Thelma Davies (Girard College) / Photo by Kyle Brazeil
Jim Kelly Invitational
***Preview based on meet entries as of 6pm on Friday, 4/14***
GIRLS' PREVIEW
The sprints are absolutely loaded for Saturday's Jim Kelly Invitational. It's fair to say there's a great shot that the state leading times from the 100 through the 400 meters are in grave danger.
The 100 meters includes current PA#2 Jonae Cook from Norristown as well as Cheltenham's Chanel Brissett and Norristown's Jayana Webb. Brissett and Webb will return for the 200 meters, which also features the outdoor season debut of Girard College's Thelma Davies. These matchups are not ones to miss and will produce some very fast times.
In the 400 meters, we'll see North Penn's Uche Nwogwugwu. The senior and reigning state champ (indoors and outdoors) opened her season with a 55.93 at the PA Track Classic a few weeks ago. How fast can she go this weekend? Cheltenham's Bria Barnes is also in the field.
Upper Dublin's Madison Langley-Walker is the top seed in both the 100 hurdles and the 300 hurdles. The versatile Langley-Walker will look for fast times in both. Norristown's Sheila Day is also entered in both races, while Cheltenham freshman Brianna Smith is in the 100 hurdles.
Valerie Przekop (CB South) / Photo by Patty Morgan
Smith is also entered in what should be a very competitive high jump, led by multi-time state champion Valerie Przekop of Central Bucks South. Twin Valley's Kayla Gillen, currently PA#5, is also in the field, so expect some good heights this weekend.
There's plenty of talent in the 1600 meters. Cheltenham's MaryGrace Rittler has been on a roll for a while and she'll be looking for a fast time in the four-lapper this weekend. North Penn's Ariana Gardizy, Lansdale Catholic's Kayla Connelly, and Hatboro's Miranda Royds. The 800 meters will feature two of District 1's best in Kelly Jawork of Abington and Mikaela Vlasic of North Penn, along with Cheltenham's 400 specialist Alexis Crobsy. In the 3200 meters, North Penn's Olivia Dyer is seeded first.
Methacton's Rainah Dunham will look for a pair of wins in the jumps on Saturday. Dunham in the top seed in both the long jump and the triple jump. In the long jump, Upper Darby's Michelle Brown-Jones and North Penn's Natalie Kwortnik will supply a good challenge, while Upper Darby's Sugar Henry will be one to watch, as well, in the triple jump.
Abington's Sianni McLeod is the top seed in the shot put, while in the discus, Upper Dublin's Jennifer McAneney will be the one to beat against McLeod. Wissahickon's Cala Lejman is the favorite in the pole vault.
Nick Marino (Hatboro-Horsham) / Photo by Patty Morgan
BOYS' PREVIEW
Just two days after setting a new PR and PA#1, Hatboro-Horsham's Nick Marino will return to the runway on Saturday for the pole vault. Marino jumped 16-1 at North Penn on Wednesday, and he'll be chasing even greater heights at his home track at Jim Kelly. William Tennent Randy Showmaker and Upper Dublin's Alex Liu are also in the pole vault.
They battled last weekend at Coatesville and they'll do it again this weekend at Hatboro. Upper Dublin's Brian Kaufmann (PA#2) and Wissahickon's Ahmir Johnson will go for the win in the long jump. Kaufmann is also entered in the triple jump, where he'll be challenged by Pennridge's Matt Ludlow (PA#6). Look for some big jumps there.
In the sprints, CB West's Joe Manetta and Wissahickon's Rasheed Wright are two of the top entries in the 100 and 200 meters. The one to beat in the 200 meters may be Council Rock North's Mike Welde, who has had a flying start to his season. The 400 is up for grabs, with names like Abington's Aaron Sooknanan, Pennridge's John Nash, and Wissahickon's Cameron Christopher in the field.
The 300 meter hurdles don't lack talent. Hatboro-Horsham's Matthew Lenahan will look to defend his home turf, but Pennridge's Alex Dimon and Holy Ghost Prep's Samuel Huslin should provide a great challenge.
The 1600 meters includes Upper Darby's Syed Shah, Holy Ghost Prep's Callahan Lennon, CB East's Marc Motter, and CR North's Tim Haas. The 800 meters will be a good matchup between Pennridge's Matt Eissler, CR South's Evan Kutney, and Abington's Cameron Mitchell, among others. North Penn's Brendan O'Toole, CB East's William Schulz, and CB West's Brian Mass are the ones to watch in the 3200 meters.
Bensalem's Yobani Moreno is the one to beat in both the shot put and discus. Methacton's Patrick Maloney will looks to challenge Moreno is the discus. In the javelin, Cheltenham's Jean S. Codio and Hatboro's Jon LaSalle will battle for the win.