a freshman, won the triple jump at 36-3.5, and then she was second in the 100 meter hurdles (14.98) and long jump (16-0).
Penn Wood's Terri Turner won handily in the 1600, running a PA#3 5:10.81. Cheltenham's Alexis Crosby won the 400 in a PA#3 58.04. Wissahickon's Lotte Black took the win in a close 800 meters, coming across first in a time of 2:20.29.
Abington's Sianni McLeod edged Cheltenham's Ashley Alexander in the shot put. McLeod threw 40-7.5 for the win and a new PA#5. In the pole vault, Council Rock South's Savannah Wood cleared a PA#4 10-6 to take the win.
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8th Olympian Invitational (@ Jim Thorpe)
Souderton's Colin Harker and Shamar Jenkins and Jim Thorpe's Rayan Green snagged PA#1s with some great performances in Jim Thorpe on Friday.
Harker blew away the field in the 110 meter hurdles in a PA#1 14.16. That's a US#6 and faster than any PA athlete ran in the event all of last year. It's also nearly a second and a half better than his previous PR. Look out for Harker!
Jenkins, also from Souderton, had a very impressive meet. It was highlighted by a 22-8.5 in the long jump, which is a new PA#1. Jenkins also cleared 6-4 for the win in the high jump and took second in the triple jump with a jump of PA#2 44-11.
Green of Jim Thorpe was the winner in that triple jump, jumping a PA#1 46-3. He was seventh in the state last year, but Green is off to a great start to his 2016 season with that jump. He also jumped a PR of 21-6.5 in the long to take the win.
Souderton's Connor McMenamin won the 1600 in a PA#5 4:27.94. Southern Lehigh's Andrew Rochon moved up to PA#6 in the shot put, winning with a throw of 53-1.5
Tamaqua's Morgan Boyle took home her second invite win in as many weeks, winning the javelin with a throw of 133-4.5. Souderton's Moira O'Malley, the indoor state champ in the high jump, won the event on Friday, clearing 5-2 for the win. Lansdale Catholic's Kayla Connelly won the 1600 in 5:18.92. Salisbury's Lindsay Bauer continued a big week in the jumps, winning the long jump at 17-2 and triple jump at 33-10. Berwick's Payden Montana won the shot put with a throw of 37-7.
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Golden Ram High School Invitational (@ West Chester)
Lower Merion's Vanessa Poe was a double winner in throws. Poe won the discus with a throw of 103-5 and just missed her PR and PA#7 in the shot put with a throw of 39-2.
For the boys, Conestoga's PJ Murray won the 1600 in 4:36.30.