There were championship performances – whether first place, first American or first Pennsylvanian – at nearly every turn of this year's Penn Relays Carnival. PennTrackXC.com talked with these talented individuals about their performances, and these are their stories...
Saturday's Pennsylvania Stories: POSTED WEDNESDAY: The NORTH PENN 4x800 which was the top American team. POSTED TUESDAY: JOE BERRY and Hatboro-Horsham coach BOB AYTON on the pole vault at Penn. JAMES PITTENGER on his high jump, JOE KOVACS on his discus performance.
Friday's Pennsylvania Stories: COATESVILLE'S huge win in the boy's DMR. BRIAN MOORE - the top American in the javelin. WAYNE CRAWFORD and TOM CICOLI on their shot put competition.
Thursday's Pennsylvania Stories: SAMANTHA MCMILLAN in the mile - RYANN KRAIS & METHACTON COACH ROB RONZANO on her 400 hurdles win - KARLEE MCQUILLEN in the javelin - ABBY SCHAFFER winning the pole vault - KAREN SHUMP in the shot put - CARLY SEYMOUR in the 3000
SATURDAY - PA AT THE PENN RELAYS
Seven straight years. Not long for those of us who have been around seven times that, and more. But seven years is a long time to a young adult. Because seven years ago, they were in grade school. For three members of this year's top American 4x800 team, it was the 4th grade. One was in 3rd grade. And they probably knew nothing of the tradition that is the North Penn 4x800. 
They do now. And they're living it. Keeping it alive. And adding to the history of the school that simply produces a quality 4x800, year after year.
For seven straight years, the North Penn boys have qualified a team for the Penn Relays Carnival Championship of America race in the 4x800. "Our coaches stress how hard you have to work to be good," says this year's Penn lead-off runner Steve Franks. "We want to uphold the tradition. You don't want it to end with you."
Franks and the other two juniors on this year's relay, Justin Bookheimer and Zack Montijo, were joined by sophomore Brian Quintrell. Both Bookheimer and Montijo ran on last year's squad that came within a second of getting the top American honors. That title went to Simon Gratz in one of the most memorial 4x800's on record.
Bookheimer had been the lead-off for North Penn all through indoor and on Friday morning during their qualifying race. But the coaches switched it up for the finals, putting Franks in the starting spot. "We switched because I was bigger than the other guys. So they wanted me to lead off." 
For those who don't know the 4x800, it's generally roller-derby without the skates. Fighting for position is almost literally that. So having a bigger guy in the mix can mean the difference between getting good position, or getting trapped and dropped. Franks split a 1:57 and handed off in good position to sophomore Quintrell. Franks says Quintrell has been working hard all year, and they knew he would come up big. "It's an advantage for us (the juniors) to have the experience. He's getting this great experience in the big meets, and he's learning to be focused and calm."
Calm probably isn't the word that Quintrell would choose. "I was so nervous that I think I wasn't nervous anymore."
The race was going so fast that Quintrell says he was doing a runout when he saw Franks coming through the 400. He got the stick in 3rd place and did his best to hold his own. He was passed by two American teams, but fought through the last 200 to keep North Penn in total contact with the pack. Quintrell split 2:00.9, and the race was on.
The final two North Penn legs represented the experience from 2006, when they nearly earned top Americans as sophomores. Bookheimer ran a 1:56.6 split to put North Penn solidly in front of the American teams, and moved closer to the three Jamaican teams ahead. That left the anchor duties to Montijo, who provided the fastest North Penn split of the day, a 1:56.3. Over the final lap, the top American honor was never in doubt, and when the clock stopped for North Penn at 7:50.77, they had their Penn Relays watches.
It had been since the second of those seven straight COA teams for North Penn to win the top American honors, when they finished 3rd. The first year of their run - 2001 - every team in the race had run into the buzzsaw anchor of one Alan Webb, whose 1:49.1 had put away the field.
But besides the 2002 and 2006 3rd place finishes, this year's 4th is the next best.
