Photo by William McBride
AAA Boys' Long Jump Preview
Like the AA long jump, the AAA long jump will also be very competitive for the state crown. North Allegheny's Ayden Owens comes in as the top seed and AAA#1 after a big leap of 23-5.75 to win a close WPIAL final. Owens is also favored in the hurdles. Can he pull off a triple win in a busy weekend,, like he did at districts?
A number of jumpers will have something to say about that. Despite the absence of reigning state champ Jahan Dotson of Nazareth Area, who transferred out-of-state, we will still see plenty of big jumps on the runways.
Ringgold's Brian Vandusen may have been seventh at WPIALs, but the senior will be a factor this weekend. He comes in with a season best of 23-3.5 from Baldwin. If he can pull out a jump like that again, he'll be tough to beat. The indoor state is also from the WPIAL. Upper Saint Clair's Harvey Kane was an upset winner in the winter, but he's not under the radar anymore. He has an outdoor best of 23-1 and should be a factor again at Ship. So will other WPIAL jumpers, Zach Taylor of Bethel Park, Rodney Thomas of Pittsburgh Central Catholic, and Pine-Richland's Zack Randolph.
District 11 boasts a pair of strong long jumpers. Perhaps no one had a better meet at Blue Mountain than Pleasant Valley's Michael Mitchell. He took home the long jump title with a PR leap of 23-2.5. He has a ton of momentum coming into states. Liberty's Darian Street took second to Mitchell with the same jump, 23-2.5, and should also make some noise at states.
Conestoga Valley's Jose Barbon, Lower Merion's Romaine Rhoden, LaSalle's Alex Sislo, and Scranton's Ky'ron Harbin make this loaded field anyone's for the taking.
Entries:
Event 714 Boys Long Jump AAA (29)
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NFHS Record: 26-04.75 1989 James Stallworth, TulareHS, CA
PIAA Record: 25-05.25 1988 Dion Bentley, Penn Hills 7
NFHS Hnr Rol: 24-00
22-00.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Mark Finals
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1 399 Owens, Ayden 11 No Allegheny 07 23-05.75 SQS
2 485 Mitchell, Michael 12 Pleasant Vly 11 23-02.50 SQS
3 333 Street, Darian 12 Liberty 11 23-02.50 SQS
4 593 Kane, Harvey 12 Uppr St Clair 07 23-01.00 SQS
5 41 Taylor, Zach 12 Bethel Park 07 22-11.25 SQS
6 481 Thomas, Rodney 12 Pittsburgh CC 07 22-09.50 SQS
7 139 Barbon, Jose 11 Conestoga Vly 03 22-08.50 SQS
8 479 Randolph, Zack 12 Pine-Richland 07 22-08.00 SQS
9 345 Rhoden, Romaine 11 Lower Merion 01 22-08.00 SQS
10 324 Sislo, Alex 12 La Salle Cllg 12 22-06.00 SQS
11 137 Whitsett, Demetri 12 Cocalico 03 22-05.50 SQS
12 525 Harbin, Ky'ron 11 Scranton 02 22-03.75 SQS
13 521 Ritchie, Isaiah 11 St Joseph's 12 22-03.50 SQS
14 252 Goodman, Jason 12 Hampton 07 22-03.50 SQS
15 460 Wildermuth, Evan 12 Penncrest 01 22-02.50 SQS
16 579 Moninghoff, Adam 12 Stroudsburg 11 22-02.00 SQS
17 510 Vandusen, Brian 12 Ringgold 07 22-01.50 SQS
18 33 Wise, Darius 12 Beaver Area 07 22-01.00 SQS
19 663 Johnson, Ahmir 11 Wissahickon 01 22-00.50 SQS
20 342 Davis, Deion 11 Lower Merion 01 22-00.25 SQS
21 287 Lindsey, Kyle 12 Hollidaysburg 06 22-00.00 SQS
22 631 Ali, Qayyim 2 Williamsport 04 21-10.25
23 628 Baxter, Markeith 11 Wm Tennent 01 21-08.00
24 80 Carson, Jaelen 9 Cathedrl Prep 10 21-06.25
25 347 Tate, Davon 10 Lower Merion 01 21-05.00
26 275 Martin, David 11 Hempfield 03 21-04.00
27 261 Tasker, Dontrece 12 Harrisburg 03 21-03.00
28 378 Ferguson, Treyvon 11 Miltn Hershey 03 21-02.00
29 71 Vleminckx, Mitch 12 Bradford Area 09 21-01.00