Districts Recap: PA#1s Abound as We Look to Ship

Greensburg Catholic's Michelle Karabin took the convincing win in the pole vault, clearing 12-0. In the long jump, Shenango's Miranda Schry scored a huge PR to win at 18 feet even. Fort Cherry's Koryn Jozwiakowski won the triple jump with a leap of 37-7.

Photo by Phil Grove

AAA GIRLS: Butler's Emily Horstman kept up her great senior campaign, picking up wins in both the 100 and 200 and helping the Butler girls to the win in the 4x400 in a PA#6 time. Horstman ran 12.03 in the 100 and 25.03 in the 200.

South Fayette sophomore Rachel Helbling ran away with the win by over a second in the 400 meters, finishing with a time of 56.54.

In the 800, Mount Lebanon's Claire Dougherty moved up to PA#6, winning in 2:13.48. Dougherty, a senior, will certainly be in the mix at the AAA state 800, which should be one of the most exciting races of the day. Her Mount Lebanon team also took first in the 4x800 in a time of 9:23.44.

Oakland Catholic's Lauren Finikiotis outdueled Knoch's Mandi Moxi for the win in the 1600. That's a nice PR for Finikiotis who will be on the hunt for a medal at states.

Clara Savchik, already in the midst of a huge season, took the win in a good field in the 3200 meters. The North Allegheny sophomore finished in 10:50.73, just off her time two weeks ago at Baldwin.

Penn Hills' freshman Jayla Ellis continues to amaze. She won the 100 hurdles in 14.46, a PA#8. She also took fifth in a competitive long jump with a leap of 18-0.

Greensburg's Salem's Julia Howard had a huge day on the runway, claiming victories in both the long and triple jumps. Howard jumped 18-11 in the long and 38-10.75 for the double win.

Laurel Highlands' Cassandra Phelan picked up a big PR at a good time, winning the pole vault district title with a clearance of 12-6. Hempfield's Molly DeBone took second at 11-6.

National record holder in the javelin, Madison Wiltrout of Connellsville, threw 144-8 for the win on Thursday. It's off her district record of 181-0 from a year ago, but a lot of eyes will still be on Wiltrout next week at states.

Domenic Perretta (Beaver Falls) | Photo by Phil Grove

AA BOYS: Domenic Perretta may not have been happy with his performance at the District 7 Championship, but the Beaver Falls senior made a step in the right direction in his pursuit of three straight state titles at 800 and 1600 meters. Perretta won the 1600 in 4:20.08 and 1:53.20. Both times were off his own district records in both events, but Perretta is still in a good position to grab those state titles next week.

Monessen's Andrey Bolton lived up to his last name winning the 100 in 11.10 and taking second in the 200 in a time of 22.70. Washington's Kurt Adkins took the win in the 200 in 22.37. Avonworth/Northgate's Kenny Baurle won the 400 handily in a time of 49.57.

Freeport Area's Dylan Hochbein won the 300 hurdles in a nice time of 38.93 and then took second to Monessen's Raymond Sitton in the 110 hurdles. Sitton clocked a 14.49 for the high hurdles win.

In a competitive boys' 3200, Winchester Thurston's Will Loevner beat out Quaker Valley's Zach Skolnekovich. Loevner ran a 9:19.97 to Skolnekovich's 9:23.35.

In the field, Union Area's James Thomas got the best of New Brighton's Anthony Milliner on jumps in the high jump. Both jumpers cleared 6-5 for first and second. Milliner did win the triple jump, though, with a best jump of 46-4.5 for the victory. Lamont Wade of Clairton won the long jump with a jump of 22-5 over Burgettstown's Jacob Shipley, who jumped 22-3.

Jordan Geist (Knoch) | Photo by Phil Grove

AAA BOYS: Jordan Geist of Knoch took down the last of Ron Semkiw's records, breaking his WPIAL Champs shot put record. Geist won with a throw of 72-7 to set a new District 7 record. Geist just missed another meet record---Mark White's 1985 discus record. The junior threw 192-11 for the win, less than a foot off White's mark.

West Mifflin's Micah Watts had a busy meet. Watts, the indoor long jump champion, won that very event with a best jump of 22-8. Watts also won the 200 meters in a PA#11 21.86. He also took second in the 100 to Armstrong's Zane Dudek, who kept up his breakthrough season, winning the 100 in 10.88.

Bricen Garner picked up a nice PR in the triple jump for a new PA#6. Garner's jump of 47-3 gave him the district title.

North Alleghney's Andrew Manz threw a PA#2 and US#5 in the javelin to pick up the win. Manz improved on his season best with a throw of 208-7.

Seneca Valley's Mike Kolor got himself an elusive district title, winning the 1600 by over four seconds. Kolor's time of 4:13.23 is the fastest 1600 in the state so far this season. Penn Hills' Isaiah Bailey put down a huge PR to win the 800 meters. Bailey clocked a 1:54.72, making him a serious threat at next week's state meet at Ship.

In the 3200, Peters Township's Nick Wolk added a district title to his already impressive 2106 resume. Wolk won in 9:13.68, but got a nice run from North Allegheny's Marc Migliozzi, Plum's Jake Susalla, Chartiers Valley's Joseph Westrick, who all came in at 9:16.

In the 4x800 relay, North Allegheny dipped under eight minutes, winning in PA#12 7:59.73. Penn Hills won both the 4x100 and 4x400.

Jace Roundtree of Kiski continued to roll, claiming the district win in the high hurdles in a time of 14.26, just off his PA#2. PA#1 Ayden Owens of North Allegheny won the 300 hurdles, clocking a 38.34. Patrick Kimball of Mount Lebanon was second in both races.