Photo by Bill Shearn
DVGTCA Meet of Champions Preview
TOP MOCs PERFORMANCES SINCE 2007
Friday night brings us the DVGTCA Meet of Champions, a culmination of all those Friday night meets throughout the season. The entries, as expected, are loaded and we'll break it all down for you below:
SPRINTS/HURDLES
Like she did at last week's Carnival, and like she'll likely attempt again at the state meet, Cheltenham's Chanel Brissett is entered in both the 60-meter dash and the 60-meter hurdles. Brissett is US#1 in the hurdles, so she'll be heavily favored there. Upper Dublin's Madison Langley-Walker, Martin Luther King's Nissa Martinez, and Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren are also in the field.
Photo by Kyle Brazeil
The dash should be interesting. Girard College's Thelma Davies, the state record holder in the 60 dash, is currently US#1 in the 55 meters after a dominating performance at the Millrose Games. Brissett, Norristown's Jonae Cook, and Penn Wood's Tatiyana Laylor are among her top challengers, but Davies is a strong favorite.
In the 200 meters, we'll see reigning MOC and state champ, Kouri Peace of Pennridge. Peace took down the meet record here last year. 24.32 will be her time to beat. Also in the fast heat will be Paul Robeson's Tikki Wise and CB South's Lydia Fielding.
Another interesting race will be the 400 meters. Current PA#1 Alexis Crosby of Cheltenham leads the field, but she will get a good challenge from her teammates Bria Barnes and Penn Wood's Terri Turner. Neumann Goretti's Mykala Perry should factor into the race as well.
Photo by Bill Shearn
DISTANCE
North Penn's Mikaela Vlasic (PA#5) leads the half milers into the fast section of the 800. Abington's Kelly Jawork (PA#8) will be in the mix and so will Pennsbury's Lizzy Kirk and Delco Christian's Maggie Linton.
In the mile, Cheltenham's MaryGrace Rittler will be the one to beat. She's seeded second, but she has run 5:02 for 1600 meters. Souderton's Emily Bonaventure has run 5:09 in the mile and she'll look to mix it up in there. Boyertown's Gillian Kasitz and Downingtown East's Lexi VanBlunk are among the others to watch in that race.
In the 3000 meters, Padua Academy's Lydia Olivere is the favorite. The runner-up in the mile at the Delaware indoor state meet in dramatic fashion, Olivere has run 10:04 for 3K this season. Her best challenge will come from North Penn's Ariana Gardizy. Pennridge's Monika Brill should be in the mix, too.
Photo by Patty Morgan
FIELD
Last year, Upper Dublin's Madison Langley-Walker came away from MOCs with three golds. That success will be hard to replicate with Brissett in the hurdles this year, but Langley-Walker will still be one to watch in that event as well as the horizontal jumps. She's the top seed in both, but she'll get a big challenge from Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren. Both will be shooting for 40 feet in the triple jump and 19 feet in the long jump, so keep an eye out for those jumps on Friday.
The high jump will feature more big names. Two girls tied for the PA#2 spot, Cheltenham's Brianna Smith and CB South's Valerie Przekop, along with PA#6 Moira O'Malley of Souderton are the favorite. Bishop McDevitt's Blair Knuckle should be in the mix as well.
PA#2 Janese Lynch of Neumann Goretti will be the favorite in the shot put. In the pole vault, Springside Chestnut Hill's Elizabeth Jefferson will be looking for yet another win, while Wissahickon's Cala Lejman will look to challenge her.
RELAYS
The 4x800 will start the meet off and it should be a good one. North Penn is PA#1 in the event. If they go with an 'A' squad, they'll be favored, but the likes of Perkiomen Valley, Pennridge, and Downingtown East won't go down without a fight.
Penn Wood, the current PA#1s, will look for more success in the DMR. They'll be favored, but the likes of Cardinal O'Hara, Perkiomen Valley, and Strath Haven should all pose a good challenge in that race.
The 4x200 should generate some good excitement, featuring four of the top seven teams in the state. Cheltenham is the team to beat, but North Penn has shown to have a strong 4x2, and Penn Wood and Neumann Goretti should factor in as well.
The 4x400 will close out the meet and, as always, it'll be exciting. Penn Wood is favored. They sit at the top of the state rankings. North Penn and Neumann Goretti will be trying to pull off the upset.