Kennedy Shank of Northern moved up to a share of the PA#2 spot in the girls pole vault with a clearance of 11-9. Jared McHenry of Warrior Run cleared 13-9 to win the boys pole vault.
On a frigid Tuesday night outside, a new star was being born on the inside at Haverford College.
Claudine Andre of Upper Darby stole show in the infield of the annual Girls Delco Indoor Championships. The senior broke her own meet record in the high jump and took over the state lead with a clearance of 5-7! She also had two good attempts at 5-9, but clipped the bar with her feet. Despite missing out on an even bigger personal best, she came away with two more gold medals, winning the long jump in a PA#3 17-11 and the 55 meter hurdles in a PA#7 8.84. Her teammate Ashli Cook won the 400 meter dash in a PA#4 58.89 and the Upper Darby 4x200 meter relay ran 1:49.03 to win the event.
Strath Haven put on a show of their own with their senior duo of Allie Wilson and Kristen Miller. Wilson took to the track first and won the mile in a state leading 5:13.27, holding off PA#3 Amy Kelly of Cardinal O’Hara (5:16.60). Miller stepped up next in the 800 meter run. After holding back and letting someone one else pace the race, Miller turned on the burners in the final two laps and cruised to victory with a PA#3 2:18.36. Finally, the duo anchored the final two legs of the 4x400 meter relay and set a new meet record in the event with a time of 4:05.49.
Highlights
Claudine Andre, Upper Darby, PA#1-Tie US#6 high jump, 5-7; plus PA#4-Tie US#25 17-11 long jump.
In this boys only invitational, Upper Darby will not have to chase state qualifying times on the final weekend after a solid performance in the 4x800 meter relay. After qualifying on the last day the past two seasons, the Royals ran 8:19.99 to move up to PA#5 and seal qualification. Andrew McNutt of Upper Dublin jumped 43-6 to win the triple jump. J’von Jennings of Downingtown East ran the fastest time in the 55 meter hurdles (7.76), but finished 4th in the finals to Upper Darby’s Mason Weh (7.83). Christian Brissett of Cheltenham took over the state lead in the 55 meter dash, holding off Lamont Veal of Cardinal O’Hara 6.57 to 6.65. Both earned state qualifying berths. Brissett’s teammate Issac Lewis ran a PA#7 23.10 to win the 200 meter dash. Finally, their 4x400 meter relay ran 3:32.05 to win the final event of the day.
Kyle Francis of Bensalem won the mile with a new state leading time of 4:26.54, under half a second better than Malvern’s Jaxson Hoey’s previous state lead. Christian Kardish of Holy Ghost Prep won the 3000 meter run with a PA#6 9:08.14.
Megan McCloskey of Germantown Academy cleared 5-5 to win the high jump and jumped 16-1.50 to win the long jump. Springside Chestnut Hill won six of the nine events on the track, highlighted by a mile win from Terri Turner in 5:22.65. For the boys, Grant Smith of Hill School won the long jump (20-2.50) and the shot put (43-3).
Will Cather of State College edged into US#8 and the top spot in the 800 meter state ranking list, running a solo 1:56.9 to cruise to victory. Cather was also a member of the State College 4x400 meter relay team that edged out Altoona for the win 3:27.6 to 3:27.9. The performances put State College up to PA#3 and Altoona to PA#4. Altoona still got their relay gold medal, winning the 4x800 meter relay with a state leading and US#8 time of 8:06.5. Bryce Williams of State College jumped 44-8 to win the triple jump.
For the girls, State College ran 9:40.0 to win the 4x800 meter relay, good for PA#3. Emily Campbell of Slippery Rock threw 40-11.50 to win the shot put. Hannah Mulhern of Altoona cleared 10-9 to win the pole vault.
Dasia Pressley of Neshaminty ran 25.89 to win the 200 meter dash and earn PA#4 honors. Kaelyn Heinicke of Council Rock North improved on her PA#5 mark in the 800 meter run with a winning time of 2:19.20. Great Valley put the heat on Strath Haven in the 4x800 meter relay, moving up to PA#2 and US#6 with a winning time of 9:34.34, ahead of Downingtown East (PA#3 9:40.19). Alex Heuer of Boyertown jumped 36-4.75 to win the triple jump. Leslie Alston of New Media Tech jumped 17-4.25 to win the long jump.
Jim Belfatto of Cardinal O’Hara ran a PA#5 4:28.64 to win the mile. Marquis Seamon of Father Judge jumped 44-1.50 to win the triple jump. Neumann Goretti ran 1:34.57 to win the 4x200 meter relay. For the girls, Neumann Goretti ran 1:49.6 to win the 4x200 meter relay. Megan Connell of Archbishop Wood ran 10:51.3 to win the 3000 meter run. Amanda Ruffin of Neumann Goretti ran 1:00.7 to win the 400 meter dash.
For the boys, Matthew Bernadowski of Elizabeth-Forward posted a PA#1 and US#6 8.09 60 meter hurdles. Max Adams of Hempfield (7) won the shot put with a PA#2 mark of 55-7.
Maddie Holmberg of Hempfield (7) won the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 9.05, which puts her 3rd on the state list. She also came away with the long jump crown with a PA#5 mark 17-7.25. Her sister Gabby won the 400 meter dash in 1:02.23. The two of them joined on the 4x200 meter relay and ran a PA#2 and US#10 1:43.79!
Chance Post of Conestoga Valley was a double winner on the day, taking the 55 meter hurdles in 7.76 and the 400 meter dash in 52.81. Gregory Johnson of Schuylkill Valley also earned two gold medals on the day, winning the long jump (22 feet even) and the triple jump (42-7). Patrik Reilly of Dallastown ran a PA#7 9:08.47. For the girls, Taylor Williams ran 7.19 to win the 55 meter dash. Sierra Brabham-Lawrence of Harrisburg ran 8.44 to win the 55 meter hurdles. Caroline Duffy of Methacton ran 26.57 to win the 200 meter dash. Steph Laudien of Hempfield (3) jumped 35-10 to win the triple jump. Both Bre Manzalillo of Schuylkill Valley and Dara Liss of Cheltenham both cleared 10-9 in the pole vault.
Dallas senior Dom Deluca toasted the field enroute to a PA#1, US#2 3000 win in 8:44.63.
Cumberland Valley super soph Mady Clahane posted a nice double, taking the 1600 in a PA#2 5:12.41 in a close race with Pottsville senior Paige Stoner, 2nd in a PA#8 5:15.77, and the 800 in a PA#8 2:22.29. Clahane used the meet as a tune-up to the Millrose Games Trials this coming Wednesday when she will face top US talent, including Foot Locker Champ Tessa Barrett of Abington Heights and returning Millrose Games miler Kennedy Weisner of Elk County Catholic.
Cocalico's Emily Stauffer improved on her PA#1 in the shot put with an indoor PA of 44-4.75. The mark improves her to US#6.
The Pennsbury boys team showed their depth while Council Rock North surged to the top of the state list in a crowded distance medley.
Pennsbury came away with two relay wins on the afternoon. The 4x800 meter relay gained a lot of ground on state leaders North Penn, running 8:10.07 for PA#2 honors. The win shrinks the gap at the top to under .25 seconds. The already PA#4 ranked 4x200 meter relay earned another victory, running 1:32.27 and were comfortably the top PA team at the meet. The Lavino Relays also marked the 2014 indoor debut of Foot Locker Finalist Ross Wilson of Council Rock North. The senior anchored the Council Rock North distance medley relay to the top of the state list. Their winning time of 10:45.49 is 10 seconds better than the rest of PA. Central Bucks East ran a PA#4 3:29.32 to win the 4x400 meter relay, the 4th team in PA to crack 3:30. In the field events, Neshaminy’s D’Andre Pollard won the triple jump with a PA#2 mark of 45.2.50. Grant Smith of The Hill School earned PA#4 honors in the long jump with a winning mark of 22-3.
