Photo by Steven Pisano
Armory Track Invitational
A few select top PA performers will head to the Armory once more for ATI. Last season, this is where VA runner Drew Hunter went sub-4 in the mile. While we may not see the same fireworks as last year, a number of big name runners will be making an appearance in Washington Heights. We'll break down each invitational event:
Boys' 1000 meters - Friday, 7:25 P.M.
Penn Trafford's Nick Wagner is the lone PA entry in the field that includes plenty of talent, including Virginia's Waleed Suliman and New Jersey's Elliott Gindi. Wagner, here, will get some strength work in and will look to contend with some big names like he has all season long.
Girls' 4x400 meter relay - Friday, 7:47 P.M.
This will bring us a rematch between the 1-2 finishers at the New Balance Games from two weeks ago. Penn Wood, which lost its reign on the PA#1 spot to Cheltenham last week at Ocean Breeze will look to reclaim the top spot in the state with a big run. The Baldwin School is also in the field. They were the surprise runners-up to Penn Wood at the New Balance Games. They'll be looking to improve upon their PA#3 3:45 in the 4x4.
Boys' 4x400 meter relay - Friday, 8:12 P.M.
On the boys' side for the 1600 meter relay, we'll see the PA#2 face off with the PA#3. Glen Mills placed second at Ocean Breeze last Saturday in a 3:23.45, mere tenths off Shanahan's state leader. Then Abington should be a strong contender. The perennial powers in the 4x4 will look also be looking to take over the top spot in the state.
Girls' 300 meters - Saturday, 1:03 P.M.
In the two heats of the lap and a half race, we'll see a PA runner in each. In heat one, Saucon Valley's Talitha Diggs will be in lane four. Diggs is just a freshman, but she's proven can be a factor on the state level in a number of events. Cheltenham's Alexis Crosby is PA#1 in the 400 meters and PA#3 in the 200 meters. The junior will meet in the middle in heat two of the 300 meters on Saturday afternoon.
Boys' 300 meters - Saturday, 1:09 P.M.
In heat one of the 300, a pair of Bishop Shanahan sprinters will toe the line. Keegan Hughes will be in lane three and Nate Alleyne, a recent Georgetown signee, will be in lane six. Then heat two will really heat up with the top two 200 meter runners in the state matching up. Coatesville's Terrance Laird (PA#1 200m) and Imhotep's Kristian Marche (PA#2 200m) will be in lanes three and four.
Girls' 600 meters - Saturday, 3:25 P.M.
PA state leader and US#3 Terri Turner of Penn Wood is entered in the 600 meters. She'll look to improve upon her 1:31.95 from the New Balance Games two weeks ago. The field also includes some talented runners, like Patriot's Rachel MacArthur from Virginia.
Chanel Brissett (Cheltenham) / Photo by Steven Pisano
Girls' 4x200 meter relay - Saturday, 3:31 P.M.
The Cheltenham girls will return to the 4x200, an event they just keep getting better in. It look like they'll go with their 'A' lineup, which is also the same quartet that took down the state record at outdoor states. They went 1:38.93 at the New Balance Games, but the time to watch this weekend is 1:38.64, their own state record from 2015.
Boys' 600 meters - Saturday, 3:47 P.M.
Bishop Shanahan's Logan Yoquinto is the lone PA entry in the boys' 600 meters. Yoqunito anchored the team's PA#1 SMR from a few weeks ago and has proven to be a very solid mid-distance runner on a deep squad this season, so he'll be one to watch.
Boys' 4x200 meter relay - Saturday, 3:53 P.M.
Like Cheltenham, the boys from Imhotep got close to the PA state record in the 4x200 at the New Balance Games. Imhotep ran 1:27.55, the PA#2 all-time mark in the event. They could take a shot at Simon Gratz' 2005 state record of 1:27.13. The talented squad and current US#1s certainly have the talent to do it on Saturday afternoon.
Girls' 4x800 meter relay - Saturday, 3:58 P.M.
The Penn Wood girls will return on Saturday for the 4x800. North Penn went US#1 at Ocean Breeze this past weekend, but Penn Wood will look to drop a quick time with should be an 'A' team with Turner, Elicia Moore, Janae Pitt, and Kyra Carroll.
Boys' 4x800 meter relay - Saturday, 4:10 P.M.
Abington and Penn Wood will be amongst a strong 4x800 field to close out the high school events at ATI. Abington sits at PA#5 and would like to assert itself as an even stronger contender for a state title. Penn Wood sits at PA#22, so they'd like to lower their time and possibly solidify a spot in the state meet.