The Neumann Goretti girls dropped a US#1 in the 4x800-meter relay, clocking the sixth fastest time in state history and second fastest by a PA team at Penn. The Saints went 8:57.09 for the win and wound up second overall (top American squad) to Jamaica's Holmwood Tech (8:48.33). Mykala Perry posted the fastest split -- 2:11.51 -- for NG.
The Neumann Goretti girls also posted the fastest Pennsylvania time of the day in the 4x400-meter relay. NG blasted a 3:45.22 in the Philadelphia Area race to close out the girls' high school races on Saturday. Perry split 54.69 on the second leg.
Sydni Townsend of Neumann Goretti was the top PA finisher in the 400-meter hurdles, running a time of 1:00.19 to finish seventh overall. That time improves upon her own PA#1, which she ran at Bullis. Upper Dublin's Madison Langley-Walker was 12th in 1:02.83.
Cheltenham posted the meet's top 4x100-meter relay time by a Pennsylvania squad. The Panthers went 47.39 in the Tri-State finals for the win and a new PA#1. Coatesville took fourth in a PA#2 time of 47.94.
Marlee Starliper of Northern captured the win in the girls' mile, running 4:47.51 for the victory, a US#3. The sophomore made a pivotal move around the midway point and was home-free from there. Upper Saint Clair's Savannah Shaw was 4:55.74 for third, a US#16.
Katie Dammer of Abington Heights went 9:45.76 for fourth in a close girls' 3K. She hung near the front for most of the race and came away with a strong result.
Friends' Central took fifth in the DMR Championship of America. FCS ran 12:14.22 to finish as the top PA team. Penn Charter was sixth in 12:19.52.
FIELD EVENTS
Skylar Ciccolini of Mifflin County tossed the nation's best throw in the javelin on Thursday to win the event by nearly 30 feet over second place. Ciccolini threw 172-02, a PR and new US#1. It's also the second best throw in state history, trailing only Madison Wiltrout's national high school record throw of 185-08.
Another US#1 came in the shot put, which was dominated by Berwick's Payden Montana. She threw a new PR and nation leader of 50-07 to win by over three and a half feet. That's just four inches off Heather Colyer's 1997 state record of 50-11.
Athens Area's Breana Gambrell won the girls' long jump with her season best jump of 20-04.5. The senior took down New York's Lanae-Tava Thomas for the win. That's a PA#1 and US#4 leap for Gambrell.
Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren put together a terrific series on the triple jump runway. The junior posted a best of 41-00.5 for a new PR, PA#, and US#15. She also had two other jumps over 40 feet.
Piper Klinger of Selinsgrove was the top Pennsylvania girl in the discus. She launched a throw of 151-09 to place fourth. That was a PA#1 as of Thursday, though Klinger (and Montana) would throw better on Saturday.
Pittston Area's Abby Norwillo placed fifth in the pole vault. She cleared 12-03.5 to finish as the top PA girl.
Lydia Bottelier of Palisades continued her great season in the high jump. She jumped 5-07.25 for eighth, though that clearance matched that of the third place finisher.