Photo by Don Rich
Penn Relays Carnival - BOYS' MEET RECAP
4x100m Relay
Coatesville ran the fastest 4x100 of Friday for the boys of PA. The PA#1s were just off their state lead in the event, running 42.08 early in the day to qualify for the Large Schools' 4x100 the next day. In that race, Coatesville ran 42.12 to take second to Jamaica's Wolmer's Boys.
In heats on Friday, Downingtown East ran a PA#2 47.22, Harry S. Truman ran a PA#3 42.84, LaSalle clocked a PA#4 42.91, the Haverford School ran a PA#5 42.92, Friends' Central went PA#6 42.96, and Lower Merion ran a PA#7 42.97.
4x400m Relay
The top ten 4x400s in the state were put down on a busy Saturday at the Penn Relays.
Central Bucks West ran the fastest PA time of the day, with a PA#1 3:17.84 in the Philadelphia Area boys 4x4 late in the day on Saturday. That was good enough for third place, as Delaware's Howard Tech took the win in 3:16.32. Penn Wood (PA#4 3:19.54) was fourth in the Philly Area race, while Council Rock South (PA#7 3:20.54) was fifth.
Some fast times came in the qualifying rounds as well. St. Joseph's Prep ran a PA#2 3:18.11 to take the Philaelphia Catholic League section. Pennridge won the Suburban National section in a PA#3 3:19.37, while Council Rock North was second in that race in a PA#5 3:19.77. Milton Hershey ran a PA#6 3:20.10 to take second in its heat.
4x800m Relay
Pennsylvania saw three squads qualify through to Saturday's Championship of America after some fast qualifying rounds on Friday morning. Central Bucks West (PA#1 7:47.52), State College Area (PA#3 7:49.64), and Seneca (7:50.12) all made it to the CoA. Pennsbury (PA#4 7:50.23) was just .11 off Seneca's time, which was the final qualifying time. Penn Wood (PA#6 7:52.77), North Penn (PA#7 7:54.91), and Abington (PA#8 7:55.15) all ran strong races in the qualifier as well.
The CoA didn't go as well for those qualifying teams on a much hotter Saturday. Seneca took 10th in 7:53.79, State College Area was 11th in 7:54.58, and CB West was 12th in 8:05.91.
DMR
The PA teams came to play in the DMR on Friday evening. In an exciting finish, Carlisle, the indoor national champions and national indoor record holders, took second overall in 10:06.45 to Bellarmine from California. The Carlisle team of Isaac Kole, Jared Griffie, Jack Wisner, and Sam Affolder was without Noah Affolder, who is out with an injury. Still the Herd put themselves in position to win it and came up just short of a wheel.
Germantown Friends took third in 10.11.68, Council Rock North was fourth in 10:15.70, and LaSalle was tenth in 10:26.12.
Photo by Abby Huber
Individual Track Events
The 3000 meters was a quick race that had an exciting finish. North Carolina's Connor Lane took the win, but some PA runners ran some fast times in a close race.
JP McCaskey's Nathan Henderson wound up fourth in the loaded field, running 8:25.34. Ephrata's Zach Lefever was fifth in 8:31.32. Waynesburg Central's Ben Bumgarner was eighth across in 8:33.86 and Souderton's Connor McMenamin took tenth in 8:36.55.
Bishop Shanahan's Josh Hoey came into the mile as the defending champion. The junior was unable to defend that title this season, but he still came away with a strong effort, running 4:15.25 for fourth place in a talented field. PA resident (but MD educated) Dalton hengst of McDough School won in 4:09.99, holding off Jamaica's Ackeen Colley for the win.
St. Joseph's Prep's Miles Green was the top PA finisher in a loaded field. Green, a junior, ran 53.10 for fifth place in a race won by NJ standout Cory Poole of East Orange. North Allegheny's Ayden Owens was also in the field and he took 11th overall in 55.26.
Photo by Phil Grove
Individual Field Events
Jordan Geist is a three-time Penn Relays champ. The Knoch senior won his third consecutive shot put at Penn with a great series and a new Penn Relays record, breaking his own mark. Geist didn't have a throw shorter than 73 feet and had his best toss in attempt one, when he fired off the winning throw of 74-9.
Geist was the best in the field by over four feet. Second place was Jamaica's Kevin Nedrick, who threw 70-3.75. Chambersburg's Kelton Chastulik took tenth with a best throw of 57-9.5.
Hatboro-Horsham's Nick Marino was another Penn champ from PA, his win coming in the pole vault. The state leader, who went over 16-3 a week prior, continued what he does best: winning. Marino cleared 15-9 to take the win in a great dual with East Pennsboro's Payton Morris. Morris was good over 15-5 and took second. Phil-Mont Christian's Caleb Johnson took fifth (14-9), Kennett's Xavier Feliciano was sixth (14-5.25), and Rustin's Charles Dever was seventh (14-5.25).
Photo by Barb Krohn
In the high jump, Williamsport's Qayyim Ali continued to exhibit his consistency in the event. Ali, for his efforts, walked away from Philly with a second place finish and the title as top American. The senior cleared 7-0.5 on his second attempt. Lushane Wilson of Jamaica took the win when he cleared 7-1.75 on his final attempt. Germantown Academy's Kyle Garland was seventh with a clearance of 6-7.75.
Souderton's Shamar Jenkins must certainly like the big stage. In the winter, he pulled out the best jump of his career at the state championships---a 48-4.25. On Saturday at the Penn Relays, Jenkins bettered that, jumping 48-11.5 on his third attempt to place fourth overall. That's a PA#1 by over a foot for the senior. Milton Hershey's Treyvon Ferguson jumped 47-1.75, which puts him at PA#4 on the season.
In the discus, North Pocono's Matt Slagus continued to assert himself as a serious state title threat to Geist. Slagus was the top PA finisher in the field, taking fifth with a PA#2 throw of 185-7. Greencastle-Antrim's Campbell Parker took seventh with a throw of 178-2 and South Fayette's Sam Mastro was eighth with a throw of 175-8. Kennett's Alec Sheehan (174-1), West York's Luke Hoffman (173-10), Hickory's Evan Blaire (173-7), Central Valley's Jacob White (168-9), and Manheim Township's Ben Viau (167-11) finished 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th respectively int he disc.
LaSalle's Noah Walker unleashed a big throw in the javelin and came away with a strong third place finish. Walker became the second PA boy over 200 feet this season, throwing 201-6 in the fifth round. That puts him at PA#2 behind Hempfield Area's Hayden Fox. Richland's Ethan Dabbs was fourth with a throw of 198-0, just off his season best. Wyoming Area's Marc Minichello was eighth with a throw of 184-10 and Gavin Darcy of Dunmore took 11th at 179-6.
Upper Dublin's Brian Kaufmann was the highest placed PA jumper in the long jump. He jumped 21-11.5 to take 12th overall.