The Hispanic Games - Meet Preview
A number of top teams and individuals are back at the Armory on Friday and Saturday and we should see plenty of fast times and big performances like we're used to.
GIRLS PREVIEW
Thelma Davies will return to the track on Saturday. The Girard College junior went US#1 (7.45) in the 60 meters this past week at the Burdette Classic. She'll drop down to the 55 meters at Hispanic on the same track where she posted her PR of 6.82 when she won at Millrose. The meet record is 6.85, so look for Davies to go after that. Norristown's Jonae Cook (PA#2 60m) is also entered in the 55 meter dash.
Davies and Cook will also return for the 200 meters later. Davies is yet to contest the 200 meters this season, but we'll see what she can bring to the table. Her indoor PR is 24.02 and the current US#1 belongs to NY's Lanae-Tava Thomas at 23.87.
Abby Norwillo of Pittston Area returns to The Armory looking for another big performance in the pole vault. She made history jumping 13-0.5 last week at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic and will look for another big day on the runway.
In the 55 meter hurdles, Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren will be one to watch. She sits at US#3 in the event after running 8.02 early in the season. She'll square off with US#1 Sophia Myers (NY) in a Marine Corps Holiday Classic rematch, which Myers won. Look for a motivated Warren to try and take back that US#1 spot, which stands at 8.00.
Warren will also face off with Upper Dublin's Madison Langley-Walker in the long jump. Warren is at PA#3 and Langley-Walker is at PA#4. Warren is the top seed in the triple jump, where she currently sits at PA#1 and US#2.
The Baldwin School's Acey Pratt is the lone PA entry in the invitational 400 meters. She ran 58.88 last spring outdoors. In the Varsity 400 meters, Penn Wood's Elicia Moore, Abington's Rorie Spencer and Baldwin School's Absarah Irgau are among the top PA names in the field. Penn Wood's Kyra Carroll and Chester's Kamani Johns are top entries in the 800 meters.
Kacey Lambinus of Quakertown will be one to watch in the high jump. She currently sits at PA#3 with a best of 5-4 earlier this season in the event.
BOYS PREVIEW
Another weekend, another busy meet for Kyle Garland. The Germantown Academy senior returns to the Armory this weekend. He's the top seed in the 55 meter hurdles, where he's US#1 with a time of 7.25. His best challenge there will come fro fellow Pennsylvanian Nasan Robbins of Pennsbury. Robbins is US#2 (behind Garland) in the 60 meter hurdles.
Garland is also the top seed in the high jump. His best this season so far is 6-11, but he's surely hungry to get over 7 feet this weekend.
In the 55 meters, PA#2 Armonte Paulk of Hill-Freedman and PA#3 Austin Montgomery of Norristown will be the two Pennsylvania sprinters to watch for in this deep field. Imhotep's Kristian Marche (PA#1 60m) is also entered and the Keystone State could have plenty of finalists running fast times here.
All three will return for the 200 meters later in the day. Expect this trio to make some noise in these deep fields.
Also running the 200 meters is Council Rock North's Michael Welde, but he's also entered in the invitational 400 meters. That field includes Paulk and Bishop Shanahan's Rick Zink. We should see those boys chase sub-50 times. Paulk already ran a PA#1 49.94 last week.
In the invitational mile, Pennsbury's Jed Scratchard is the lone PA entry. He'll look to move up from his PA#6 standing. In the invitational 2 mile, Cheltenham's Jason Cornelison, William Tennent's Sean Rahill, and Penncrest's Avery Lederer are the PA entries. Each will be chasing a fast time.
There are plenty of talented PA runners entered in the 800 meters. Headlining that group is Quakertown's Hudson Delisle. Also in the field is Bishop Shanahan's Jonah Hoey and Logan Yoquinto, Saint Joseph's Prep's Robert Dupell III, and Pennsbury's Scratchard, Javier Linares, and Aidan Sauer. So far this season, only two PA 800 meter runners have dipped under 2 minutes, but we should expect at least a few of these boys to go well under that barrier.
In the pole vault, Germantown Academy's Caleb Johnson and William Tennent's Randy Showmaker are the two PA names to watch for. Johnson has had a great start to his season, including a jump of 15-0 at The Armory last week. He'll look to improve on that PA#4 vault this weekend.
Imhotep's Akeem Cooper will look for a big day in the horizontal jumps. Particularly in the triple jump, Cooper figures to be a serious statewide factor this season.