The heat (and track and field) finally returned to the dome at Edinboro University, with three US top 10 performances grabbing the headlines along with additional PA#1s.
By Phil Grove
Kennedy Weisner of Elk County Catholic made her first 800-meter run of the indoor season well worth the time, turning back a field that included three state placers from 2013. The senior covered the distance in an indoor best 2 minutes, 12.14 seconds to chop more than three seconds off the best 2014 clocking in PA and leap to US#3.
Not far behind, junior Grace Trucilla of Villa Maria moved to PA#3 with her 2:16.52.
The new PA#1 in the boys' 60 hurdles is Matthew Bernadowski. The Elizabeth Forward senior cleared the barriers in 8.06, improving three-hundredths and one spot on the state charts and to US#6.
Also a new US#6, Luke Lewis of Hickory continue his assault on the 60-foot-plus arc in the shot put, registering his fourth such meet of 2014. Adding nearly a foot to his PR, the Purdue recruit launched the 12-pound ball 62 feet, 3 inches in dominating a strong field and moving up the national list.
Max Adams of Hempfield went 59-7.5 for second, while Lawson Monta of Greensburg Salem improved his PA#3 mark to 57-7 and freshman Jordan Geist of Knoch is now PA#4 at 56-11.
Bridget Guy of Hempfield Area broke out of the logjam at the top of the girls' pole vault charts, clearing a new state-leading 12-3 to defeat a quality field by a foot. Hannah Mulhern of Altoona Area and Kelsey Plecenik of Norwin each topped 11-3, with Plecenik now T-PA#8.
Teammate Maddie Holmberg had another multi-win day. The junior moved up a notch to PA#2 in the 60 hurdles with an 8.77 victory, while Kat Quigley of Pine-Richland is now PA#5 after running 8.98.
In the field, Holmberg moved closer to the top 2 in the state with her new PA#3 18-5.5 leap in the long jump.
Another Hempfield standout dominated the sprints as Jasmine Jones was a double winner, claiming the 60 dash in a PA#6 7.76 and the 200 in 26.24. Lauren Costa of West Allegheny was the runner-up in both, running a PA#10 7.86 and 26.42.
In the 3,000, sophomore Madeleine Davison of North Allegheny was strong in her season debut, reaching the finish in a PA#5 10:20.33 to turn back the 10:30.86 by Mt. Lebanon's Jillian Hunsberger, a 10:31.56 by Mary Malone of North Hills and the 10:35.43 by Mt. Lebanon's Kelsey Potts.
Potts opened her day with a PA#7 5:11.22 victory in the mile, while Gina Alm of Hampton was second in a PA#8 5:12.17.
In the high jump, five topped 5 feet, with Elk County Catholic's Nicole Florio claiming first in a T-PA#5 5-4. Erin Schreiber of Shaler Area, Gina Cuneo of Hempfield and Shelby Burns of Laurel Highlands each cleared 5-2.
Abby Wagner of Altoona Area won the triple jump in a PA#4 36-7, while Elena Marchand of Hickory added nearly 3 feet to her PR with a PA#4 put of 42-1, joining teammate Cailen Blaire beyond the 40-foot arc this season. Morgan Nicholson of Kane Area was second at 38-8.
Back on the boys’ side of the ledger, Jake DeHart of Cathedral Prep and Cameron Gray of Gateway deadlocked in the 60 dash, each running a PA#4 7.03.
The distance winners cracked the state top 10, with Michael Becich of North Allegheny running a PA#5 4:24.50 in the mile and Colin Martin of Fox Chapel Area covering 3,000 in a PA#2 8:46.98.
Slippery Rock's Shane Kirkwood won the high jump with a T-PA#8 6-4, while Hempfield's Day had the same mark in second.
In the pole vault, Nick Anderson of Kane Area topped 14 feet again, grabbing first at 14-3 as North Allegheny's Bobby Upton cleared 13-9 and Franklin's Zachary Cartwright went 13-3.
One of last year's biggest bounders in the long jump, Isaias Brooks of Woodland Hills opened his season at PA#2 22-11. Gary Jackson of Baldwin and Jamie Szymczak of McDowell are now T-PA#9 at 21-9.
The top four in the triple jump were only separated by 7 inches, with the first three now PA top 10. De'Lorian Day of Hempfield is now PA#6 at 44-11, while Jackson is No. 9 at 44-8.5 and Caleb Smithco of Hampton is No. 10 at 44-6. Szymczak is now 11th with his 44-4.