PIAA States Preview: Boys' Distance


AAA Boys' 1,600m Preview

Buckle up for this one because it's going to be fast. The field is loaded with no shortage of quick milers in what will be one of the state meet's most compelling distance races. Very little separates the top seeds in this field.

The top seed coming into the meet is Patrick Anderson of Mount Lebanon, who went 4:15.09 to win the WPIAL crown this past week. He outlasted North Allegheny's Zach Kinne (4:16.77) for the win. They are seeded 1-2 in the race, though Kinne is contesting the 3200 meters earlier in the meet. Anderson was an XC state champ in the fall, and the junior will have his sights set on an outdoor track title. Kinne, who transferred last summer from Illinois,  will look to have a crack at the win off the double.

PA No. 1 in the event is Manheim Township's Evan Dorenkamp, who stormed to a 4:14.53 for the L-L League crown a few weeks ago. He went 4:17 to win at District 3 last week and has one of the best kicks in the bunch. Tyler Wirth of Wallenpaupack will look to close out his high school career on a high note. he took home the District 2 crown last week and has the talent to go after his first career state title on Saturday.

Jonah Hoey of Bishop Shanahan may be the best in the field. He dropped a 57-second last lap in a tactical District 1 race to take the win. A kick like that will be tough to beat on Saturday afternoon. He was a very close second a year ago, and the junior is hungry for his first states win. LaSalle College's Vincent Twomey took fourth in the state final a year ago. He ran a season best of 4:21 to take second in District 12, but he has the ability to drop a fast time this weekend. His LaSalle teammate Jack Seiberlich won that race and has been on the rise all season.

There are plenty of other fast runners in this field. West Chester East's Joshua Lewin was third in D1, but went 4:15 at Henderson this season. Mifflin County's Chayce Macknair, Governor Mifflin's Alexander Ermold, and Conestoga Valley's Nathan Grucelski have all run in the 4:16 range this spring, and Seneca Valley's Sam Owori has run 4:17 this year.

It could get tactical, which will favor some of those kickers. Or someone could take it out and make it a very 

ENTRIES:

Event 704  Boys 1600 Meter Run AAA Prelims
===============================================================================
 NFHS Record:  3:59.51  2001        Alan Webb, RestonSoLakesHS, VA             
 PIAA Record:  4:07.32  2011        Drew Magaha, Upper Moreland 01             
NFHS Hnr Rol:  4:11.00                                                         
               4:24.22  SQS
           Name                        Year School                 Seed relim Time
===============================================================================
  1    392 Anderson, Patrick             11 Mount Lebanon 07    4:15.09  SQS   
  2    419 Kinne, Zachary                12 No Allegheny 07     4:16.77  SQS   
  3    656 Wirth, