AAA Boys' 800m Preview
This time last year, Blake Ewaskey probably couldn't even dream he be in the mix for a state championship on the track. But the Central Bucks West will enter the state meet at PA No. 1 in the 800 meters after a 1:53.07 from a few week's ago. The District 1 champion will look to close out what has been a short, but wildly successful high school track career with a state win.
Indoor state champion Tyler Shue of Ephrata will go for his first outdoor gold in the 800. The junior is actually yet to run a fresh 800 this season, so he'll unleash the speed this weekend. He went 1:53.88 for second at last year's state meet and will look to win it this season.
The top seed entering the meet based on district performances is Indiana Area's Kendall Branan. The junior has been on a roll this season and has gone 1:54 twice during the month of May. He captured the WPIAL win and should be in the mix for the PIAA win on Saturday.
Council Rock South's Collin Ochs was a close second to Ewaskey at District 1. Seventh a year ago, Ochs has a quality kick and has been dropping some strong times all year long. He'll be up there. Another returning medalist is Ethan Zeh of Radnor. He was fourth in District 1 and went 1:54 this spring. A year ago, he was sixth in the state and should be in contention again this weekend.
District 6 champion Seth Phillips of Mifflin County clocked a big season best and PR of 1:54.97 last week. The senior has valuable state final experience. Garnet Valley's Eric Albright and Twin Valley's Dylan Servis are among the others in this field that have run sub-1:55 this season.
Others that should be in contention include Council Rock North's Jake Boyd, Seneca Valley's Seth Ketler, Carlisle's Jack Wisner, and Chartiers Valley's Elias Zajicek.
ENTRIES:
Event 708 Boys 800 Meter Run AAA Prelims
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NFHS Record: 1:46.45 1996 Michael Granville, BellGardensHS,CA
PIAA Record: 1:48.72 2015 John Lewis, Cheltenham 01
NFHS Hnr Rol: 1:52.00
1:57.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed relim Time
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1 306 Branan, Kendall 11 Indiana Area 07 1:54.04 SQS
2 91 Ewaskey, Blake 12 C B West 01 1:54.78 SQS
3 164 Ochs, Collin 12 C R South 01 1:54.88 SQS
4 382 Phillips, Seth 12 Mifflin Cnty 06 1:54.97 SQS
5 155 Boyd, Jake 12 C R North 01 1:55.24 SQS
6 528 Zeh, Ethan 12 Radnor 01 1:55.31 SQS
7 553 Ketler, Seth 12 Seneca Valley 07 1:55.45 SQS
8 233 Albright, Eric 10 Garnet Valley 01 1:55.79 SQS
9 123 Zajicek, Elias 12 Chartiers Vly 07 1:55.81 SQS
10 300 Thimons, CJ 11 Highlands 07 1:56.11 SQS
11 226 Shue, Tyler 11 Ephrata 03 1:56.16 SQS
12 589 Walker, Cejay 12 Somerset Area 05 1:56.43 SQS
13 68 Wisner, Jack 12 Carlisle 03 1:56.72 SQS
14 683 Mahon, Owen 11 Williamsport 04 1:56.77 SQS
15 302 Carbino, Burton 12 Holy Ghost 01 1:56.77 SQS
16 526 O'Malley, Luke 11 Radnor 01 1:56.81 SQS
17 618 Stianche, Derian 12 Tamaqua Area 11 1:57.18
18 625 Servis, Dylan 12 Twin Valley 03 1:57.44
19 667 Shields, Connor 12 Warwick 03 1:57.65
20 349 Klick, Riley 11 Lebanon 03 1:58.22
21 378 Watson, Tucker 12 Meadville 10 1:58.42
22 431 Domchek, Dalton 12 Northampton 11 1:58.67
23 348 Golden, Tayshawn 11 New Oxford 03 1:58.97
24 545 Gallagher, Denis 11 St Joe's Prep 12 1:59.35
25 652 Monte, Jack 12 Wallenpaupack 02 1:59.89
26 547 Raup, Ricky 11 St Joe's Prep 12 2:00.42
27 522 Wehrle, Andrew 11 Punxsutawney 09 2:03.08