AA Girls' High Jump Preview
Two-time AA high jump state champion Lydia Bottelier moved to AAA for this season, leaving the door open for a new state champ in the classification for this year. It should be a competitive battle for the top spot.
Beaver Area's Emma Pavelek is the top-ranked AA girl in the field and one of the top seeds. She jumped 5-6.25 at the Beaver County Champs and then 5-6 to win the WPIAL. The other top seed is Taylor Newton of Elk County Catholic. She jumped 5-6 to win at District 9 this past week and has probably been the most consistent AA girl in the state this spring. Interestingly enough, Pavelek and Newton tied for fourth a year ago. This year, they'll be the favorites for the win.
After that, seven girls in the field have cleared a best of 5-4 this season. Towanda's Porschia Bennett jumped a nice PR of 5-4 to win the District 4 crown. Just a freshman, she'll be one to watch. The others entering with season bests at 5-4: Gianna Bedel (Slippery Rock Area), Charly Slusser (Williamson), Sara Wanat (Lakeland), Kendall Bernardyn (Mahanoy Area), Caroline Ratchford (Bishop Carroll), and Quintasia Streeter (Brentwood).
Ultimately, this will be a hotly contested event for the title, and could go to the girl who brings her best on the right day.
ENTRIES:
Event 212 Girls High Jump AA
===============================================================================
NFHS Record: 6-04.50 2015 Vashti Cunningham, Bishop Gorman HS, NV
PIAA Record: 5-10 1979 Thea Ackerman, Saucon Valley 11
NFHS Hnr Rol: 5-08
5-02.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Mark Finals
===============================================================================
1 Pavalek, Emma 10 Beaver Area 07 5-06.00 SQS
2 Newton, Taylor 11 Elk Cnty Cath 09 5-06.00 SQS
3 Bennett, Porschia 9 Towanda 04 5-04.00 SQS
4 Smith, Christina 11 Oil City 10 5-02.00 SQS
5 Culver, Carli 11 Titusville 10 5-02.00 SQS
6 Bedel, Gianna 9 Slippery Rock 10 5-02.00 SQS
7 Slusser, Charly 10 Williamson 04 5-02.00 SQS
8 Roltson, Emma 9 Greenwood 03 5-02.00 SQS
9 Fox, Maddie 12 Loyalsock Twp 04 5-02.00 SQS
10 Bernardyn, Kendall 12 Mahanoy Area 11 5-02.00 SQS
11 Holben, Erica 12 Salisbury Twp 11 5-02.00 SQS
12 Janosik, Lyric 11 Penn Cambria 06 5-02.00 SQS
13 Ratchford, Caroline 12 Bshp Carroll 06 5-02.00 SQS
14 Wanat, Sara 12 Lakeland 02 5-02.00 SQS
15 Beebout, Tierney 10 Richland 06 5-02.00 SQS
16 Popson, Isabella 10 Hanover Area 02 5-02.00 SQS
17 Lewis, Laken 11 Clarion Area 09 5-00.00
18 Chuma, Maryna 12 New Hope-Sole 01 5-00.00
19 Perry, Tara 10 Derry Area 07 5-00.00
20 Streeter, Quintasia 12 Brentwood 07 5-00.00
21 Vize, Jasynda 10 Hamburg 03 5-00.00
22 Malesky, Julianna 12 Delone Cath 03 5-00.00
23 Maurer, Morgan 12 Shade 05 4-11.00
24 Echegaray, Bree 11 Waynesburg 07 4-10.00
25 Denner, Sammie 11 South Park 07 4-10.00
26 Newark, Madeline 9 Burgettstown 07 4-10.00
27 Fields, Leena 10 Bish McDev 12 4-08.00
28 Arzuaga, Melany 10 Swenson Avts 12 4-08.00
29 Jeack, Justine 11 Hill-Freedmam 12 4-06.00