Franks not only knows they have a tradition to uphold, he knows they have some incredible times to challenge if they want to be placed among the best of the great North Penn 4x800's. "First and foremost, though, we're going to focus on our competition. We want to just win our race."
But the low 7:40's or high 7:30's are on their radar. If not this year, then next, when all four of these guys return. "There's a lot more in us," says Franks. "I know there is. But we all want to be the best North Penn 4x800."
And the tradition lives on...
The 7 year run...
2001
1 South Lakes, 7:41.75
Alan Webb 1:49.1 anchor
8 North Penn, PA, 7:58.04
Dave Atkiss, Dan Michael, Brad Maier, Steve Craig
2002
1. 7:43.45, Holmwood Technical / Manchester, JA
2. 7:48.46, Christiana / Manchester, JA
3. 7:49.67, North Penn / Lansdale, PA Top American Team
Rick Bennett 2:05.3, Dan Michael 1:54.8, Adam Thomas 1:55.8, Steve Craig 1:53.8
2003
1 7:43.43 Long Beach Poly / CA
10 8:02.16 North Penn / PA
2004
1 7:44.42 Archbishop John Carroll / DC
10 8:01.12 North Penn / PA
Cody Edling, Sean Doyle, Phil Wright, Matt Krum
2005
1 7:43.52 A Syosset
12 8:07.87 B North Penn
Sean Doyle, Mike Pflueger, Phil Wright, Cody Edling
2006
1 7:43.35 E Holmwood Technical
2 7:45.66 J Simon Gratz
Derrick Davis (1:57.0), Devin Summerville (1:56.6), Darryl Davis (1:56.1), Khaliff Featherstone (1:56.0)
3 7:46.38 F North Penn
Zack Montijo (1:57.1), Phil Wright (1:54.7), Justin Bookheimer (1:58.5), Cody Edling (1:56.1)
2007
1 Kingston College (Kingston, JA) 7:42.45
2 Calabar (Kingston, JA) 7:47.56
3 Jamaica College (Kingston, JA) 7:48.62
4 North Penn (Lansdale, PA) 7:50.77
Steve Franks (1:57.0), Brian Quintrell (2:00.9), Justin Bookheimer (1:56.6), Zack Montijo (1:56.3)
He couldn't have jumped higher. Oh, we're not talking about his two Penn Relays record- breaking pole vaults. Those were incredible too. We're talking about the two mini- celebrations that followed each of those record- setting, personal best vaults. In all, Hatboro Horsham senior Joe Berry needed 14 jumps and one in-between celebration to break the record and then to break it again. He got another three jumps at a greater height, but by then, his legs were shot, his emotions worn, and his mark on this great event etched into the Penn Relays archives.
For the record, the previous Penn Relays prep best of 16-00.50 was 16 years old, and was held by Braxton Davenport of Fork Union Military Academy of Virginia. The first time Berry broke the mark, he cleared 16-00.75 on his first attempt, his 11th jump of the day. Three vaults later, he set the new standard at 16-03.25. Not bad for an afternoon's work.
So how does an athlete who spent two years as a 'wrong-foot' pole vaulter who had been encouraged to try the sport after spending his freshman cross country season as a middle-of-the-packer? Well, it takes three dedicated coaches and one absolutely laser-focused athlete with a lot of dreams and a work ethic that would scare many athletes back to couch. Hatboro's head coach of track & field is Bob Ayton. He is the cross country coach who suggested the pole vault for Berry. Ayton had been a pole vaulter of the 13-something variety, and the event is his favorite. 
After pulling Berry off the XC course, Ayton says it took two years to correct the wrong-foot approach. Actually for one of those years, Berry had been injured. He injured his quad as a freshman, but didn't let the setback discourage him. Berry came back in his sophomore year looking for coaching. And man, did he get it.
Berry credits Ayton for his coaching of the event and helping him to manage the competitions. Ayton credits Central Bucks South pole vault coach Peter Hirschman with the fine-tuning required for such a technical event. And both Berry and Ayton credit the almost extremely difficult core and lifting workouts dished out by Hatboro teacher Craig Nishiyama. If you're a student of the sport in PA, you recognize the name. Craig's son is Kevin, who won the AAA 800 at states in 1999, running 1:52.67.
