Girls' Recap - Marine Corps Holiday Classic
Friday was a huge day for the girls on Neumann Goretti. First, in the open 400 meters, NG girls threw down the top three times in the state for the event. Sydni Townsend took second in a PA#1 55.99, a time that no PA girl has touched before the new year in recent memory. Mykala Perry was third in a PA#2 57.06 and Dasia Wilson was fifth in a PA#3 58.10.
The Saints weren't done, though. Neumann Goretti ran a time of 3:52.07 for a new US#1 in the event. That's the fastest time by a PA 4x4 in December since West Catholic went 3:48.57 in 2004 (it eventually won a national title). Springside Chestnut Hill ran a PA#4 4:02.63 to take fifth place. Penn Wood placed sixth and Chester was seventh in the 4x4.
Neumann Goretti also ran a state-leading time in the 4x200 meter relay, clocking a 1:42.83 in the finals to place fourth. Cheltenham was fifth in the finals, but ran a PA#2 1:43.41 in the prelims.
Gabrielle Wilkinson of Friends' Central kept her impressive start to her senior season rolling into Friday. Wilkinson put down a 2:10.81 to run away with the 800 meters and take over the US#1 spot. This comes a few weeks after she ran 4:56 in the mile at this very track. Wilkinson keeps proving that she is determined to make her senior season a special one. Before 2018 has even started, she's well on her way.
Pittston Area's Abby Norwillo had a big day in the pole vault. The senior cleared 13-0.5 for the win. That makes Norwillo just the fourth girl in state history to eclipse the 13-foot mark. The jump betters her own US#2 and is her fourth win on the season---a sign that she could continue to move up the all-time list by season's end.
Norwillo is now the third best Pennsylvania vaulter in state history. Have a look at the top all-time performances in state history below and check out out the all-time database list here:
| RANK | MARK | ATHLETE/TEAM | GRADE | MEET DATEPLACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13-9.25 | 2017 | ||
| 2 | 13-2.5 | 2008 | ||
| 3 | 13-0.5 | 2018 | ||
| 4 | 13-0 | 2006 |
In the long jump, Athens Area's Breana Gambrell, the outdoor state record holder, got her indoor season off to a good start. Gambrell, a senior, jumped 19-2 in the long jump to grab second place. It's a PA#1 and US#2 behind the event's winner Lanae-Tava Thomas of NY. Upper Dublin's Madison Langley-Walker took fourth in the long jump with a leap of 18-2.
In the triple jump, Christina Warren of Perkiomen Valley earned the win with a best of 39-10. It's not quite her best of the season (a jump of 40-3.75 came last week), but it is Warren's third time with a jump of over 39 feet on the season, showing the consistency is certainly there. Gambrell took third with a PA#2 jump of 38-2.5.
Warren also placed second in the 55 meter hurdles, running a time of 8.11. Cheltenham's Brianna Smith ran 8.67 to take seventh in the hurdles. Smith also cleared 5-4 in the high jump for second place.
A pair of Cheltenham sprinters put down the state's top two times in the 300 meters. Alexis Crosby ran 39.87 to take fourth place, while Bria Barnes clocked in at 39.95 for fifth place in a strong performance.
The state's top four times in the 200 meters came at Marine Corps on Friday. Lauryn James of Central continued her strong season with a 25.44 for a new PA#1 time. She placed eighth in the finals. Susquehanna Township's Jocelynn Burton (PA#2 26.15), Chester's Kamani Johns (PA#3 26.31), and Susquehanna Township's Jada Burton (26.37) all put down solid times.
Ni Asia Williams of Cheltenham ran very well in the 55 meters. Williams went 7.32 for second in the finals and a new PA#4. Susquehanna Township's Marjia Allen took third in a time of 7.37.