Photo by Kathy Leister
Penn Relays Carnival - GIRLS' MEET RECAP
A number of impressive performances were put down by PA teams at the Penn Relays. Here's what stood out to us:
4x100m Relay
Cheltenham continued to assert its dominance in the the 4x100. The state record holders came mighty close to their mark, which they set at the state champs last year (45.78), on a few occasions. On Thursday, the Panthers went 45.78 to qualify through to the Championship of America. They placed seventh in that CoA race on Friday, running 45.87 again. On Saturday, they claimed a convincing victory in the Tri-State 4x100, winning in 45.94, which breaks the record that team set last year.
That's three sub-46 performances in one weekend. What do they possibly have in store for the month of May? It's also worth noting that they did all this without Brielle Lewis, who is battling an injury and normally apart of the quartet. Ciani Fleming was a strong replacement. Bria Barnes, Alexis Crosby and Chanel Brissett made up the rest of the team.
Photo by Patty Morgan
4x400m Relay
It was a very fast weekend in the 4x400 as well. While the Jamaicans and the Sydney McLaughlin-led Union Catholic squads made up the CoA qualifiers, plenty of strong times were turned in by PA teams.
On Thursday, Neumann Goretti ran the fastest PA time of the day as they took first in the PCL race in 3:47.14. North Penn dominated the Suburban National field, winning in a 3:47.61. Penn Wood ran 3:48.61 to win the Suburban A race in dominant fashion.
At Saturday's Philadelphia Area championship, Neumann Goretti shined again. The team of Eliza Brooks, Mykala Perry, Ariana Ruffin, and Sydni Townsend clocked a PA#1 3:43.61 for the win. The Penn Wood quartet of Janae Pitt, Elicia Moore, Kyra Carroll, and Terri Turner were second in a PA#2 3:45.57. The fastest split of that race came from North Penn's Uche Nwogwugwu, who split an F.A.T. 52.88 on the Lady Knight's fourth place team.
Photo by Kathy Leister
4x800m Relay
The 4x800s, to say the least, were extraordinarily fast all weekend. On Thursday, Penn Wood ran the fastest PA qualifying time of 9:05.15. Penn Wood, along with North Penn (9:11.65) and Strath Haven (PA#3 9:12.20) booked tickets to Friday's Championship of America. Friends' Central (PA#4 9:13.34), Hershey (PA#5 9:21.95), and State College Area (PA#7 9:31.06) all ran fast times on Thursday, but missed out on the CoA.
The CoA on Friday didn't disappoint. Jamaica took the top two spots with Holmwood Tech taking the win in 8:48.15. North Penn ran an incredible race to take fourth in the field. The Lady Knights clocked a PA#1/US#2 8:55.88, finishing just .06 off the US#1s from Ridge (NJ). That time for North Penn is also just a bit over four seconds off Central Bucks South's 2014 state record. The NP team was comprised of Jenna Webb, Ariana Gardizy, Uche Nwogwugwu, and Mikaela Vlasic.
Penn Wood ran strong to take fifth in a PA#2/US#3 9:01.40. That squad was made up of Terri Turner, Elicia Moore, Kyra Carroll, and Janae Pitt. Strath Haven placed ninth in 9:17.05. All this should set up a very interesting PA state meet. The question remains whether North Penn would run Nwogwugwu, the defending 400 meter state champ, in that relay. Turner, meanwhile, will be a contender for the 800 meter state crown. We'll all find out those answers come the end of May.
DMR
In the distance medley relay, Cardinal O'Hara took 12th in a time of 12:14.82, while Perkiomen Valley was 14th in 12:22.64.
Individual Track Events
In a tactical girls' mile, Germantown Academy's Abbe Goldstein wound up third. The senior and Harvard recruit ran 4:54.04 in the race won by Leya Salis from New Hampshire in in 4:52.95. Abington Heights' Katie Dammer was fifth in 4:57.23.
