PIAA States Preview: Boys' Sprints/Hurdles

Photo by Bill Shearn

AA Boys' 100m Preview

Bloomsburg's Jahvel Hemphill will be looking to joining a VERY exclusive club on Saturday and make some Pennsylvania history. The senior will be looking to make it a perfect four-for-four by winning his fourth AA state title in the 100 meters in as many years. He ran a 10.69 earlier in the season and took home the District 4 title over the weekend in convincing fashion.

Standing in his way could be Dock Mennonite's Austin Kratz. The junior will have extra motivation after a shocking false start took him out of the finals of the 200 meters of the District 1 Championships, an event where he is the defending AA state champ. So Kratz will be hungry for a title and this will be a must-see matchup.

Hickory's Dozie Ezi-Ashi took seventh in the finals last year, but he's been having an even stronger season this year, highlighted by a PR of 10.96. Don't count him out of the title conversation. Mastery Charter's Merrill Chappell will look to factor in as well after taking Public League and District 12 titles.

Other names to watch here include District 9 champ Brendan Zerfoss, Pen Argyl's Jonathan Marfisi, and Aliquippa's Antwan Brooks as we could expect a number of sub-11 performances.

Entries:

Event 603  Boys 100 Meter Dash AA (26) Prelims
===============================================================================
 NFHS Record:  10.15  1990        Henry Neal, GreenvilleHS, TX                 
 PIAA Record:  10.58  1979        Jeff Brown, Grove City 10                    
NFHS Hnr Rol:  10.60                                                           
               11.30  SQS
           Name                        Year School                 Seed relim Time
===============================================================================
  1        Kratz, Austin                 11 Dock Menn 01          10.78  SQS   
  2        Hemphill, Jahvel              12 Bloomsburg 04         10.93  SQS   
  3        Zerfoss, Brendan              11 Clarion Area 09       11.00  SQS   
  4        Brooks, Antwan                12 Aliquippa 07          11.09  SQS   
  5        Ezi-Ashi, Dozie               12 Hickory 10            11.11  SQS   
  6        Miller, Stanley               11 AnnvllCleona 03       11.19  SQS   
  7        Geisinger, Jarrin             10 Marian Cath 11        11.21  SQS   
  8        Westray, Eric                 12 Springfield 01        11.23  SQS   
  9        Kahle, Keaton                 10 Redbank Vly 09        11.24  SQS   
 10        Bell, Eric                    11 Bristol 01            11.28  SQS   
 11        Devonshire, Marlin            10 Aliquippa 07          11.29  SQS   
 12        Williams, Bill                12 Camp Hill 03          11.31        
 13        Sankey, Max                   11 Bshp Guilfyle 06      11.32        
 14        Hawbaker, Chance              12 McConnellsbrg 05      11.34        
 15        Morris, Jonathan               9 Neighbrhd Acd 07      11.36        
 16        Newton, Sam                   11 Loyalsock Twp 04      11.38        
 17        Data, Dom                     12 Shenango 07           11.42        
 18        Edouku, Emmanuel                 Gar Memorial 02       11.44        
 19        Ryan, Jack                    11 Burrell 07            11.46        
 20        Marfisi, Jonathan             12 Pen Argyl 11          11.49        
 21        Watkins, Michael              12 Titusville 10         11.58        
 22        Antal, Jordan                 11 Wstmnt Hlltop 06      11.59        
 23        Fitz, Joshua                  12 Ligonier Vly 06       11.59        
 24        Chappell, Merrill             12 Mastery South 12      11.62        
 25        Abbas-Laminu, Laminu           9 Motivation 12         11.71        
 26        Savage, Nasir                 10 Motivation 12         11.75