There were some incredible performances during December. We nominated a few athletes from each gender and now its your responsibility to vote for the December Athletes of the Month. Voting will close at 5 PM on Thursday (January 5th).
Be sure to vote in both of the MileSplit FanPower window below.
This Week's Girls Candidates:
(Listed in Random Order)
Elizabeth Tapper (Hempfield (7)) - Tapper came out firing this season with a new indoor personal best of 46-11. As a result, she sits as the current US No. 1, with a mark that would have ranked sixth in 2022.
Avery Lewis (Friends' Central) - Has won four events this year. At the Armory HS Holiday Classic, she ran an Indoor Personal best of 55.89 in the 400m. That marks a current US No. 2. She also has a US No. 3 in the 300m (38.60) and a US No. 7 in the Long Jump (19-6). She leads PA in all three events.
Maddy Kelley (Villa Maria Academy) - Won the Pole Vault at the DVGTCA Meet #1 and #2. She jumped an Indoor personal best of 13-0 at DVGTCA #2, which currently ranks as a PA No. 1 and a US No. 3.
Taleea Buxton (West Catholic) - Won the TJ and 55mH at the Ursinus High School Invitational, then won the Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival in the 55mH with a PA No.1 and US No. 4 8.03.
Sophia Rodriguez (Dallastown Area Middle School) - Ran a National Best Middle School Mark in the 3200m. Rodriguez ran 10:21.39 to win the LAB Holiday Invite in Michigan. The time would currently stand as a US No. 1 amongst High Schoolers.
Laila Campbell (Spring Grove) - Won the Bison Opener (a college-level meet), competing unattached in both the 60m and 200m dash. Campbell then won the Alvernia Holiday Classic 60m dash. Her 7.56 is currently a PA No. 1 and a US No. 2.
This Week's Boys Candidates:
(Listed in Random Order)
Darion Baumgartner (Chambersburg) - Won the 55mH and ran a personal best of 7.48 in the prelims. That personal best mark currently ranks as the US No. 1 mark. He also ran a personal best of 23.72 200m at the same meet.
Brian DiCola (Hatboro Horsham) - Wasted no time indoors after a successful cross-country season. DiCola ran a US No.2 time of 8:30.14 in the 3000-meter run at the TFCAofGP Meet #2. That time is the sixth fastest in Pennsylvania history.
Aidan Hodge (Hempfield (3)) - Opened his 2023 season with a win at the Armory Holiday Classic in the Mile (4:26.46) and a second-place finish in the 800m (1:58.25). In doing so, he set new PA No. 1 marks in both events. He currently sits inside the Top 15 of both events nationally.
Walton Garnett (Chester) - Notched four Top-2 finishes in December. Notably, he won the 400-meter dash at the Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival with a personal best of 49.36. That time currently ranks as a PA No. 1 and as the US No. 13.
Drew Domurat (Coatesville) - Opened the 2023 season with back-to-back wins at the TFCAofGP Meet #1 and the Robert J Burdette Classic. At the TFCAofGP, he jumped an indoor personal best of 6-5. He ranks as the PA No. 1 and inside the Top-15 nationally.
Lavar Jackson (Upper Darby) - Ran a PA No. 1 60m dash with his 6.98 at the TFCAofGP Meet #3. That time ranks him just outside the Top 20 Nationally.