As for the freshmen, Greencastle-Antrim's Taryn Parks was seventh in 4:58.33 and Northern York's Marlee Starliper was eighth in 4:59.77. Abington senior Kelly Jawork took tenth in 5:06.09 and Downingtown West's Emma Planck was eleventh in 5:10.17.
In the 3000 meters, Conestoga's Dominique Shultz was 16th in 10:21.65 and Cheltenham's MaryGrace Rittler was 19th in 10:45.43. Jessica Lawson, from New York, won in 9:37.63.
Photo by Phil Grove
Individual Field Events
The javelin throw, as anticipated, ended up being the Pennsylvania show. And it was certainly a show. On her final attempt, Connellsville's Madison Wiltrout pulled out the competition's best throw of 160-11 to beat out the defending champion, Maura Fiamoncini of Mount Carmel. Fiamoncini held the lead at 160-0 heading into the final throw, but it was the national record holder and current US#1 Wiltrout that ended up taking the win with that last heave. Fiamoncini took second with that 160-footer, which moves her up to US#2 behind just Wiltrout.
Those two weren't the only ones from PA making noise on Thursday in the javelin. Mifflin County's Skylar Ciccolini was fourth with a PA#3 heave of 153-1. Villa Maria's Erin Zimmerman was fifth with a PA#5 149-11, while Lampeter Strasburg's Kristen Herr took seventh, throwing a PA#6 146-4. New Oxford's Madison Smith was eighth (PA#7 145-3), Corry Area's Ryann Brundage was ninth (PA#9 138-5), Millville's Morgan Bower was 11th (136-4), Moniteau's Cambrie Campbell was 12th (135-7), and Penn Cambria's Jadyn Tiracave was 13th (134-1).
Photo by Patty Morgan
It was a great day for the PA girls in the pole vault. Coughlin's Madisyn Hawkins had a phenomenal day, clearing 12-7.5, on a "must-make" to win the title. That is also good enough for a new PA#1 on a new day at Franklin Field.
PA also took second and third in the PV. State College sophomore Lyndsey Reed cleared12-3.5, just off her PR to place second behind Hawkins. Pittston Area's Abby Norwillo was third, also clearing 12-3.5
Neumann Goretti's Janese Lynch had a big day in the discus on Thursday. On her second throw of the competition, the Wake Forest signee tossed a PR of 149-5, and Lynch wound up sixth overall in the event won by Jamaica's Fiona Richards (169-5). Lynch now sits at PA#1 with her big throw.
Also in the discus, Red Lion's Madisen Kling was eighth with a throw of 143-8, which puts her at PA#3. Lake Lehman's Emily Johns was 12th with a throw of 134-4 and Selinsgrove's Piper Klinger threw 127-1 for 16th.
A day before breaking the PA state record, Athens Area's Breana Gambrell had a great day at the Penn Relays. Gambrell, a junior, jumped 19-7.5 to place second in the long jump, which Jamaican Tissanna Hickling won with a leap of 20-7.25. Pocono Mountain East's Khyasia Caldwell was fourth with a leap of 19-4.
In the triple jump, Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren put together a great performance and the sophomore placed fourth overall. Warren jumped an outdoor PR of 39-8.75 (her indoor PR is 40-4) and finished as the top American in the field. Jamaicans took the top three spots, led by champion Keneva Headley (42-8). Warren's best jump came on her fourth attempt.
Payden Montana of Berwick had a big day in the shot put. Montana finished third in the event that saw Donovan Catholic's Alyssa Wilson break the meet record with a toss of 53-7. Montana threw a PA#2 45-1.5 to take the bronze. That's also a nice PR for her as well. Greencastle-Antrim's Jenay Faulkner was the next PA finisher, taking tenth with a throw of 40-6.75.
Cheltenham's Brianna Smith was the top PA finisher in the high jump. Just a freshman, Smith cleared a season best of 5-5.75 for 11th place. Palisades' Lydia Bottelier was 14th overall, also clearing 5-5.75. Easton Area's Kate Willshaw cleared 5-4.25, while CB South's Valerie Przekop and Palisades' Alexa Parks were 23rd and 26th respectively, both getting over 5-2.5.