Photo by Ethan Rissell
AA Boys' 800m Preview
After taking second place last year to one of the greatest of all-time, Neumann Goretti's Kamil Jihad will look to take home his first state gold at Shippensburg this weekend. Jihad was second to Beaver Falls' Domenic Perretta, who took home his third straight 800 crown in AA, running a great race. Without current PA#1 Ryan Thrush of Brookville in the field (opting to focus on the 400), Jihad looks to be the favorite heading in with a 1:53.09 season best.
Seneca's Donovan Myers is the top seed after running 1:57.15 to win the District 10 title. He's run 1:54.72 this season, and while he'll have 4x800 duties earlier in the day, Myers has proven he can come back an drop a fast time. District 4 champ Tyler Leeser of Milton Area will be tough, too. He'll be coming off the 1600 meters, but he has a 1:56 to his name this year and can't be counted out. He was fifth last year.
WPIAL champ Robert Reichenbaugh of Freeport Area and District 6 champ Mike Walwro of Central Cambria are a pair of runners running well at the right time and they should mix it up. Paul Robeson's Josue' Marcelin was second to Jihad in District 12 and should be up there, too. Trinity's Matt Geisler was second to Wyomissing's Joe Cullen (not running the open 800 at states), but his 1:59.06 at that race shows he's a medal contender.
Lakeview's Zachary Tingley, Homer Center's Sam Cunkelman, Saint Joseph's Catholic's Michael Peters, and Lackawanna Trail's Matt Kinback all ran strong district races and they'll be looking for a podium spot on Saturday.
Entries:
Event 608 Boys 800 Meter Run AA (24) Prelims
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NFHS Record: 1:46.45 1996 Michael Granville, BellGardensHS,CA
PIAA Record: 1:50.10 2016 Domenic Perretta, Beaver Falls 7
NFHS Hnr Rol: 1:52.00
1:59.70 SQS
Name Year School Seed relim Time
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1 Myers, Donovan 12 Seneca 10 1:57.15 SQS
2 Leeser, Tyler 11 Milton Area 04 1:58.05 SQS
3 Walwro, Mike 12 Cntrl Cambria 06 1:58.19 SQS
4 Reichenbaugh, Robert 12 Freeport Area 07 1:58.30 SQS
5 Geisler, Matt 12 Trinity 03 1:59.06 SQS
6 Tingley, Zachary 11 Lakeview 10 1:59.17 SQS
7 Cunkelman, Sam 11 Homer Center 06 1:59.38 SQS
8 Peters, Michael 12 Saint Joseph 06 1:59.39 SQS
9 Kinback, Matt 12 Lckawanna Trl 02 1:59.46 SQS
10 Anglemyer, Brandon 12 South Side 07 1:59.51 SQS
11 Shank, Daniel 12 Camp Hill 03 2:00.00
12 Sites, Griffin 11 Towanda 04 2:00.33
13 Jihad, Kamil 11 Nmnn Goretti 12 2:00.43
14 Boyd, Jarrett 12 Freedom Area 07 2:00.48
15 Cejer, Cole 12 Olsh 07 2:00.49
16 Marcelin, Josue' 12 Paul Robeson 12 2:00.54
17 Azzarello, Kenny 12 Avonworth 07 2:01.01
18 Varner, Chase 12 Sthrn Fulton 05 2:01.12
19 Clemson, Brad 11 Tamaqua Area 11 2:02.09
20 Marcelin, Jude 12 Paul Robeson 12 2:02.40
21 nichols, linkin 9 DuBois CC 09 2:03.02
22 Bolinsky, Lenny 12 No Schuylkill 11 2:03.42
23 Hummel, Austin 11 Clarion Area 09 2:03.88
24 Mardirossian, Andrew 12 New HopeSlbry 01 2:06.61