For the girls, Pennsbury finished 2nd in the distance medley relay with a time of 12:50.44. Central Bucks East finished 3rd in the 4x200 meter relay with a time of 1:48.58. Shannon Taub of Council Rock South became the first 37 foot triple jumper in the state this season, winning the event with a mark of 37-0.50.
Shannon Taub (Council Rock South) won the TJ with a PA#1 37-00.50 leap. Her teammate Jaclyn Timoney jumped 36-00 as both won the TJ relay.
Markeeta Thomas of Paul Robeson finished 2nd in the 55 meter hurdles with a state leading 8.29. Teammate Jameela Muhammad finished 8th in the 55 meter dash in 7.44. Their 4x200 meter relay finished 6th in a PA#4 1:46.03, the fastest time in PA on a 200 meter flat oval. Their 4x400 meter finished 3rd and become the new state leaders with a time of 4:03.36. Alex Orr of Chambersburg finished 5th in the girls invitational 3200 meter run in 11:38.30. Natalie Holder of Chambersburg ran 5:16.87 to finish 5th in the mile.
For division II, Austin Cooper of Upper Merion and Connor Holm of Radnor shared top spot in the 800 meter run with state qualifying times of 1:59.98. Donaldo Benjamin won the 60 meter hurdles and recorded a 8.25 prelim time in the process. Malvern Prep ran 8:16.96 to win the 4x800 meter relay and earn PA#6 honors. Chris Stone of Springfield Montco cleared 6-5 to win the high jump. Rashawn Crawford of Wissahickon ran 7.15 to win the 60 meter dash.
In division I, state leaders North Penn ran 8:14.35 to win the 4x800 meter relay, leading three schools in total under 8:20. Sam Reid of Central threw 53-8 to win the shot put. Jordan Bryan of St Joe’s Prep cleared 6-3 to win the high jump.
Western PA has been anxiously awaiting to start their season after their original start was postponed last week. At Youngstown, the western side of the state proved it is ready to go toe to toe with the rest!
Taylor McCorkle of Oakland Catholic won the 60 meter dash with a PA#2 of 7.67 and won the 200 meter dash in 25.83, good for PA#4. Emily Lelis of Springdale also became a state leader, running 8.83 to win the 60 meter hurdles. Tori Soeder of Shaler won the long jump (16-2) and the triple jump (34-2). Emily Campbell of Slippery Rock finished 2nd in the shot put with a mark of 41-3.5, putting her at PA#2 and narrowing the gap at the top of the charts to under 3 feet.
For the boys, Luke Lewis of Hickory won the shot put with a state lead and US#5 mark of 61-3.25! He is under 3 feet from the national lead! Dylin Wilhoite of Penn Hills ran 2:01.79 to win the 800 meter run. Penn Hills ran 3:32.11 to win the 4x400 meter relay. Nick Anderson of Kane Area cleared 14 feet to win the pole vault. Gary Jackson of Baldwin won the long jump with a mark of 21-5.50. Anthony Harper of Penn Hills cleared 40 feet even to win the triple jump.
The annual Chester County Indoor Championships marked the indoor debut of Unionville’s Courtney Smith. The senior debuted in the mile and she won the race with a PA#2 5:13.49. She was also a member of Unionville’s distance medley relay team that not only took the state lead from Strath Haven with a winning time of 12:27.21, but also took their US#4 ranking.
Holly Sullivan of Owen J Roberts also ran a PA#2 time, winning the 400 meter dash in 58.49. She also added a PA#3 performance in the 55 meter hurdles (8.49). Macey Tanseco of Perkiomen Valley threw 39-8.50 to win the shot put.
For the boys, Tra-C Davis of Coatesville cleared 6-7 to win the high jump and move to a share of PA#3 with Randall Johnson of Central Bucks South. His teammate Darrik Muroski threw 51-1 to win the shot put.
Eric Cook of Conestoga ran 6.61 to win the 55 meter dash (PA#2), Nigel Hill of Twin Valley ran 22.47 to win the 200 (PA#2), and David O’Such ran 50.85 to win the 400 meter dash (PA#5).