Austin Kratz took a pair of wins at the PA Track Classic at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Saturday (Photo by Patty Morgan)
The outdoor season kicked off this past week, first with a meet a West Chester Rustin and then moved to Plymouth Whitemarsh and Palisades on Saturday. Should be the first of many exciting weeks of track and field action this year.
Rustin Invitational
Teneisha Myers (Owen J. Roberts) took home a pair of wins in the sprints, rolling to victories in the 100m (12.43) and 200m (25.39).
Great Valley's Anna Willig won a competitive 800m over Downingtown East's Maddy VanBlunk and great Valley's Amy Willig. Anna clocked a 2:18.37 for a nice early season effort.
Oxford's Katie Dodson started her outdoor season off well winning the 100m hurdles. Dodson ran a 14.50 in the trials and won the finals in a 14.79.
Spring Ford swept the horizontal jumps as Samantha Watkin won the long jump (16-8.75) and Aleigha Johnson took the triple jump (36-11.5).
On the boys' side, Garnet Valley's Jack Armand won a good battle in the 800 with Neshaminy's Sean Conway. Armand clocked a 1:57.81 and Conway was second in 1:58.23. West Chester East's Robert Moser won the 3200 in a 9:41.06.
Coatesville's Dondre Pittman won the high jump, clearing 6-4---a nice start to his outdoor season.
Pennsylvania Track Classic
Kutztown's Jocelen Ruth won all three throws events and earned "Female Field Performer of the Meet" honors (Photo by Patty Morgan)
Traditionally one of the first "big" meets of the outdoor season, the PA Track Classic saw a number of good performances to start of the season.
Kutztown's Jocelen Ruth wasted no time getting her season off to a stellar start. The Oklahoma State-bound senior won the shot put, javelin, and discus. Ruth broke the meet record (formerly held by Penncrest's Karen Shump) in the shot put, throwing a very nice early season 43-0.5. Ruth talked afterwards about her big day:
The North Penn girls put on a nice display. The Maidens won all four relays. In the DMR, they were just off the meet record, running a 12:22.34 for the win. Uche Nwogwugwu won the 400 meters. The indoor state champ got her outdoor season off to a fast start winning in 57.32 over Penn Wood's Elicia Moore. Moore, only a freshman, was 58.57. Nwogwugwu then anchored the Maidens' winning 4x400 to close out the meet.
North Penn's Uche Nwogwugwu won the 400 meters (Photo by Patty Morgan)
Methacton's Caroline Duffy won a pair of events. The hurdler/sprinter took home gold in both the 100 meters and 200 meters. Her winning time in the 200 was 25.51. Duffy spoke with us afterwards about a good start to her season and her expectations for her final spring season:
Plymouth Whitemarsh's Taylor O'Brien won the 300 meter hurdles. O'Brien, who was fourth in District 1 a year ago, won easily in a time of 45.59.
Christopher Dock's Austin Kratz had a big day on the boys' side. The sophomore won both the 100 and 200, following up on an impressive indoor season. Kratz ran an 11.13 in the 100 and then clocked a 25.35 to win the 200. It earned him "Male Track Athlete of the Meet" honors. Kratz talked about the nice start to his season after the meet with us.
Pirate Invitational
The Pennridge boys had a successful day. The Rams swept the relays and took golds all over the track and field. Pennridge's Austin Howell won the 400 in a solo win, clocking a 49.78. He also won the 200 in 22.88.
Quakertown's Brett Wolfinger won the 800 in 1:58.16, a nice start to his season.
For the girls, Palisades' Alexa Parks put down a huge PR in the high jump, clearing an early season PA#1 of 5-5. In the javelin, her teammate Madison Brader threw 127-1 for the win.