Photo by Phil Grove
AAA Boys' 300m Hurdles Preview
Last year, Ayden Owens of North Allegheny made it look easy in the finals of the intermediate hurdles, taking the AAA state title by nearly a full second. Now a junior, can Owens make it look that easy this time around? He's a little busier this year as the top seed in the high hurdles and long jump as well, but he'll do his best.
Owens will likely have a few more challengers this year as well. Souderton's Stephen Scott, the District 1 champ, was fifth in the finals a year ago. He's improved a good bit since that, capped off with a PR of 38.46 over the weekend. District 1 runner-up Keegan Hughes of Bishop Shanahan is new to the hurdling trade, but he's made his impact felt already. Look for the senior to battle hard in the intermediates.
In District 3, Wilson's Alex Cluff took home the gold, defeating Penn Manor's Taraje Whitfield and Conestoga Valley's Aanyah Bermudez. Cluff has made his name known and will look to keep it rolling into Ship. Whitfield was seventh in the final a year ago.
Wilson Area's Job Goodman just missed out on the finals last season in the event, so he has plenty of motivation. He's had a strong season and he's ready for a big state meet. Gateway's Damion Reed, Pennridge's Alex Dimon, and Northwestern Lehigh's Trevor Cunningham are among the others who will be worth watching out for.
Entries:
Event 707 Boys 300 Meter Hurdles AAA (25) Prelims =============================================================================== NFHS Record: 35.02 2009 Reggie Wyatt, RiversideLaSierraHS, CA PIAA Record: 36.43 2011 Eric Futch, Penn Wood 1 NFHS Hnr Rol: 37.40 39.80 SQS Name Year School Seed relim Time =============================================================================== 1 Owens, Ayden 11 No Allegheny 07 38.16 SQS 2 Scott, Stephen 12 Souderton 01 38.46 SQS 3 Hughes, Keegan 12 Bish Shanahan 01 38.62 SQS 4 Goodman, Job 11 Wilson Area 11 38.89 SQS 5 Cluff, Alex 11 Wilson 03 39.10 SQS 6 Reed, Damion 12 Gateway 07 39.18 SQS 7 Whitfield, Taraje 11 Penn Manor 03 39.25 SQS 8 Bermudez, Aanyah 12 Conestoga Vly 03 39.44 SQS 9 Dimon, Alex 12 Pennridge 01 39.48 SQS 10 Cunningham, Trevor 12 Nrthwstrn Leh 11 39.51 SQS 11 Buhr, Owen 11 New Oxford 03 39.56 SQS 12 Whitsett, Demetri 12 Cocalico 03 39.70 SQS 13 Couch, Michael 12 Easton Area 11 39.70 SQS 14 Hooks, Arlen 11 Baldwin 07 39.79 SQS 15 Wiggins, Cobe 12 Lower Morelnd 01 39.80 SQS 16 Meckler, Luke 9 Pine-Richland 07 39.89 17 Chapman, Stephen 11 Spring Ford 01 39.90 18 Jackson, James Chester 01 39.99 19 Darjee, Akash 11 Scranton 02 40.00 20 Jemmott, Caleb 12 Shamokin 04 40.51 21 Cottrell, Austin 12 Meadville 10 40.60 22 Ambrose, Jaron 10 Bradford Area 09 41.17 23 Patrick, Derrick 10 Crdnl O'Hara 12 41.69 24 Toney, Treyvaugn 11 Altoona 06 41.90 25 Beavers, Zack 12 La Salle Cllg 12 42.13