When you watch Berry, you get a sense of how much work he has put in to get the speed and the strength he has. Ayton says Nishiyama works with Berry on core strength (not fun), arms and legs.
As a senior, Berry has the majority of his coursework completed, and gets out of school before noon each day. As a senior, most would then just enjoy the rest of the day. In a sense, that's exactly what Berry does. He does weightlifting in the morning. Then after class, does extra workouts before his regular practice.
The motivation for the record jump was actually born in the same venue, exactly a year earlier. Berry didn't have a great Penn Relays as a junior, and came into this season with a goal of breaking the record.
He almost didn't get the opportunity to take his record shots, thought, because he didn't start that well. Passing at 13-03.25 and 13-09.25, he came in at 14-03.25 and promptly missed his first attempt, clearing on his second. "He had two heights that I was worried he wouldn't make it through," Ayton said. Those heights were 15-1 and 15-5. Berry had cleared 14-9 on his first try, but after pushing to the brink of elimination on the two 15+ heights, he had spent six jumps and a lot of energy, and he still had another height before even attempting 16'.
But after his near elimination at 15-1 and 15-5, both Ayton and Berry knew this might be a memorable day. Ayton says that Berry "always comes up with a big jump." Plus, after a really good look at 16' feet the week before at Great Valley, Ayton thought the time might be right.
As for Berry, he says he knew after clearing 15-5 he knew it was starting to click. "That's when I just accelerated and used all the adrenaline. The 1000's of fans got me pumped up and everyone was clapping. It was just crazy."
But Berry kept his emotions in check. He carefully thought about he jump he was about to take, and even adjusted the standards on each one based on how he was feeling at the moment or how the previous jump had gone.
After clearing at a new record height of 16-00.75 on his first jump, he leapt off the pad and bolted for the coaches box, hurdling the rope and hugging coaches Ayton and Hirschman.
"When I first made the record," Berry recalled, "...and the bar didn't got down, my heart just went. I just soaked in the moment. My entire body was tingling... all of those emotions were running through my head. I had finally done it."
Berry gathered himself and took a run at raising the record again. After two misses at 16-03.25, he hit his third attempt. Again, it was a leap off the pad, and this time, a run up the run-way. Two Penn Relays records in one day on 14 jumps. Three more attempts at a new height just gave the crowd, including coaches and officials, a chance to soak it all in as well. And to thank Joe for his performance.
"I've been working a good four hours a day to get faster. To get better," Berry says. "Getting the Penn Relays record was my goal from the start of the season. Now I want to push forward and try to get the state record, and do well at Nationals."
For Coach Ayton, this is two incredible memories in over three years. He coach Foot Locker finalist Josh Hibbs in 2005. And now his athlete has the Penn Relays pole vault record. "This is just awesome. He deserves it. He has earned it."
Last December of 2006, William Tennent senior James Pittenger (in photo by Dyestat.com's Track Junkie) cleared 6-10 in the high jump and was looking for bigger things as the weather improved and his sport moved outdoors. Pittenger came in as the 3rd seed. Even though the weather was cooperating, only six of the 16 in the event cleared the opening height of 6-03.50. Pittenger was one of the fortunate few, getting over the bar on his first attempt. This season, Pittenger has not returned - yet - to the 6-10 territory of indoor, largely because he has been busy helping his team in meets, competing in the high jump and three other events on a regular basis. The Penn Relays was an opportunity to just focus on his main event, and his results on the day seemed to give him some confidence to close out the year on a high note. He cleared both 6-05 and 6-06.75 on his second attempts, and then faced 6-08 with just two other competitors in contention. He would miss the first two, but then get a good look - a very good luck - on his final attempt. "That last jump was really good. I felt like I was really far over it. I just didn't kick my legs up." Pittenger now turns his attention to the bigger meets with renewed energy. "I'm glad I have been able to get some higher jumps in against some good competition."
