AA Boys' Long Jump Preview
Brendan Sparr has made a habit of stepping up at the right time. The Schuylkill Valley senior has won the last two AA state titles in the long jump. Despite battling injuries last year, the then-junior pulled out a solid leap to win the state championship. In his final state meet, Sparr comes in with the best AA jump of the season at 23-09.5, hoping to add title No. 3 to his resume.
But Sparr's Schuylkill Valley teammate Joe Jardine came away with the District 3 title over the weekend. Jardine, who specializes in the pole vault, has improved a great deal in the LJ this season and jumped a PR of 23-02.5 at Bruce Dallas. SV will look to dominate the podium at Ship like they did at D3.
Dock Mennonite's Austin Kratz has been turning heads all year long in the sprints, but the senior is also a very strong long jumper. He was third at states the past two years in the event, but he'll be looking to move up to first this time around. He jumped a PR of 23-03 earlier this season, so it could be in the cards for the Arizona State recruit.
John Reichenbach of Salisbury leapt to the District 11 title last week in the long jump. The senior jumped a best of 22-08.5 this season, and, after a sixth place finish in the event last season, should be a factor again this season. Palisades' Josh Volak was second to Reichenbach at the D11 Championships. He's also a returning medalist (seventh in 2017), so he'll be gunning for a podium return at Ship.
WPIAL champ Joseph Kearney of Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic put down a big PR at districts and he'll come in as the No. 2 seed at states. Hickory's Brian Phillips, Freedom Area's Santino Guandolo, Aliquippa's Avante McKenize, and Hopewell's Dantae Ranieri are among the others in the field that could make some noise.
ENTRIES:
Event 614 Boys Long Jump AA (26)
===============================================================================
NFHS Record: 26-04.75 1989 James Stallworth, TulareHS, CA
PIAA Record: 24-03.50 1976 Russell Dickinson, Octorara 1
NFHS Hnr Rol: 24-00
21-06.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Mark Finals
===============================================================================
1 Jardine, Joe 12 Schuylkll Val 03 22-11.50 SQS
2 Kearney, Joseph 10 Cardinl Wuerl 07 22-08.00 SQS
3 Sparr, Brendan 12 Schuylkll Val 03 22-02.75 SQS
4 Phillips, Brian 11 Hickory 10 22-01.50 SQS
5 Reichenbach, John 12 Salisbury Twp 11 22-00.25 SQS
6 Guandolo, Santino 12 Freedom Area 07 21-11.00 SQS
7 McKenzie, Avante 11 Aliquippa 07 21-10.50 SQS
8 Ranieri, Dantae 12 Hopewell 07 21-09.75 SQS
9 Glen, Brian 12 W Shore Chr 03 21-09.00 SQS
10 Bhangdia, Thomas 12 Lewisburg 04 21-09.00 SQS
11 Kraner, Jason 10 Shenango 07 21-08.00 SQS
12 Kratz, Austin 12 Dock Menn 01 21-07.50 SQS
13 Maffeo, Marco 12 South Park 07 21-07.00 SQS
14 Dworek, Bryan 11 Brookville 09 21-05.50
15 Smith, Kegan 12 Richland 06 21-04.75
16 Coffey, De-Angelo 11 Brookville 09 21-03.75
17 Hood, Najese 11 EL Meyers 02 21-02.25
18 Long, Jonathan 12 Forest Hills 06 21-01.50
19 Wheeler, Braden 12 Fairview 10 21-00.75
20 Karycki, Tanner 11 Mount Carmel 04 20-11.50
21 Volak, Josh 11 Palisades 11 20-10.50
22 Dillow, Noah 12 Chestnt Ridge 05 20-09.00
23 Meredith, Jacob 12 Tyrone Area 06 20-07.75
24 Green, Daeshon 11 HS Future 12 19-07.50
25 White, Justin 12 Constitution 12 19-00.00
26 Gregory, Jabril 12 Mstry Pickett 12 18-05.00