Kristin Reed (Upper Perkiomen), Brittany Long (Perkiomen Valley), Kristie Moltz (Owen J. Roberts) - photo by Mike Carpenter.
Photo Gallery by Mike Carpenter, Perkiomen Valley.
Both the temperature and the times were smoking hot at the Pioneer Athletic Conference Championships at Pottstown Area High School. As the Phoenixville boys and Upper Perkiomen girls walked away with the team titles, many male and female athletes had elite performances that will be talked about all over the state. Upper Perk JR Kristin Reed, 2nd in the 1600m at the PIAA State Championships last year, took her share of medals home throughout the two day competition. On Friday, Reed found herself in trouble, battling it out with long time friend and rival Brittany Long. Long, a SR at Perk Valley, edged out Reed for the 3200m, running an impressive 11:07.56. On Saturday, Reed anchored her 4x800 team to a third place finish and then turned around and won the 1600m (5:16.61) and the 800m (2:24.49). Spring-Ford?'s Laruen Slack almost captured an impressive four gold medals. Slack won the 100 hurdles in 15.61 and the 300 version in 46.25. Off the track, she battled it out with Boyertown SR Natalie Miller. Miller jumped an impressive 17-5.5 in the long jump, but Slack jumped just half an inch farther, getting her third win in 17-6. But Miller shut slack down in the high jump, clearing 5-4, bettering Slack?s 5-3. Pottsgrove'?s Megan Van Buskirk showed her stuff in the triple jump, crushing the field by over two and a half feet, jumping 37-8. Owen J Roberts sprinting sensation Meagan Wolf captured the 400m in 57.71, and finished second in the 100m and the 200m behind Alisha Harmon of Pottstown, who went 12.65 and 25.71. Harmon then led her 4x100 to a hot first place finish in 50.20. The 4x800 was also a quick one, with St. Pius X, Perkiomen Valley, and Upper Perkiomen all going under 10:00, with St. Pius taking the win in 9:48.94.
The mid-distance and distance fields in the boys PAC10 were amazing this season. Owen J Roberts?' Chris Edleman edged out Pottstown?'s Chris Reddick in a fast 400m, finishing in 49.61 and 49.81 respectively. Edleman also finished second in the 200m and fourth in the 100m. The 800m was a competitive race, but had a clear winner, as Spring-Ford?'s Ashton Johnson was the only man under two minutes, finishing in 1:57.89. Boyertown SO Jason Weller took the distance double, edging out Owen J Roberts SR Austin Craven in both the 1600m and the 3200m. Weller went 4:27.63 and 9:27.12. Reddick was just one of many male athletes to have an impressive win in a field event, as he won the long jump in 21-8.5. Perk Valley SO Tyrone Jones threw a strong 48-8.25 to win the shot and Upper Perk?'s Kyle Krum won the Javelin in 169-1. Boyertown'?s Jon Warren won the Discus by 13?, winning in 145-6. Teammate Ryan Kramer had a good day as well, winning the high jump in 6-7, a new league championship record. Pottstown?'s Jarris Mayes showed his stuff off the track, winning the triple jump in 44-11, and on the track, taking the 110HH in 14.78. Perk Valley'?s Brian Hurst won the 300 version in 39.91. All three relays were competitive to the finish: Pottstown edged Pottsgrove in the 4x100, going 43.51 and 43.74; Pottstown also edged Owen J Roberts in the 4x400, going 3:26.85 and 3:27.15; and Ashton Johnson lead Spring-Ford to a come-from-behind win over Owen J Roberts in the 4x800, 8:05.52 to 8:06.13. Johnson'?s unofficial split was 1:54.8.