Bethlehem Central Catholic's Joe Kovacs came in as the 3rd seed in the discus. He would finish 4th with a throw of 169-02, which came on his final toss of the prelims and kept him even with his seeding. "I was a little disappointed in the day. I was really looking to PR." In an event that he says personifies controlled aggression, Kovacs says it is a fine line to walk and that he was a little too tentative on his first two throws. Kovacs went from holding back a little in the prelims, to pushing a little too hard in the finals. His first two throws weren't what he wanted. Going for the win on his final chance, Kovacs sector-fouled. "It was the winner. There were some mistakes I made that I'll need to work on." He'll have plenty of competition even before States within minutes of his home from friend and competitor Andy Fahringer of Whitehall, who had taken 4th a day earlier in the invitational shot put. Look for both to move way up as the season concludes.
FRIDAY - PA AT THE PENN RELAYS
It took four seniors from Coatesville High School just over ten minutes to make an indelible mark on the 2007 Pennsylvania track & field season. Three of the four had been part of the historic team that captured the 2006 Nike Team Nationals cross country title. Apparently, winning one huge, pressure packed, 'they can't win' race during their final prep year wasn't enough. They wanted more. And on Friday night – under the lights after heavy rain and lightning had delayed the day's schedule by over 2-1/2 hours – the Distance Medley Relay team overcame all their competition and the doubters. That competition included a remarkable 4:04 anchor by one of the best distance runners in the country. But Coatesville was more than up to the task.
Why?
They go all out in every race. And they go all out in every race because they're doing it for each other.
Not one person on the team wants to be the one to let the others down. They work too hard. And as head T&F coach Carl Smith says, "They just love each other and that's why they look out for each other."
Smith wasn't sure that they would have time to pull this team together. After cross, twins Kyle and Owen Dawson took to the pool for the Coatesville swim team. In fact, they only had been training for 4-1/2 weeks. Kyle actually got in some extra work during the swim season with the blessing of the swim coach - hitting the roads for a workout nearly every morning. Two weeks before Penn, the DMR had taken to the track at the TFCAofGP meet at Upper Dublin, running an eye-popping 10:21.2 DMR. Smith knew they were ready. "It was just a matter of if we had time, but everything came together."
The lead-off duties fell to Sean Ward, who knew he was in a battle almost immediately. "I've never started like that in a race before. In cross country when they throw elbows, there's very little contact. Here they were flailing on each other to get position." Ward survived. However, he wasn't in the position he wanted to be. But he's well coached. "I remember my coach telling me if I got in a bad position, to just stay calm. That's what I did." He settled in and with 200 left in the 1200 leg, he went all out. "I didn't care what lane I was in. I just got as many people as I could." Ward recovered most of the places and handed off to the 400 leg in 3rd place. Ward's split: 3:07.9.
Obviously there would be little chance that one of the NTN distance guys would be the fastest 400 runner on the team. So it was senior Chris Cline who got the duty. No pressure, just go all out all the time, right? Cline ran his best 400 of the year, briefly taking over 2nd but was passed again as both guys stayed in contact with the leader. "It's the most excited I've ever been about track." Cline's split: 49.3.
Then it was the Dawson boys' turns. Owen was charged with using his long stride to cover the two laps of the 800 leg and hand the baton to twin bro Kyle in, or at the very least, right on the lead. "At first I was nervous," Owen says. "Sean was so far back. But then he took care of business." Owen took it out hard in the first 100, passed a guy to get into 2nd. "I relaxed, and he pulled ahead of me, so I just stuck with him." With 200 to go, Owen gave everything he had and passed into 2nd place. We were catching the first guy the whole time." Owen Dawson's split: 1:55.8.
Kyle Dawson wanted to get on his way as soon as possible. He knew that Colts Neck star Craig Forys was lurking behind. He knew Forys was a great miler. And he wanted as much track as possible between the two of them. But like all the Coatesville guys, Kyle didn't panic and start too quickly. And that ultimately may be what gave him the reserve he would need in the end. While he had been hoping for the lead, he was still content. "We were right there." He ran the first lap at a strong, but not crazed pace. "I just wanted to get out, relax, then hit the second lap and go. When I hit 800 I felt strong... like I could keep it going."
