Kamil Jihad (Neumann Goretti) / Photo by Patty Morgan
Franklin & Marshall College HS Invitational #2 Preview
There are packed entries for the second F&M meet of the season in Lancaster. Let's delve into the names and teams to keep an eye on this Saturday. A number of Delaware and Maryland squads will matchup with PA teams.
BOYS
After opening up his indoor season last week, JP McCaskey's Nathan Henderson will return to the track again this weekend at F&M. The Syracuse recruit is entered in the 800 meters and the 1600 meters. Also in the 800 is Neumann Goretti's Kamil Jihad (the top seed and favorite in the field) and Lebanon's Derin Klick in what should be a quick race. Henderson is the top seed in the 1600, but Jihad, Kennett's Austin Maxwell, and Cedar Crest's Jesse Cruise are also entered.
The 3000 meters should also be fast. Ephrata's Zach Lefever, Hershey's Andrew Sullivan, and Hempfield's Nick Norton will battle it out. Lefever, who took fourth in XC states is the favorite there.
In the 60 dash, the top PA entries include Susquehanna Townhship's Jalik Smith and Central Dauphin's Zach Wise. Smith and Wise are also entered in the 200 meters, where they'll square off with some MD and DE talents. In the 60 hurdles, look for Conestoga Valley's Aanyah Bermudez, a state qualifier from last year in the event.
Brendan Sparr (Schuylkill Valley) / Photo by Phil Grove
Brendan Sparr will be the one to watch in the long jump. The Schuylkill Valley junior is yet to pop a big jump this season to match his outdoor PR of 23-11.25, but we'll be watching this weekend. Milton Hershey's Treyvon Ferguson and Conestoga Valley's Jose Barbon will make this one of the day's most stacked events. Ferguson is also entered in the triple jump, his primary event.
There's plenty of talent in the pole vault, too. PA#2 Payton Morris of East Pennsboro is the favorite, but Kennett's Xavier Feliciano, Schuylkill Valley's Joe Jardine, and Eastern York's Brady Gladfelter are also in the field.
Manheim Township's Ben Viau is the top entry in the shot put. Viau sits at PA#10 in the event, which is arguably the deepest in the state.
Daija Lampkin (Middletown) / Photo by Howard Anderson
GIRLS
Eliza Brooks of Neumann Goretti and Taylor Wright of Northwest High School are among the top entries in the 60 meter dash.
The 200 meters will feature Delaware's premiere sprint star Daija Lampkin of Middletown, but the Neumann Goretti trio of Brooks, Sydni Townsend, and Mykala Perry will look to challenge her. Lampkin will also compete in the 400 meters along with Townsend and Perry.
Northern's Marlee Starliper, Elizabethtown's Katie Locker, Hershey's Taylor Mortensen, and JP McCaskey's Lianna Tirado will make for a competitive 1600 meter field. Locker and Tirado will return for the 800 meters, which will also include Hershey's Hannah Jones. Meanwhile, Mortensen will return for the 3000 meters, which will be headlined by Eastern York's Maddie McLain.
The pole vault should be a great competition with five of the state's top ten all entered. Spring Grove's Nathalie Elliott (PA#5), Manheim Township's Mackenzie Horn (T-PA#6), Hempfield's Carena Nottoli (T-PA#6), Loyalsock's Hailey Zurich (T-PA#9), and Manheim Township's Courtney German (T-PA#9) are all in the field.
Janese Lynch (Neumann Goretti) / Photo by Howard Anderson
Neumann Goretti's Janese Lynch is the top seed in the shot put. Lynch was PA#1 in the event since the beginning of the season, but Hickory's Tori McKinley overtook her for that top spot after this past weekend. Lynch will look to seize that state-leading spot this week. McCaskey's Aliyah Striver is also in the field, looking for the upset.
Lower Dauphin's Karina Long, in the midst of a strong season, will be one to watch in the long jump. Long is PA#4 in the event. Hempfield's Stephanie Laudien will look to challenge for the win. Those two will also face off in the triple jump.
Fresh off a big PR at Kutztown, Warwick's Trinity Bitting-Ellis will be one to watch in the high jump. Bitting-Ellis, a sophomore, sits at PA#6 and will battle with a duo from Northwest High School.