The boys discus will only have two PA representatives, but one of them is considered a favorite to bring home the championship!
That guy is David Lucas of Warwick. The senior was a 4th place finisher at the Penn Relays a year ago, but this time around, he has a personal best mark that can earn him the win. He started the season throwing 190-6 at an early dual meet in March. The lone invitational performance resulted in a win with a mark of 170-10. Lucas is currently US#7 and is the highest seeded American in the field.
Joining him from PA will be sophomore Campbell Parker of Greencaste-Antrim. Parker has a good start to the season, setting two personal bests in his two invitational appearances. He now has a lifetime best of 159-6 in a 2nd place finish to Lucas at Bruce Dallas.
In the javelin, we will see the debut of last season's top thrower, Nick Solfanelli of Scranton Prep. The senior has yet to compete this season, but he ended last season throwing 215-8 at a throwing event in Chicago last July. He had five throws over 200 feet last season and will be considered one of the favorites.
Michael Biddle of Williamsburg and Evan Sing of Penncrest enter the meet with the most momentum after respective victories on Saturday. Sing threw a lifetime best, PA#2 and US#5 202-4 at Great Valley, while Biddle threw 200-6 for PA#3 and US#6 honors at Shippensburg.
Derek Ziegenfuss of Parkland is also a member of the 200 foot club as the leader of the state pack with his 204-2 at the end of March. Elijah Shalaway of Boyertown sits in the state top ten with a mark of 188-1 at the start of the season on the coldest day of the season.
In the final Friday field event, PA's biggest field event showcase, Jordan Geist of Knoch, gets another opportunity to take on the big boys in the shot put. After finishing 4th at the New Balance Indoor Nationals, Geist will look for a better showing. He is coming off his best throw of his career at the Butler Invite on Friday night with a US#3 mark of 66-1.50. Throwing that mark again would put him in contention for his biggest title of his young career.
On Saturday, pole vault state leader Ryan Wilkes of Valley View enters the Penn Relays as one of the favorites to win the event on Saturday. Wilkes is coming off a big performance on Saturday with his Shippensburg win of 15-9 and his near misses at 16-3. Getting over 16-3 may seal the title for the Rhode Island University bound star.
Nicholas Marino of Hatboro Horsham is in the state top five this season with a best of 14-3 he cleared at the beginning of the month. The experienced Colin Waitzman of Strath Haven has been a consistent 14 foot vaulter in 2015 and will be favored to do that again. Eddie Eason of Lasalle cleared 14 feet over the weekend to give him a confidence boost heading into Saturday. Gurjeet Raj of Marple Newtown has been nipping at the heels of Waitzman all season, and keeping on his back could be a good thing for his chances of placing well.
The long jump trio for PA have had interesting roads to the Penn Relays. Isaiah Brooks of Woodland Hills had been the man of the hour in the jumps until a rough state meet kept him from defending his title. Saahir Bethea of Cheltenham turned it on at the right time at the indoor state meet and won the gold medal. Kellin Valentine of State College was one of the contenders at states, only to have a rough meet, and is now starting to find his form.
Brooks has the best mark this season out of the trio from the indoor season, but Bethea has won the meets that have counted the most in 2015. Valentine will be hoping to get a big mark in on a big stage to make up for the indoor disappointment.
In the triple jump, the reigning AAA outdoor state champion Deshawn Millington of Carlisle will be leading the way. After missing all of the state indoor season due to basketball, Millington competed at the New Balance Indoor Nationals jumped 48-3.25. Now that he's in full swing with track, he's on top of the state list with a 47-6.25 mark at the Shippensburg Invite. As one of the younger athletes in the field, he will have nothing to lose and everything to gain with a big performance.
His teammate Isa Paschall will be joining him in the
triple jump and he's capable of getting a big mark and having a good
performance. The indoor state champion jumped 47-6.25 to win the title in
March, but has yet to find that form this spring. Will Penn Relays be the stage
he finds his form?
Reggie Harris of The Haverford School will also compete in the triple jump. After having a big indoor season getting close to 46 feet, he also has not been able to find that form in this difficult spring season we've had so far. He has never broken 46 feet in his career, but Saturday will be the perfect day to do so.
The high jump will have one representative, and that will be Chris Stone of Springfield Montco. The former state champion has come close to his 6-8 clearing days with a recent clearance of 6-6 nearly two weeks ago. He hasn't been able to get above 6-6 this season, but Saturday could be the day he makes it happen.