It's a good thing he did. With about 500 to go, Forys had closed the gap from 9th place to 3rd, and he was looking ahead, right at Kyle. So was the entire stadium. Kyle was watching too... on the jumbo-tron. "I could see him coming around the first turn on the last lap. Then again just before 200 to go, I could see he was right on my shoulder."
Time to panic, right?
Not this runner. Not after all he has been through to get to this point. All the Monday 6's (six miles up the Coatesville hill from you-know-where). These guys train hard.
As they rounded the final turn with 100 to go, Forys pulled side-by-side with Dawson, and appeared to take a lead by a few inches for a second or two as they hit the straigtaway. But Dawson dug deep. He dug into the reserve that is the Coatesville bond. The 'I'm doing this for my teammates... not just myself' attitude.
"I didn't doubt myself for a second. You can't. You have to know you can do it."
Forys was spent. And Dawson pulled out the win, raising his arms in victory, and relief, as the crowd roared, and once again, the impossible had become reality. The improbable NTN champs were now the Penn Relays DMR champs. Kyle Dawson's split: 4:15.5.
Coach Smith says he was not at all surprised by their performances. "Because of NTN, they were battle-tested."
But Smith also says there is another huge reason this group of guys excels when the lights are brightest and the competition is hottest. "It's (coach) Dave Lapp. He does a fantastic job. I just try to keep them together for him."
Kyle adds, "...it's our heart. You have to love what you do and you have to want to do it."
Chestnut Hill's Wayne Crawford was the favorite entering the invitational shot put competition. Archbishop Carroll's Tom Cicoli was the 20th seed, at the opposite end of the seedings. Both would finish as the top two Pennsylvanians in the competition, taking 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Crawford got his biggest throw of the day on his final toss in the prelims at 58-05.75, an outdoor PR. In the second flight of the prelims, Cicoli had gotten his best on his final throw, going 57-5, a huge PR by almost three feet (54-7 at the 4/21 Great Valley Relays). "I just got on a run," Cicoli said. "After throwing a PR on my second throw (57-04.25), it got me going on my third." All in all Cicoli said it was a great day, despite the fact that he "got a little cold in the finals." He's hoping to go for the PCL record at just over 60'. "I've peaked. Now I just have to work on some technical stuff." Crawford, on the other hand, was not entirely happy with second place. But he wasn't disappointed, either. "I lost by just three inches. I am not happy with second." But he was pleased that he got his outdoor PR, because he hadn't been throwing as well since the venue shifted from the indoor ring to the outdoor ones. "It did feel good being out there again." Crawford says he was throwing too high in the second round, and that that can be adjusted. But he is still aiming high for the season. "I'm still going for 62'. I'll get it by outdoor nationals." North Allegheny's Garrett Larkin was 4th with a throw of 56-00.50, although it appeared that two of his three fouls were beyond 59'.
The plan is always to get better as the season goes along. Well, javelin thrower Brian Moore of LaSalle College HS is doing just that. And his improvement from week one helped him walk away with a 2nd place (top American) in the invitational jav. Moore did everything he could to set himself up for the win, and in fact, he led after the prelims over favorite Kyle Nielsen of British Columbia. Moore's 208-09 throw on his second effort in the prelims would hold up for his 2nd place overall. Nielsen threw 209-02 on the 2nd throw of the final round. Moore had one final shot at the win. "The nerves never really got to me. I played baseball before I started the javelin in 9th grade. Because I was a pitcher, I am good at pressure situations," says Brian. Moore gave it a ride on his final chance at the win, tossing it 205-02. While the weather affected all the competitors, Moore said his shoes got heavy from all the rain and that it threw off his steps. "But everyone had the same conditions." Brian's older brother Kevin is a junior at Virginia Tech after transferring from LaSalle. And Brian will join him there next year. He says the recent shooting tragedy has not affected his decision, nor did the fact that his brother is there. But Brian is well aware that he is the second thrower in the family to compete for his high school. and he knows where he stands as far as high school PRs in the javelin. "It's mine," says Brian.
