Mychael Thomas (Carlisle) / Photo by Bill Shearn
Shippensburg Invitational - AAA Boys' Preview
In the 110 meter hurdles, PA#1 will meet PA#2. Carlisle's Mychael Thomas, who ran a 14.26 at Pan-Ram will face-off with Penn Manor's Taraje Whitfield in what should be a great dual between two of the state's best. Central Dauphin East's Aaron Arp and Dallastown's Justin Atwood will make this one of the day's premiere events.
Arp is also entered in the 200 meters, where he sits at PA#3 entering this weekend. In the 100 meters, Susquehanna Township's Jalik Smith, who won at Pan-Ram, will look to follow that up with another good race. Carlisle's Prince Gaye will look to challenge him.
Fresh off a PA#1 at his home invite, Hatboro-Horsham's Matthew Lenahan will go for more on Saturday. Lenahan will race Whitfield in the 300 meter hurdles. Whitfield is PA#4 is that event, so watch for a good race there. Before that, Lenahan will race the 400 meters, where he'll go for the win, but State College's Noah Woods is the top seed there.
Affolder leads Feffer at Susquehanna / Photo by Bill Shearn
The distance events are stacked for Saturday. In the 3200 meters, Carlisle's Sam Affolder will be the one to beat, but Mechanicsburg's Alex Tomasko, Hempfield (3)'s Nick Norton, Lower Dauphin's Kyler Shea, and Dallas' Jack Zardecki will be in the mix for sure.
The 1600 should be fast as well with Cedar Crest's Jesse Cruise, State College's Nick Feffer and Owen Wing, Carlisle's Isaac Kole, Penn Hills' Isaiah Bailey, Wallenpaupack's Tyler Wirth, Mechanicburg's Tomasko and Morgan Cupp, Dallastown's Patrick Jacobson, and Lower Dauphin's Jared Giannascoli among the many fast entries.
In the 800 meters, Feffer, Wing, and Affolder are entered, but the race will include Lebanon's Derin Klick, Williamsport's Tristan Connor, Warwick's Drayk Cassamajor, Carlisle's Jack Wisner, and Cumberland Valley's Yahya Soliman will contend as well.
Nick Marino (Hatboro-Horsham) / Photo by Patty Morgan
In the pole vault, Nick Marino will look to extend his hold on PA#1. The Hatboro-Horsham senior cleared 16-1 last week, a PR and state leader and he'll try to keep it rolling at Ship. PA#2 Payton Morris of East Pennsboro will provide a good challenge to Marino. Hempfield Area's Hayden Fox, a state medalist last spring, is also in the field. Fox is also the top seed in the javelin. He'll likely have 200 feet on his mind heading into Saturday.
Williamsport's Qayyim Ali will look for big things in the high jump. The senior cleared 7-1 in a dual meet and he'll look to replicate that this weekend. Easton's Tawheed Muhammad and York Suburban's Bodhi Wilson are also in this field, so we should expect some good jumps. Ali is one to watch in the long jump. Liberty's Darian Street should supply a good challenge to Ali there.
Deshawn Millington (Carlisle) in '14 / Photo by Megan Zeller
In the triple jump, we'll see Carlisle's Deshawn Millington. The senior starred on the basketball court for the Herd this winter (and many winters before that), but he's also a former state champ in the TJ, which he won way back in his freshman year in 2014. After not competing last season, Millington started his season off with a 45-11 at a dual meet. What does he have in store for Saturday? Williamsport's Stan Scott and the State College duo of Brandon Clark and Stanley Hamilton are also contesting the triple.
Many of the state's throwers are flocking to Ship this weekend to get an early look at the state meet's throwing circles and runways. Chambersburg's Kelton Chastulik will battle North Pocono's Matt Slagus, Hempfield Area (7)'s Alex Murray, Greencastle-Antrim's Campbell Parker, Selinsgrove's Keith Dreese and Brennen Wolf, West Chester Rustin's Connor Cummings are the ones who should be in contention for the shot put win. Many of those guys will return for the discus, which Slagus won last season.