AAA Girls' 1,600m Preview
There are usually not too many surprises when the state meet performance list is released. But one notable surprise on Sunday was the fact that Northern's Marlee Starliper was entered in only the 1600 meters for Ship, choosing not to go after defending her 3200 meter title from a year ago. Instead, she'll be fresh in the 1600 meters and will go against two-time defending AAA 1600 state champion Taryn Parks of Greencastle-Antrim.
It will be a race for the ages. Starliper is fresh off a 4:38.70, which was a new US No. 1 time and the second fastest time in state history, at the District 3 Championships. Parks was second in that race in 4:52, saving some in the tank for the 800 and 4x4, which she had after that event at D3.
Parks has a habit of bringing her best to the state meet and she'll be looking to retain her title. She won last year in 4:46.09, while Starliper, coming off the 3200, ended up third. Starliper, meanwhile, showed at District 3 that she's in incredible form. The pair went down to the line at indoor nationals in March, with Parks taking the win in a state record 4:39.05. Could we see another epic Starliper-Parks battle?
Two others in this field have run sub-5 this season. State College Area's Kileigh Kane, fifth at the Penn Relays mile, has run a best of 4:54.56 this season at Altoona. She ran away with the District 6 crown last week and could certainly improve on her sixth place finish in this race from a year ago. Bethel Park's Emily Carter went 4:59.42 to win the WPIAL title las week. She's running the 3200 earlier in the meet, but she's proven that she can effectively double many times over the past few season.
Very few finalists are back from last year, which will make the race for the top 8 medals an interesting one. Blue Mountain's Olivia Haas, Ephrata's Mary Campbell, Pennridge's Ashley Gordon, Gwynedd-Mercy Academy's Kelly Murray are among the top milers in this strong field.
This could be an historic race on Saturday and won't be one to miss!
ENTRIES:
Event 304 Girls 1600 Meter Run AAA Prelims
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NFHS Record: 4:33.29 2014 Alexa Efraimson, Camas HS, WA
PIAA Record: 4:41.08 1981 Kim Gallagher, Upper Dublin 01
NFHS Hnr Rol: 4:51.00
5:10.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed relim Time
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1 442 Starliper, Marlee 11 Northern 03 4:38.70 SQS
2 273 Parks, Taryn 11 Greencastle 03 4:52.69 SQS
3 44 Carter, Emily 10 Bethel Park 07 4:59.42 SQS
4 581 Kane, Kileigh 12 State College 06 4:59.80 SQS
5 225 Campbell, Mary 11 Ephrata 03 5:02.45 SQS
6 486 Gordon, Ashley 10 Pennridge 01 5:04.45 SQS
7 287 Murray, Kelly 10 Gwynedd-Mercy 01 5:04.89 SQS
8 213 Shontz, Cat 12 Elizabethtown 03 5:06.50 SQS
9 613 Krautzel, Marcella 11 Unionville 01 5:06.88 SQS
10 48 Haas, Olivia 9 Blue Mountain 11 5:08.33 SQS
11 380 Cochran, Mia 9 Moon Area 07 5:08.35 SQS
12 600 Conboy, Ciara 10 Stroudsburg 11 5:09.09 SQS
13 667 Schiele, Michaela 10 W C East 01 5:09.53 SQS
14 184 Flannery, Reagan 11 Dtown West 01 5:10.45
15 144 Williams, Janelle 11 Cheltenham 01 5:10.68
16 517 Lloyd, Kiersten 11 Red Lion 03 5:10.77
17 336 Shreffler, Kierra 12 Kiski Area 07 5:12.51
18 235 Seeger, Sarena 12 Fox Chapel 07 5:12.66
19 636 Zipay, Brianna 9 Valley View 02 5:18.04
20 290 Curtis, Madeline 11 Harbor Creek 10 5:20.68
21 513 Roberts, Olivia 10 Punxsutawney 09 5:22.06
22 552 Keeley, Nicole 12 Shikellamy 04 5:22.53
23 20 deSimone, Mary 12 Arch Carroll 12 5:36.55
24 359 Pisacano, Olivia 11 Little Flower 12 5:40.04