Aislinn Devlin (Downingtown West) / Photo by Howard Anderson
Rustin Invitational - Meet Preview
With a holiday coming this weekend, the Saturday slate of meets is limited, but that also means a surplus of weekday meets, including Wednesday's Rustin Invitational in West Chester. Here's what we're watching for:
GIRLS' PREVIEW
Wednesday will mark the return of one star distance runner and the PA outdoor debut of another.
Downingtown West's Aislinn Devlin, who missed the entire indoor season, will get back on the track. The AAA XC state champion is entered in the 3200 meters, so we'll see what kind of fitness the Harvard-bound senior is in to open up her season. The other is Germantown Academy's Abbe Goldstein, who is entered in the 1600 meters. Goldstein ran an 2:15 800 down in Florida to open her outdoor season. What does she have in store for meet #2. Coatesville's Brooke Hutton is also in the 1600 meter field.
Porsha Miles (Coatesville) / Photo by Abby Huber
In the sprints, Lower Merion's Aja Davis and Souderton's Cara Jackson will go head-to-head in the 100 and 200 meters. Coatesville's Porsha Miles is the one to watch in the 400 meters, coming off a strong meet at Hempfield.
Avon Grove's Chloee Kleespies, who transferred from Shanahan, is the favorite in both the shot put and the discus. Germantown Academy's Meaghan Toscano will challenge her in the shot put. Souderton's Moira O'Malley will look for a big jump in the high jump. Coatesville's Caroline Billone is the one to beat in the long jump.
BOYS' PREVIEW
After a big week that included a pair of individual PA#1s and a relay state leader, Coatesville's Terrance Laird returns to the track. Laird ran 10.51 in the 100 meters this past weekend. In a dual meet, he clocked an FAT 21.77. Springfield-Delco's Phillip Shovlin and Coatesville's Eric Kirk are also in the field. Look for that Coatesville 4x1 to also look to improve upon its own PA#1.
One of the state's best horizontal jumpers, Shamar Jenkins of Souderton, is back on the runway on Wednesday. Jenkins, PA#1 in the long jump and PA#2 in the triple jump, will contest both of those events as the top seed. Kirk should give him a challenge in the long jump. Lower Merion's James Burton is the high jump's top seed
Kyle Garland (Germantown Academy) / Photo by Patty Morgan
In the 110 meter hurdles, Germantown Academy's Kyle Garland will matchup with Souderton's Stephen Scott. Scott sits at PA#6, while Garland, after a win at Perk Valley this past weekend, is at PA#10. Garland is also entered in the 200 and shot put.
The 1600 meters will be a good showdown between Springfield-Delco's Liam Galligan---a reigning state medalist in the event---along with his teammate Joseph Cardie, Souderton's Connor McMenamin, Kennett's Austin Maxwell, and Germantown Academy's Owen Ritz. McMenamin returns for the 800 meters, where he'll race Downingtown West's Chase Semanyk. Maxwell is top seed in the 3200 meters later.
The pole vault will be a good matchup between a pair of state medalists. Phil-Mont Christian's Caleb Johnson and West Chester Rustin's Charles Dever will go head to head, looking to move up the state leaderboard. Kennett's Xavier Feliciano is also in the field and should be a contender.
The host team, Rustin, has some of the top seeds in the throws. Edem Asamoa and Connor Cummings, both from Rustin, are the top seeds in the discus. Those two are also in the shot put, but they'll face a challenge from Glen Mills' Semaj Robinson and Quadir Gibson.