Boys' 200 Meters Preview
The greatest indoor 200-meter runner in state history is Austin Kratz. The Dock Mennonite senior rolled to the top of the Pennsylvania all-time list with a jaw-dropping performance at the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase, when he dropped a 21.04 to break Brady Gehret's 2010 state record of 21.22. Kratz left no doubt about it a few weeks after coming up just .01 short of the Gehret's mark. Kratz has the target on his back heading into Sunday and he'll be coming off the 60 dash, but he'll be favored to win his first indoor 200-meter state title.
What can't be lost here, though, is that this is, by far, the best season we've ever seen for the event in state history. North Allegheny's Ayden Owens was second to Kratz in that SPIRE race, where he ran a PA#4 all-time clocking of 21.35. He was second a year ago to another all-time great in Terrance Laird, so Owens can't be counted out here.
Neither can Sayyid Saunders of Harry S. Truman, who ran a PA#5 all-time time of 21.47 when he took second to Kratz at Ocean Breeze. He followed that up with a runaway win in 22.00 for a quick flat track time at MOCs. We all know this race will be fast, but it could also be closer than most people think.
Amazingly, two other boys who have run sub-22 are also in this field. Savion Hebron of Neshaminy is having a terrific season. The junior was fourth in that super-fast Ocean Breeze race. He went 21.89 there. Fifth in that same race was Lower Merion's Romaine Rhoden in 21.91. Both runners have come a long way since last season and will add to the craziness that will come on Sunday.
Alex Trower of Penn Hills, Rick Zink of Bishop Shanahan, James Krandel of Bethel Park, and Kristian Marche of Imhotep are among the other big names in this field. If there's one event you don't want to miss Sunday, it's this one.
Boys' 200 Meters Entries
Event 14 Boys 200 Meter Dash (24)
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Meet Record: 21.22 3/6/2010 Brady Gehret, Altoona
Name Year School
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1 Brown, Josiah 12 Muhlenberg
2 Byrd, Tyler 11 Bish McDevitt
3 Cannon Jr, Michael 11 C B South
4 Hebron, Savion 11 Neshaminy
5 Kirk, Eric 11 Coatesville
6 Klenner, Julian 11 Westtown Sch
7 Kohlman, Tyrese 12 Franklin Reg
8 Krandel, James 12 Bethel Park
9 Kratz, Austin 12 Dock Mennonite
10 Marche, Kristian 12 Imhotep Inst
11 Owens, Ayden 12 North Allegh
12 Rhoden, Romaine 12 Lower Merion
13 Russell, Cohen 11 State College
14 Sanders, Donovan 10 Girard Colle
15 Saunders, Sayyid 12 Harry S Truman
16 Shovlin, Philip 12 Springfield
17 Stello, Antonio 12 Punxsutawney
18 Sweeney, Steve 12 Bish Shanahan
19 Tait, Collin 11 Penncrest
20 Trower, Alex 12 Penn Hills
21 Ventnor, Jaiden 12 Bensalem
22 Welde, Michael 12 C R North
23 Wetzel, Calvin 11 Riverside (7
24 Zink, Rick 12 Bish Shanahan