AAA Girls' Javelin Throw Preview
A pair of the nation's top javelin throwers will square off in a can't-miss event at the PIAA State Championships. Mifflin County's Skylar Ciccolini, in the midst of a great junior season, will take on fellow junior Brianna Spirnak of Elizabeth Forward.
Ciccolini sits at US#2 heading into the weekend. She threw 172-02 for the win at the Penn Relays and then a few weeks later improved upon that, throwing 173-11 at Mid-Penns for the win. Only Dana Baker of Kansas is ranked ahead of her in the national list. Ciccolini was second last year to all-time great Madison Wiltrout, who holds the national record at 185-08. This weekend, she'll go for her first state crown and possibly an opportunity to move up some all-time lists.
But Spirnak will give her a great challenge. In her last three meets, Spirnak has thrown 150-07, 151-00 and 150-01, a sign of great consistency. It will likely take another big PR for her to challenge Ciccolini, but Spirnak, who comes in at US#7, is a formidable foe.
Laurel Bristow of Baldwin was second to Spirnak at WPIALs. He threw a best of 140-11 this season and will look to make a run at a high finish and a medal. Cocalico's Mackenzie Hainley tossed a PR of 140-05 to win the District 3 crown. She got her first state experience last year (and placed 20th), but she's much improved this year and should contend.
There's a deep field of contenders in this field. 13 total girls have thrown over 130 feet in AAA. District 6 champion Sadie McCaleb of Central Mountain, District 1 champion Renee Shultz of Bishop Shanahan, District 10 champion Ryann Brundage of Corry Area (seventh in 2017), Palmyra's Kirstin West (fourth in 2017), Greencastle-Antrim's Keri Gearhart, Penncrest's Tara Higgins, Central Dauphin's Megan Fry, and Garnet Valley's Riley Beebe are among the many girls with a good shot at making the podium.
ENTRIES:
Event 318 Girls Javelin Throw AAA (29)
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NFHS Record: 185-08 2015 Madison Wiltrout, Connellsville HS, PA
PIAA Record: 182-08 2015 Madison Wiltrout, Connellsville 7
NFHS Hnr Rol: 140-00
122-00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Mark Finals
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1 Ciccolini, Skylar 11 Mifflin Cnty 06 167-11 SQS
2 Spirnak, Brianna 11 Elzbth Forwrd 07 150-01 SQS
3 Hainley, Mackenzie 12 Cocalico 03 140-05 SQS
4 McCaleb, Sadie 12 Central Mnt 06 132-10 SQS
5 Bristow, Laurel 12 Baldwin 07 131-09 SQS
6 Shultz, Renee 12 Bish Shanahan 01 130-09 SQS
7 Gearhart, Keri 12 Greencastle 03 130-08 SQS
8 Higgins, Tara 12 Penncrest 01 130-07 SQS
9 Fry, Megan 12 Cntrl Dauphin 03 128-01 SQS
10 Brundage, Ryann 12 Corry Area 10 126-09 SQS
11 Bonin, Paige 12 Hazleton Area 02 126-04 SQS
12 Malicky, Lyndsay 12 Jersey Shore 04 125-07 SQS
13 Pavlick, Marija 12 Mt Lebanon 07 125-01 SQS
14 Beebe, Riley 11 Garnet Valley 01 124-09 SQS
15 West, Kirstin 12 Palmyra 03 124-06 SQS
16 Ackerman, Maryann 9 Slippery Rock 10 124-02 SQS
17 Ball, Ashton 12 Spring Grove 03 124-01 SQS
18 Benton, Madison 12 Altoona Area 06 123-05 SQS
19 Kishel, Shelby 12 Neshaminy 01 123-02 SQS
20 Lorince, Maddy 12 Mt Pleasant 07 123-02 SQS
21 Lorson, Reba 11 Jersey Shore 04 122-11 SQS
22 Marinero, JayCee 12 Shikellamy 04 122-07 SQS
23 Staib, Shelby 11 Parkland 11 122-03 SQS
24 Prodes, Eleni 12 Liberty 11 121-07
25 Hahn, Lauren 11 CB West 01 118-00
26 Fafard, Jocelyn 10 Quakertown 01 117-03
27 Coffman, Abby 12 Bradford Area 09 102-06
28 Mast, Madolin 11 Central 12 101-08
29 Davis, Shardenai 11 Palumbo 12 96-04