Olivia Arizin (Cardinal O'Hara) / Photo by Patty Morgan
Girls' 800 Meters Preview
There was arguably no event that was deeper than the girls' 800 meters last winter. While much of that firepower won't return, but there is still a ton of talent ready to toe the line on Saturday.
The top returner and the top seed in the 800 is Cardinal O'Hara's Olivia Arizin. Arizin captured the AAA outdoor title in the event, running 2:06.80. This year, she's raced the 800 meters just two times, but did compete in the Millrose Mile and won a 1K at the New Balance Games. She'll be favored to claim her first indoor state title.
The second seed is North Penn's Mikaela Vlasic, who won the Meet of Champs 800 is a strong flat-track time of 2:14.41. Vlasic will likely have 4x800 duties before the open 8, but she should still factor in for sure. Penn Wood's Terri Turner has had another great season. Turner, a senior, ran a PA#3 2:14.64, as well as some fast 400s and 600s this season. She'll enter the race fresh and will challenge up front. Abington's Kelly Jawork will be doubling in the 800 off the mile earlier in the meet. But she's proven that she can pull of a good double, so expect Jawork to be up there.
Cardinal O'Hara's Christine Mancini ran 2:15.23 earlier in the season. Great Valley's Amy Willig has run 2:16.70. Those two sophomores are the top underclassmen in the field, but they've both run some strong races this season.
Northern's Marlee Starliper is coming back from the mile, but she has the potential to place high. So does junior Sarah Crissman of Fleetwood, who has picked up five wins this winter in the 800 meters. West Allegheny's Maddie Salek will be making her indoor states debut, but she's coming off a win at Tri-States and she'll try and ride that momentum int Saturday.
Others to watch for are Downingtown East's Maddie VanBlunk, Greensburg Salem's Malia Anderson, South Fayette's Rachel Helbling and Delco Christian's Maggie Linton.
Girls' 800m Entries:
Event 11 Girls 800 Meter Run (24)
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State Meet: 2:04.96 2/24/2007 Chanelle Price, Easton
Name Year School
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1 Anderson, Malia 10 Grnsburg Salem
2 Arizin, Olivia 12 Card O'Hara
3 Carroll, Kyra 11 Penn Wood
4 Crissman, Sarah 11 Fleetwood
5 Gelvin, McKenzie 12 McConnellsburg
6 Helbling, Rachel 11 South Fayette
7 Higgins, Tara 11 Penncrest
8 Jawork, Kelly 12 Abington
9 Kirk, Lizzy 11 Pennsbury
10 Lebo, Meg 10 Carlisle
11 Linton, Maggie 12 Delco Christian
12 Mancini, Christine 10 Card O'Hara
13 Ramsey, Anna 12 Greater Latrobe
14 Ross, Hayley 11 Wissahickon
15 Roumpz, Caroline 11 D-Town East
16 Salek, Maddie 11 West Allegheny
17 Schneider, Jessica 10 Notre Dame
18 Simms, Liz 10 Butler
19 Starliper, Marlee 9 Northern
20 Stovall, Sydni 12 Springfield Mont
21 Turner, Terri 12 Penn Wood
22 VanBlunk, Maddy 12 D-Town East
23 Vlasic, Mikaela 12 North Penn
24 Willig, Amy 10 Great Valley