Pennsylvania Indoor Week 8 Meets On Tap


TSTCA Meet #2 - Meet Preview

The first two TSTCA meets of the season were derailed because of winter weather, but last week we finally got underway with action out in western PA! The other good news was the second TSTCA meet, originally scheduled for 1/13, was rescheduled for this Friday, 1/26. So, for now, the TSTCA is only missing out on one meet this winter. Here's what we're watching for on Friday:

Girls' Preview

SPRINTS/HURLDES

North Allegheny's Casey Burton is fresh off a very strong meet at Edinboro last week. Burton, so far one of the season's breakthrough performers, ran a PA#3 7.73 in the 60 meters, so we'll see if she can better that this weekend. Burton is also entered in the 200 meters,  but it's a loaded field headlined by Mount Lebanon's Molly Mangan, who put down a quick time of 25.62 at YSU this past weekend. Upper Saint Clair's Jane Madson, the winner of the 200 at TSTCA last weekend is also entered, along with Pine-Richland's Danielle Bryant, Baldwin's Alina Stahl, Oakland Catholic's Jayla Ellis.

Mangan, Madson, Bryant are also entered in the 400 meters, which also includes Bradford Area's Ashton McGriff and Greensburg Salem's Malia Anderson. The 60-meter hurdles will be very interesting with last week's TSTCA winner Ellis (PA#4) going up against North Hills' Amberly Valeriano, who looked very strong running a PA#3 at YSU in the event last week. Don't forget about PA#6 Brenna Cavanaugh of Bentworth and Bailey Traczynski of Hempfield Area in this loaded field.

DISTANCE

The girls' mile will be a great race to watch for with two of the top WPIAL girls from XC going head-to-head. Upper Saint Clair's Savannah Shaw and North Allegheny's Clara Savchik will headline this field, but also look for Butler's Maggie Welty, Fox Chapel's Caelan Miller, and Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Rylee Kopchak to drop fast times.

Savchik is also entered in the 800 meters later in the day, where she'll see good competition from Villa Maria's Grace Brown. Shaw, meanwhile, is the overwhelming favorite in the 3K.


FIELD

Burton is also entered in the long jump, an event she won last week. She'll face good competition from Zoe Roush of Forest Hills and Cavanaugh of Bentworth. The few weren't separated by much at all at Edinboro last week. Roush is the top seed in the triple jump, where she currently sits at PA#5.

In a wide open shot put last week, Baldwin's Laurel Bristow pulled out the win with a PA#6 throw. But Bristow will see great competition from some familiar faces from last week, which includes Jena Reinheimer of Butler, Mackenna Orie and Rachel Hutchinson of Hempfield, Abby Whitaker of Corry Area, Lillia Allen of Penn Hills, Sam Dyson of Punxsutawney Area, and Caroline Fyock of Peters Township.

North East's Carlye Zahner will come in as the one to beat in the high jump after a win at 5-3 last week, but she'll have a good group of challengers, including Trinity (7)'s Jaime Handra.


Boys' Preview

SPRINTS/HURDLES

After a stellar indoor career debut last week, Bethel Park's James Krandel is back on the track, looking for more this week. Krandel, currently PA#1 in the 60 meters, will square off with PA#7 Alex Trower of Penn Hills in what should be a good race. Both Krandel and Trower are back for the 200 meters, which is headed by North Allegheny's Ayden Owens. Owens sits at PA#2 in the 200, running 22.01 at YSU a few weeks ago (remember he's also US#2 in the 60-meter hurdles). West Mifflin's Ziggy Patterson is the top seed in the 400 meters; he was second in 51.28 at last week's meet.

There's no Owens in the 60-meter hurdles this week, but his teammate and PA#9 Donovan Rice is the top seed and one worth watching for there.


DISTANCE

After helping their team to a PA#1 DMR last week in NYC, some of Seneca Valley's distance stars are back out west this weekend. Sam Owori leads the mile field, which features Butler's Brett Brady and SV's Connor Volk-Klos. Seth Ketler, meanwhile, who anchored the Raiders' relay in a 1,600 split of 4:19 last week, will be the one to beat in the 800 meters.

The 3,000 meters is star-studded, led at the top by Noah Beveridge of Butler, the AAA WPIAL XC champ. But also in the field is Winchester Thurston's Tristan Forsythe. Also in the field is NA's Daniel McGoey, Chartiers Valley's Czar Tarr, Mount Lebanon's Peter Cosentino, and Fox Chapel's Christian Fitch


FIELD

After placing second last week, Bradford Area's John Eakin returns to a TSTCA meet looking to grab the win this weekend. He currently sits at PA#5 and will be challenged by NA's Connor Ditka, who tossed a PR of 50-0 last week.

In the high jump, we should get an interesting matchup, as Mount Lebanon's Mason Ventrone, who jumped a T-PA#7 6-4 in the event last week at YSU will go against Penn Hills' Emmanual Mitchell (career indoor best of 6-5) and NA's Owens (career indoor best of 6-3.25). Jaden Rouse of Penn Hills is the top seed in the triple jump. He currently sits at PA#15. Caleb Mabins of McDowell (PA#18) is the top seed in the long jump.

In the pole vault, Baldwin's Nick Lachut will aim for his second TSTCA win in as many weeks, but NA's Jono Pelusi and Altoona's Tyler Delozier will make this one a toss-up.