TSTCA Meet #2 - Meet Preview
The first TSTCA meet of the season was canceled due to the weather, which caused a number of the western squads to seek out meets elsewhere, like Youngstown State. Many of the matchups we anticipated last weekend are back this weekend. The TSTCA teams are surely eager get out on the track. If the weather cooperates, here's what we're watching for:
GIRLS' PREVIEW
SPRINTS/HURDLES
In the 60 meter dash, Bentworth's Brenna Cavanaugh will go up against a strong field that includes North Allegheny's Casey Burton and Mount Lebanon's Molly Mangan. Cavanaugh is also the top seed in the 60 meter hurdles, where Hempfield Area's Bailey Traczynski and Somerset's Elizabeth Close will make it a great race.
In a matchup we didn't get last week, Upper Saint Clair's Jane Madson, Baldwin's Alina Stahl, and Pine-Richland's Danielle Bryant will go for fast times in what should be a competitive 200 meters. Bryant is also among the top seeds in the 400 meters.
DISTANCE
After a stellar high school indoor debut last weekend in Ohio, Sharon's Gianna Labbiento returns to PA this weekend in the distance events. Labbiento dropped PA#1 times in both the 800 and 1,600 meters in Youngstown. She's entered in the mile and 3K as the top seeds in both. In the mile, look for Butler's Maggie Welty to give her a good challenge.
Liz Simms of Butler leads the 800 meter field, and looking to challenge her is South Fayette's Rachel Helbling and Fox Chapel Area's Sarena Seeger (fresh off a strong XC season).
FIELD
Cavanaugh is also the top seed in the long jump, an event where she's the reigning indoor state champ. Her best competition there will come from Forest Hills' Zoe Roush. Roush is the top seed in the triple jump, where her and Penn Cambria's Lauren Michina are the favorites for the win.
The shot put is loaded with talent. PA#6 Mackenna Orie of Hempfield, PA#9 Jena Reinheimer of Butler, PA#10 Sam Dyson of Punxsutawney, and Lillia Allen of Penn Hills are all in the field.
Hempfield Area's Molly DeBone (currently PA#5) will look for a win in the pole vault. She jumped 11-9 earlier this season in Maryland.
North East's Carlye Zahner comes in as the top seed and the one to beat in the high jump.
BOYS' PREVIEW
SPRINTS/HURDLES
Ayden Owens of North Allegheny opened up last week with a PA#2 in the 60 meter hurdles. Owens clocked a PR at Youngstown with a time of 8.02. Can he push sub-8 seconds this weekend? South Park's Sam Hartman is also in the hurdles field.
Bethel Park's James Krandel and Penn Hills' Alex Trower are the ones to watch in the 60 meter dash. Look for both to shoot up the state rankings there. Krandel also returns later for the 200 meters.
In the 400 meters, we'll get a good race between West Mifflin's Ziggy Patterson and Greater Latrobe's Zakharee Williams.
DISTANCE
Fresh off helping his team to a PA#3 int he 4x800 meter relay over the weekend, Seneca Valley's Seth Ketler will look to drop a quick time individually in the 800 meters. He's the top seed there, but North Allegheny's Zach Ehling will look to make it a close race. SV's Sam Owori is the top seed in the mile, which also includes Butler's Brett Brady.
The 3,000 meters will a good duel we missed out on last week. Winchester Thurston's Tristan Forsythe and North Allegheny's Daniel McGoey will aim for quick times and the win around the Edinboro oval.
FIELD
Owens, the top seed in the hurdles, is also the top seed in the long jump. Let's see how much Owens (whose indoor PR is 22-0.25) can shoot up the state rankings in his season debut in the event. Owens is also entered in the pole vault; he jumped 13-0 at YSU last week.
Also in the pole vault is Baldwin's Nick Lachut, Altoona Area's Tyler Delozier, and NA's Jono Pelusi in what should be a great event.
South Fayette's Sam Mastro is the one to beat in the shot put. The senior threw a PA#4 52-2 at YSU this past week. He'll look to move up the state rankings on Saturday.
Jaden Rouse of Penn Hills will be the one to beat in the triple jump.