Kyle Garland (Germantown Academy) / Photo by Patty Morgan
Boys' High Jump Preview
In 2005, we saw one of the great duels in indoor state meet history as St. Joe's Prep's Juan Cave and Octorara's Ryan Fritz both cleared 6-10.5. That still stands as the state meet record (Fritz is the all-time PA indoor state record holder). Cave earned the win on jumps.
For as prolific as that battle was. We could have a similarly great matchup between the two best in PA, Kyle Garland of Germantown Academy and Qayyim Ali of Williamsport. Ali is the reigning state champion, but Garland has been on fire this season. Garland has cleared 6-10 three times this season and had a number of good looks at 7-0. Ali and Garland went head-to-head at last week's Carnival. Both cleared 6-9, but Garland took the win on jumps.
Regardless of who wins on Saturday, this has the potential to be one of the best high jump matchups in state history.
Last year's state meet wasn't the best jumping day for most of the field, though. Ali won by clearing 6-6. Chester's Braheem Bishop was second, also clearing 6-6. This season, Bishop has cleared 6-4 this season and he currently sits at PA#8 along with four others. Bishop will look for a similar effort at states like last year.
Penn Wood's Dennis Manyeah is PA#3. He cleared 6-8 in the high jump at the Hispanic Games. Manyeah is a senior with plenty of experience. He will look to grab a high place after taking 14th last season. At PA#4 in Altoona Area's Daiquain Watson. He was second at Tri-States, but cleared 6-6 earlier in the season. The one that beat him at Tri-States is Upper Saint Clair's Harvey Kane, who could compete for a medal.
Tawheed Muhammad (Easton) / Photo by Patty Morgan
Easton's Tawheed Muhammad, Lower Merion's James Burton, and Penn Hills' Emmanuel Mitchell are all tied at PA#5, having cleared a best of 6-5 this season. Each of those three will be making their indoor state meet debuts and all will be looking to compete for a high place.
The surprise of the indoor state meet last year was Council Rock's Nolan Gromlich, who cleared 6-4 to take fifth overall. Gromlich will look to step up with another PR this year and compete for another medal. Penn Charter's Akeem Blake and Pennridge's Matt Moyer are returners from last year looking to leave State College with some hardware.
Boys' High Jump Entries:
Event 26 Boys High Jump (19)
===============================================================================
Starting Ht. 5' 10" Increase 2"
State Meet: 6-10.50 2/26/2005 Juan Cave/Ryan Fritz, St. Joe Prep/Octorara
Name Year School
===============================================================================
1 Ali, Qayyim 12 Williamsport
2 Bishop, Braheem 12 Chester
3 Blake, Akeem 12 Penn Charter
4 Burton, James 12 Lower Merion
5 Garland, Kyle 11 Germantown Acad
6 Gromlich, Nolan 12 CR North
7 Kane, Harvey 12 Upper St Clair
8 Kinback, Matt 12 Lackawanna T
9 Mack, Nafese 12 Motivation
10 Manyeah, Dennis 12 Penn Wood
11 McKee, Valiant 12 Coatesville
12 Mitchell, Emmanuel 11 Penn Hills
13 Muhammad, Tawheed 12 Easton
14 Oliver, Tommy 12 Bensalem
15 Polignano, Vincent 11 Pennridge
16 Rabshal, Sven 12 Laurel Highlands
17 Thomas, Ryan 12 William Tennent
18 Watson, Daiquain 12 Altoona
19 Winslow, Jordan 11 Milton Hershey