AAA Girls' 400m Preview
The defending champion is back for the state meet in the AAA 400 meters, but defending her crown won't be easy. North Penn's Uche Nwogwugwu has been amazing us at every turn throughout her decorated career. Can the senior, who went 54.09 to win the title last year, end her final states on a high note and win again?
Avonworth/Northgate's Hunter Robinson, the defending AA state champ may have something to say about that. Robinson, a junior, is seeded first coming into the meet after dropping a PA#1 54.49 to win the WPIAL title (one of three wins there). The quarter is probably her best event and she'll give Nwogwugwu a run for her money.
A talented pair of Cheltenham teammates---Alexis Crosby and Bria Barnes---belong in the conversation, too. The pair sits at PA#3 (Barnes) and PA#4 (Crosby) entering the state meet. Both have raced Nwogwugwu well on separate occasions this season and they are worth keeping an eye on. South Fayette's Rachel Helbling and Butler's Alexis Leech took second and third to Robinson at WPIALs. Both girls went sub-56 at Baldwin and will be in the mix as well.
Saucon Valley freshman Talitha Diggs ran a smart race to take the District 11 crown. District 3 champion Ty'Asia Dansbury is another versatile quarter mile with a good shot in this race. This is as talented a 400 meter field we've seen in a while and this will be one exciting race.
Entries:
Event 306 Girls 400 Meter Dash AAA (27) Prelims
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NFHS Record: 50.74 2000 Monique Henderson, S Diego MrsHS,CA
PIAA Record: 53.11 1986 Leaha Walker, Williamsport 4
NFHS Hnr Rol: 54.00
58.80 SQS
Name Year School Seed relim Time
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1 Robinson, Hunter 11 Avonworth 07 54.49 SQS
2 Nwogwugwu, Uche 12 North Penn 01 54.87 SQS
3 Crosby, Alexis 11 Cheltenham 01 55.24 SQS
4 Helbling, Rachel 11 So Fayette 07 56.15 SQS
5 Leech, Alexis 12 Butler 07 56.37 SQS
6 Diggs, Talitha 9 Saucon Vly 11 56.50 SQS
7 Dansbury, Ty'Asia 12 Harrisburg 03 56.97 SQS
8 Barnes, Bria 10 Cheltenham 01 57.12 SQS
9 Mucci, Faith 9 Gr Latrobe 07 57.18 SQS
10 Douglas-Grant, Jasmine 11 Stroudsburg 11 57.60 SQS
11 Fernald, Alice 11 Donegal 03 57.75 SQS
12 Fischer, Valerie 10 Hampton 07 57.82 SQS
13 Myers, Teneisha 12 OJ Roberts 01 57.88 SQS
14 Shedlock, Vanessa 12 Wyoming Area 02 58.06 SQS
15 Bonzelet, Shayla 9 Cedar Crest 03 58.19 SQS
16 Kehinde, Faith 11 Exeter 03 58.45 SQS
17 Bonner, Raechel 9 Cntrl Dauphin 03 58.50 SQS
18 Mathis, Tamara 10 Canon-McMilln 07 58.70 SQS
19 Myers, Abby 12 Indiana Area 07 58.75 SQS
20 Moore, Elicia 10 Penn Wood 01 59.02
21 Henderson-long, Nia 11 Central 12 59.03
22 Craig, Regan 11 Cumberlnd Vly 03 59.24
23 Wicks, Zoe 12 State College 06 59.47
24 Plowden, Danae 10 Simon Gratz 12 59.99
25 Adams, Elizabeth 9 Meadville 10 1:00.28
26 Heckman, Shayla 10 Midd-West 04 1:01.73
27 Grotzinger, Tessa 9 Saint Marys 09 1:02.72