Katie Jones (South Williamsport) / Photo by Steven Pisano
Girls' NBNI Day 3 Recap
South Williamsport's Katie Jones is in a league of her own. The senior and Penn State recruit put on a show for the crowd at The Armory. Jones shattered her own state record in the pole vault and now she can call herself a national champion.
Jones cleared 13-9.25, nearly a three inch improvement on her existing PA state all-time mark. That's the second best height of the year in the nation (only Rachel Baxter's 13-10.5 is better). Both Jones and Georgia's Carson Dingler (the reigning national indoor champ) were good over 13-6.25. Then on her second attempt, Jones cleared her winning mark to take the win and the state record.
As we move to outdoors, Jones will have her sights set on 14 feet. The outdoor PA state record stands at 13-6 by Easton's Lindsay Reagan in 2005. For now, she'll relish her national title.
The Cheltenham girls also took home a Pennsylvania state record. The 4x200 meter relay team of Alexis Crosby, Bria Barnes, Brielle Lewis, and Chanel Brissett ran a time of 1:38.54, breaking the old state record held by Cheltenham from 2015 by .10.
Brissett came back shortly after the 4x2 finals for the finals of the 60 meter hurdles. After running 8.16 in the prelims and 8.19 in the semis. In the finals, Brissett ran 8.33 to take fourth against a stacked field.
Photo by Patty Morgan
Thelma Davies of Girard College was also in a stacked race. The Girard College sophomore ran the freshman national record here last year. Davies ran strong again, taking 7.37 for third place overall. That time matches her PA state record from last year.
In the girls' 2 mile, North Allegheny's Clara Savchik earned All American honors. Savchik ran a time of 10:18.00 to take sixth overall in a field led by Colorado's Brie Oakley, who won and broke the meet record. Savchik's F.A.T. 3K split was 9:39.01, which is the fastest time in PA this year. 3000 meter state champ Abbe Goldstein of Germantown Academy was also in the race, however, it appeared the senior dropped out due to injury shortly after the mile.
Penn Wood took home All American honors in the 4x400 meter relay. The team of Janae Pitt, Elicia Moore, Kyra Carroll, and Terri Turner clocked a 3:50.39 to take sixth in a stacked fast heat to close out the girls' events on Sunday. That time is just off Penn Wood's state meet record time from two weeks ago at Penn State.
Turner competed earlier in the 800 meters. The Columbia-bound senior placed eighth overall in a time of 2:12.29. Abingon's Kelly Jawork was ninth overall, racing in the second of three heats. Jawork's time was 2:12.47.
Upper Dublin's Madison Langley-Walker continued her busy weekend at nationals in the triple jump. Langle-Walker took 12th overall with a best jump of 38-10.5. Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren placed 24th and Downingtown East's Evelyn Berecz was 28th.