AAA Boys' 300m Hurdles Preview
Two years ago, Ayden Owens took home his first career PIAA state title, winning the 300-meter hurdles in AAA as a sophomore. He's had a legendary career since then, and as he enters his last state meet, he's better than ever. Owens ran 36.65 to win the WPIAL title last week. He's now just .22 off Eric Futch's PIAA meet and overall state record, which stands at 36.43.
Owens always brings his 'A' game to Shippensburg and he'll take a run at Futch's time on Saturday, just as he will with Wellington Zaza's in the high hurdles.
Meanwhile, Taraje Whitfield of Penn Manor made a big statement at the District 3 Championships, running 37.57 to win the event. That's a PR by over a second and he seems primed for a big race back at Ship. Alex Cluff of Wilson was second to Whitfield in that race. After a third place finish a year ago, Cluff is hurdling the best of his career and has made himself a threat as well.
There's some great depth in the intermediate hurdles, including District 2 champion CJ Anderson of Delaware Valley and D2 runner-up Antonio Maletta of Abington Heights. Butler's Jacob Wolfrum went 38.73 to take second at WPIALs to Owens. Powell Posten of East Stroudsburg South has become one of the state's top hurdlers (he won the District 11 title).
North Allegheny's Donovan Rice, State College's Zachary DeCarmine, Northeast's Godwin Kabanda, Williamsport freshman Allen Taylor, Pine-Richland's Luke Meckler and Central Bucks South's Kyle Magee will all aim to make this potentially historic final.
ENTRIES:
Event 707 Boys 300 Meter Hurdles AAA (26) Prelims
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NFHS Record: 35.02 2009 Reggie Wyatt, RiversideLaSierraHS, CA
PIAA Record: 36.43 2011 Eric Futch, Penn Wood 1
NFHS Hnr Rol: 37.40
39.80 SQS
Name Year School Seed relim Time
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1 Owens, Ayden 12 No Allegheny 07 36.65 SQS
2 Whitfield, Taraje 12 Penn Manor 03 37.57 SQS
3 Cluff, Alex 12 Wilson 03 38.29 SQS
4 Anderson, C. J. 12 Delaware Vly 02 38.65 SQS
5 Wolfrum, Jacob 12 Butler 07 38.73 SQS
6 Maletta, Antonio 11 Abington Hts 02 39.13 SQS
7 Posten, Powell 11 ES South 11 39.40 SQS
8 Rice, Donovan 11 No Allegheny 07 39.41 SQS
9 DeCarmine, Zachary 10 State College 06 39.42 SQS
10 Kabanda, Godwin 11 Northeast 12 39.45 SQS
11 Taylor, Allen 9 Williamsport 04 39.45 SQS
12 Meckler, Luke 10 Pine-Richland 07 39.63 SQS
13 Magee, Kyle 12 CB South 01 39.74 SQS
14 Buhr, Owen 12 New Oxford 03 39.74 SQS
15 Gates, Brenden 12 Warwick 03 39.77 SQS
16 Reed, Zach 11 Manheim Cntrl 03 40.04
17 Paskey, Andrew 11 York Suburban 03 40.08
18 Cardamone, Chris 12 CB South 01 40.09
19 Graham, Tony 11 Ridley 01 40.14
20 Robbins, Nasan 12 Pennsbury 01 40.19
21 Tackett, Christian 10 Liberty 11 40.35
22 Webb, Charlie 11 WC East 01 40.72
23 Hardy, Luke 11 La Salle Cllg 12 40.81
24 Kromah, Lansana 11 Overbrook 12 40.84
25 Yount, Dylan 12 Harbor Creek 10 41.12
26 Ambrose, Jaron 11 Bradford Area 09 41.26