AAA Boys' 100m Hurdles Preview
Ayden Owens of North Allegheny sent shockwaves through Shippensburg when he dropped a 13.76 to win the 110-meter hurdles state title last year, breaking the PIAA meet record in the process. Since then, he's taken down the state record in the 60-meter hurdles and won a national title indoors. He also popped a 13.68 at WPIALs last week, showing he's ahead of schedule from last season.
Owens could make a run at Wellington Zaza 13.54 overall state record, keep an eye on the clock come Saturday.
Catching Owens will be tough, but the rest of the field is solid. Penn Manor's Taraje Whitfield has seen some solid improvement in the high hurdles. He was fourth last year at states, but ran a nice PR of 14.13 to win the District 3 title last week. Along with Harrisburg's Richard Gilchrist and Wilson's Alex Cluff and Trevor Thenga, D3 will have a number of contenders toeing the line. Gilchrist was fifth last year at states.
Delaware Valley's CJ Anderson has really emerged this season. He ran 14.32 before rolling to the District 2 title. Watch for Anderson this weekend. Jared Elters of Coatesville went 14.55 to repeat as District 1 champ this past week. He was eighth a year ago and looks to have it in him to improve upon that this weekend.
State College Area's Chase Longenecker (District 6 champion), Hampton's Mike Yakich, Hempfield Area's Jared Bannon, and NA's Donovan Rice are the others in this field that will make a run for the final.
ENTRIES:
Event 702 Boys 110 Meter Hurdles AAA (26) Prelims =============================================================================== NFHS Record: 13.30 1990 Chris Nelloms, DaytonDunbarHS, OH PIAA Record: 13.76 2017 Ayden Owens, North Allegheny 7 NFHS Hnr Rol: 14.00 15.10 SQS Name Year School Seed relim Time =============================================================================== 1 Owens, Ayden 12 No Allegheny 07 13.68 SQS 2 Whitfield, Taraje 12 Penn Manor 03 14.13 SQS 3 Gilchrist, Richard 12 Harrisburg 03 14.36 SQS 4 Anderson, C. J. 12 Delaware Vly 02 14.39 SQS 5 Cluff, Alex 12 Wilson 03 14.39 SQS 6 Elters, Jared 12 Coatesville 01 14.65 SQS 7 Yakich, Mike 12 Hampton 07 14.73 SQS 8 Bannon, Jared 11 Hempfield 07 14.80 SQS 9 Thenga, Trevor 12 Wilson 03 14.90 SQS 10 Rice, Donovan 11 No Allegheny 07 14.90 SQS 11 Taylor, Allen 9 Williamsport 04 14.93 SQS 12 Wiggins, Ramir 11 Norristown 01 14.96 SQS 13 Franklin, John 12 Shaler Area 07 15.05 SQS 14 Longenecker, Chase 11 State College 06 15.05 SQS 15 Vasquez, Andre 12 Woodlnd Hills 07 15.10 SQS 16 Gates, Brenden 12 Warwick 03 15.13 17 Young, Curtis 11 North Penn 01 15.13 18 Posten, Powell 11 ES South 11 15.14 19 Thompson, Katrell 12 Easton Area 11 15.15 20 Robinson, Ethan 10 D-Town West 01 15.26 21 Graham, Tony 11 Ridley 01 15.32 22 Willis, Taemar 12 Northeastern 03 15.36 23 McEwen, Connor 10 Grove City 10 15.44 24 Kromah, Lansana 11 Overbrook 12 15.63 25 Stafford, Matthew 11 Bradford Area 09 15.64 26 Harper, Thomas 10 Archbshp Ryan 12 16.16