THURSDAY - PA AT THE PENN RELAYS
The entire stadium thought that Samantha McMillan came the whole way from Utah simply to compete in the mile. They were partly right. Only a few knew that it was a homecoming of sorts. McMillan was 7th in the 2005 PIAA State AAA Cross Country Champs. as a sophomore, and 2nd in the AAA 1600 the following spring, running 5:59.63. That summer, she moved with her family to Salt Lake City. On Thursday April 26, she returned to PA with her current high school coach and two teammates all the way from Judge Memorial High School in Salt Lake City. The reason for the trip was to share the Penn Relays experience. "They had no idea how big it was or the size of the stadium. They had a great time." McMillan had run at Penn in the 4x800 as a sophomore at Hershey, but had not qualified that year for the open mile. She wanted to return to complete a dream she had had for some time. Winning at the Penn Relays.
The three Utah athletes had a much better time than just enjoying the atmosphere of the meet. They all competed well in the invitational miles. Luke Puskedra finished 4th on Friday, running 4:11.25. Hailey Knettles took 8th in the McMillan's race, running 5:02.68. But it was McMillan - the former Hershey High School runner, who took home the biggest prize, the Mile Championship... running to a four-second PR of 4:50.31.
"I couldn't wait to get down from altitude, especially after running 4:54 (.30) at Nike Indoor Nationals."
McMillan's plan was to sit and kick. The plan hit a brief glitch late on the first lap when she got boxed in, but she quickly worked her way out. McMillan thought the first 800 was a little slow, but was content to wait in the pack before making a planned move on the 3rd lap. She also knew that Ohio's Stephanie Morgan could be going at any time. Approaching the end of the 2nd lap, McMillan took the lead, but Morgan quickly passed her and the pace picked up. The half at been about 2:32. The 400 from 1000 to 1400 was a quick 68, and McMillan's final lap was a 68. During Morgan's big move, McMillan dropped about 10 meters behind. "I just wanted to hang on, because I figured she would get tired. And I wasn't feeling dead yet."
Rounding the final turn, McMillan started her big kick. "It was my last chance. I knew I could get her." McMillan's devastating kick gave her a big PR of 4:50.31.
McMillan says that besides missing her friends from Hershey and her coach Kevin Stover, the hardest adjustment to life in Salt Lake City; as one would expect with a distance runner; was the altitude. On top of that adjustment, she got mono her first year there, and pretty much lost her cross country season. But by last spring, she was back to training well, and helped lead her Judge Memorial team to the state 3A title (middle of 5 levels), winning the 800, the 1600 and the 3200. "I'll probably try that triple again this year, and either run the open 400 or the 4x400, wherever my team needs the points."
She'll race the mile at Golden West, Nike Outdoor and Junior Nationals. She's aiming for a sub 4:45 by the end of her prep career, before heading off to run for the Georgetown Hoyas. It's her mother's alma mater, but she says that's not the reason she chose the Washington DC school over her final list of Penn State, Colorado and Villanova. "Georgetown was the best fit. I liked the coaches. They have a strong middle distance program. They go to the Penn Relays. And I want to major in International Studies... and it's in DC."
If she keeps dropping races and times like her Penn Relays mile, there could be a lot of international traveling in her future.
In the first high school event of the day, Mechacton junior Ryann Krais won the 400 HURDLES over a strong field in a PR of 58.93. Krais didn't get a great start according the her coach Rob Ronzano, but she recovered quickly. By the time she had 15-stepped her way between hurdles and arrived at the 200 mark she had the lead. Coming off the 10th and final hurdles, she was side-by-side with the top seed, Shana-Gaye Tracey of Manchester, Jamaica. Tracey had gone sub-58 earlier this season, but with Krais pressing her over the entire race, clipped the last hurdle and stumbled. Krais was clear. 
