Qayyim Ali (Williamsport) / Photo by Abby Huber
Tim Cook Memorial Invitational Recap
- Complete Results
- Photo Album (By Abby Huber)
- Interviews
A number of central PA opened up their 2017 outdoor seasons at Saturday's Tim Cook Memorial Invitational at Chambersburg High School.
BOYS' RECAP
Williamsport's Qayyim Ali posted a pair of wins in a fantastic start to his final outdoor season. Ali jumped 6-8 in the high jump for the win. He jumped 22-4.5 in the long jump to claim the win there as well. We spoke with Ali after the meet.
Carlisle had a strong outdoor debut. The Herd won the 4x800 meter relay in a new PA#1 and US#7 7:57.05. They did so without Noah Affolder in the lineup. A few legs on that 4x8 picked up wins elsewhere. Sam Affolder won the 1600 meters, running away from the field in a time of 4:23.32. Isaac Kole won the 800 meters in 1:58.15, a new meet record. They then closed out the meet with a win in the 4x400.
Carlisle's Mychael Thomas won the 110 meter hurdles in 14.60 to set the PA#1. That's Thomas' first time under 15 seconds and a sign of good things to come for him this spring.
We talked with Sam Affolder:
Central Dauphin East's Aaron Arp started his season off well. The senior won the 200 meters, setting the intial PA#1 in the event with a time of 22.15. He should be a factor this season. Susquehanna Township's Jalik Smith won the 100 meters in 11.16. In the 400 meters, Mifflin County's Seth Phillips picked up the win in 50.87.
East Pennsboro's Payton Morris has kept his momentum from the outdoor season rolling into the outdoor season. Morris, a junior, set a new meet record, clearing 15 feet even to win the boys' pole vault.
There were some great matchups in the throws. In the shot put, Chambersburg's Kelton Chastulik tossed a PR to open up his spring season. Chastulik took the win with a throw of 58-6, a new meet record and an early-season PA#1. Speaking of meet records, Greencastle-Antrim's Campbell Parker 169-8 in the discus to win. Chastulik took second in the discus with a throw of 163-10, a PR. In the javelin, Lampeter Strasburg's Josh Eidemiller threw 178-11 for the win. Both Parker and Eidemiller's throws are also PA#1s.
Watch an interview with Chastulik after his season opener:
GIRLS' RECAP
Grace Gillespie got off to a hot start on the track. The Cedar Cliff sprinter won both the 100 and 200 meters, setting the state leading time in both events. Gillespie went 12.50 in the 100 meters and came back to run 25.72 in the fast heat of the 200 meters.
In the 100 meter hurdles, Carlisle's Najae Nickerson ran 15.67 in the finals to pick up the win.
McKenzie Gelvin of McConnellsburg won the 400 meters, dipping under the 60 second mark and running 59.35 in the one-lapper. She spoke with PTXC's Abby Huber afterwards:
Greencastle-Antrim Taryn Parks won in her high school outdoor track debut. The freshman won the 800 meters 2:23.33, winning by over nine seconds. Carlisle's Meg Lebo, an indoor states mile medalist, won the 1600 meters in 5:20.43, holding off Central Dauphin East's Makenna Krebs (second in 5:21.39). In a good 3200 meter matchup, Chambersburg's Abby Yourkavitch beat Cocalico's Jamie Zamrin. Yourkavitch clocked an 11:10, while Zamrin wasn't far behind, coming across in 11:14. Yourkavitch was also apart of Chambersburg's impressive 4x800 meter relay. Chambersburg won and broke the meet record, running a PA#1 9:39.48.
A few girls made some big early-season statements in the throws on Saturday. Mifflin County's Skylar Ciccolini threw a huge PR of 140-7 for the win to take the state lead. The discus was a good competition as three girls threw 124 or better. Selinsgrove's Piper Klinger picked up a nice win and a PR with a throw of 136-5, the new PA#1. Red Lion's Madisen Kling took second (131-2) and Lewisburg's Kate Allred was third (124-). Greencastle-Antrim's Jenay Faulkner threw 38-10.25 in the shot put to pick up the win.
Gettysburg claimed a pair of wins in the field. Junior Hannah Baddick won the triple jump with a leap of 36-0, and senior Genesis Mercedes cleared 5-2 to win the girls' high jump. We caught up with Mercedes after her win: