Photo by Christian Lisle
AA Girls' 300m Hurdles Preview
One event where the AA competition may be deeper than AAA is in the 300 meter hurdles, one of the classification's most loaded events headed into the state meet.
Hickory's Heather Grober returns to try and defend her title in the intermediate hurdles, but she'll surely be challenged. But Grober has still had a strong senior campaign. She's progressed nicely and it culminated with a District 10 victory over the weekend in 43.77.
Winning again will be no easy task, however, for Grober. Jada Smith of Swenson hasn't been hurdling for long, but she's already vaulted to the top of the AA state rankings. The sophomore went 43.03 to beat out Neumann Goretti's Sydni Townsend for the District 12 title. Both Smith and Townsend are the top two seeds coming into states and should push each other to some quick times. Townsend was second to Grober last season at states.
Susquehanna Township's Skyla Wilson also had a great district race, winning the District 2 crown in a PR of 43.97. Don't count out the talented junior in this very competitive field. Her District 2 rival Madison Harding, who was seventh in the state last year, is one to watch. United's Michaela Bracken was sixth in the state finals of the event last season and she will look to improve upon that this season.
California Area's Ashley McIntosh and Ellwood City's Taylor Petrak went 1-2 in the 300 hurdles at WPIALs. Those two seniors will definitely be hungry to grab some medals year.
Entries:
Event 207 Girls 300 Meter Hurdles AA (28) Prelims
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NFHS Record: 39.98 2001 Lashinda Demus, LngBeachWlsnHS, CA
PIAA Record: 41.74 2015 Markeeta Thomas, Paul Robeson 12
NFHS Hnr Rol: 42.25
47.64 SQS
Name Year School Seed relim Time
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1 Smith, Jada 10 Swenson Atvs 12 43.03 SQS
2 Townsend, Sydni 11 Nmnn Goretti 12 43.46 SQS
3 Grober, Heather 12 Hickory 10 43.77 SQS
4 Wilson, Skyla 11 Susquehanna 02 43.97 SQS
5 Bracken, Michaela 11 United 06 45.61 SQS
6 McIntosh, Ashley 12 California 07 45.73 SQS
7 Petrak, Taylor 12 Ellwood City 07 45.84 SQS
8 Rowe, Malayna 12 Mifflinburg 04 45.88 SQS
9 Kilroy, Mia 10 Trinity 03 46.33 SQS
10 Meyers, Riley 12 DuBois CC 09 46.41 SQS
11 Benton, Kendra 11 Lakeview 10 46.51 SQS
12 Varano, Nicole 11 Mount Carmel 04 46.57 SQS
13 Neeley, Olivia 12 Beaver Area 07 46.58 SQS
14 Nowosielski, Portia 12 Harbor Creek 10 46.59 SQS
15 Wirth, Paityn 10 Greenwood 03 46.79 SQS
16 Harding, Madison 12 Lakeland 02 46.80 SQS
17 Frew, Maddie 12 Pine Grove 11 46.91 SQS
18 Kaminski, Autumn 12 Holy Redeemer 02 47.17 SQS
19 Schans, Kaylie 11 Montoursville 04 47.63 SQS
20 Fox, Emma 11 AC Valley 09 47.65
21 Kaschalk, Carly 11 Cntrl Cambria 06 47.82
22 Pender, Darby 12 Nthrn Lehigh 11 47.90
23 Arblaster, Emma 11 United 06 48.07
24 Sharrow, Kaylen 10 Burrell 07 48.24
25 Hostetter, Kolette 12 Rockwood 05 48.25
26 Ferrucci, Logan 11 Shenango 07 48.81
27 Woods, Abbie 11 Dock Menn 01 48.91
28 McLeod, Danye 9 Bish McDevitt 12 49.72