Tracey recovered to finish 2nd in 59.49. Krais said the key was her ability to just focus on her race and not to worry about anyone else. Easier said than done with the depth of this year's field. "At 200 when I heard 'Ryann Krais is in the lead' I said 'alright, let's keep this'." Coach Ronzano said he was busy watching Krais the whole way to see what can be improved, but that when she rounded the final turn in with the favorite, he immediately thought that she would pull it out. "She has a drive. It it's a close race, you don't want to be running against her." Krais says she got an extra boost from the crowd, but that she was thinking about Penn Relays record-holder Nicole Leach, a West Catholic grad now competing at UCLA. "I thought about her before the race. And as I was coming down the stretch, I thought 'if Nicole can do it, I can do it'." One of the first to congratulate Krais after her race was Nicole dad, Al. "I didn't know that was him. That's quite an honor. That's really cool." Ronzano was also impressed by Krais' performance. "This one nearly brought me to tears."
Karlee McQuillen came into her first Penn Relays as the top seed in the JAVELIN. But the 2nd seed, defending champ Tanesha Blair of Holmwood Technical, Jamaica, was on her mind. McQuillen was also coming off what she considered a sub-par performance the week prior at Shippensburg. "I was in a slump. I don't know what was wrong, but all week I worked on my steps, getting back into rhythm, and it paid off. McQuillen led after the her flight, but Blair was lurking in second. Her best throw of the flight had been on her second effort, and that's the one she nailed in the finals, a 42.60m or 151-07. The mark was good enough to give her a Penn Relays championships on her first and only try in high school. The South Florida-bound senior remains optimistic about the rest of her season. "Last year at this time, I was throwing in the 140's, so we're about ten feet ahead of schedule." McQuillen has the PA-best ever throw of 162-04 from the state championships in 2006. She aiming further, and Penn may just be the mid-season confidence boost she needs to get there. Carlisle's Kacey James was 5th with a throw of 135-11 and Elisha Jones, Eisenhower, was 6th at 132-05.
Easton's Abby Schaffer has spent years watching as the Regan sisters dominated the state (and their school) in the POLE VAULT, winning state championships and Penn Relays titles. Schaffer misses Courtney and Lindsey, but is adjusting nicely to being the one of the best in the state and beyond – especially since the weather is turning nicer. "I'm just trying to continue what she was doing." Schaffer cleared a PR a little over 12-4.50, and his hoping for bigger heights this season. "My coaches have me lifting so I can get on bigger poles and not be afraid. I just want to go up."
Karen Shump of Penncrest really wanted to get her first 50' foot SHOT PUT at the Penn Relays. She was visibly disappointed with her 2nd place. But her prelims throw of 49-00.75 was only the second time she has ever gone north of 49'. "I have a lot of things to fix, as usual, but I am more confident that I was last year at this time. My technique has improved because I'm not pitching (softball) any more." Shump will try to three-peat in AAA states, and then head to North Carolina for Nike Outdoor Nationals and later in June to Indianapolis for the USATF Junior Nationals. Alanna Owens of Rustin was 8th at 42-06.
The 3000 METER RUN was a loaded field. But armed with the confidence of a Foot Locker all-American, and a sister-enhanced training program that has made her even stronger and faster than a year ago, Central Cambria's Carly Seymour was ready for the challenge. She started near the front, but chose not to join defending champ Ashley Higginson of Colts Neck and two other athletes at the front. "I wanted to run my race." But with four laps left, a few athletes behind Seymour pushed past her. Seymour went with them. She stayed there from fifth to sixth until the final 400, when the real surge began. "That last 400 was tough. I have to work on my kick. I could tell those girls waited for the last 400 and I just didn't have enough left." She finished 7th in 9:57.65. Seymour will just have to add more of the 400 workouts she has begun with her younger, faster "from 400 down" sister, Kelsey. Seymour will race four events on Saturday in Lock Haven, and hopes to notch her first sub-5:00 1600. She'll probably race both distance events at states. "Not running both of them wouldn't be wimping out, but just not putting my entire heart and soul into it, and I just love both races and I just think I should go for both."