Franklin & Marshall College HS Invitational #2 - Meet Preview
GIRLS' PREVIEW
FIELD
Last week, Mackenzie Horn of Manheim Township made yet another sizable leap up the all-time rankings with her 13-3 performance at Kutztown. She's now PA#2 all-time and she's wasting no time getting back on the runway. The pole vault will once again be an event worth watching for. In addition to Horn (PA#1/US#4), Hempfield's Carena Nottoli (PA#3), Loyalsock's Hailey Zurich (PA#4), Manheim Township's Sydney Horn (PA#7), and Spring Ford's Melissa Israel (PA#8) are also in the field.
Reading's Keeley Suzenski returns to action this weekend in the shot put. Suzenski sits at PA#2 after a season best throw of 41-7.75 at Kutztown last week. She'll look to add to that as the strong favorite heading into the meet.
Karina Long of Lower Dauphin returns to the venue where she started her season off in a big way back in early December. Long jumped 18-7.5 at F&M to open up the winter season and currently sits at PA#2. Can she improve on that on Saturday? She'll have good competition from Palmyra's Camryn Simpson, who is also entered. Long is also entered in the long jump, along with Central Dauphin's Gabriella Recce and Milton Hershey's Rebecca Tarnve.
In the high jump, look for Central Dauphin's Taye Dairo, who cleared a PA#5 of 5-4 in the event at Kutztown last week.
TRACK
Jane Livingston of Conestoga Valley went PA#4 a few weeks in the 55 meter hurdles. She'll look for a quick time this week in the 60 meter hurdles, as she enters as the top seed this week. She's also entered in the 60 meter dash that includes East Pennsboro's Cece Insalaco.
The 3,000 meters will be one of the day's best events. Headlining that field the state's top distance runner, Marlee Starliper of Northern. Starliper, the XC state champ in 2A, went 4:49.18 in the mile at the Millrose Game Trials a few weeks back and will look to drop a fast 3K this weekend. The field is strong after Starliper, with Eastern York's Maddie McLain, Cocalico's Jamie Zamrin, and Spring Ford's Gabriella Bamford among the other
In the 1,600 meters, look out for Dallastown's Emily Schuler. The sophomore is coming off a great season in XC and made her indoor debut a few weeks ago at Kutztown. Also in the field is Central Dauphin East's Delaney Line. Line's teammate Makenna Krebs will look for the win in the 800 meters, an event she won at LVC a few weeks ago.
BOYS' PREVIEW
FIELD
In the long jump we'll see a good matchup between Lampeter-Strasburg's Ezra Mellinger and Conestoga Valley's Jose Barbon. Mellinger enters at PA#6, while Barbon is at PA#10. Will Rivers of Manheim Central is also in this solid field of entries.
In the pole vault, PA#1 Payton Morris of East Pennsboro is back to work. The senior will aim for big heights again this week;he current PR and season best is 15-7.
In the high jump, Reading's Juan Mato-Segura will look for another strong effort. He sits at PA#4 and has cleared 6-6 twice this season.
Kamron Kobolak of Cinnaminson (NJ) is the top seed in the shot put. He currently sits at NJ#2 and will look for a strong effort on Saturday. Jeff Kline of Fleetwood Area (PA#10) is the top PA athlete in that field.
TRACK
Penn Manor's Taraje Whitfield is back in action this weekend in the 60-meter hurdles. In his only meet this winter, Whitfield dropped a PA#4 of 8.22 at Penn State. He'll aim for his PR of 8.15 this weekend, so watch out for Whitfield.
We should see a good race in the 1,600 meters, as Juniata's Garrett Baublitz takes on Cocalico's Evan Kreider. Baublitz pulled out a great performance at Kevin Dare a few weeks ago, running a PA#8 in the mile (4:24.21). Kreider will be looking to improve upon the 4:33 he ran at F&M last month. Baublitz is also entered in the 3,000 meters along with Boyertown's Dominic Derafelo, Manheim Township's Ian Miller, Mifflin County's Chayce Macknair, Ephrata's Andrew Foster, and Spring Ford's Jacob McKenna and Shane Ainscoe.
In the 800 meters, the top seed is Mifflin County's Seth Phillips. He sits at PA#8 after a strong race at Kevin Dare a few weeks ago.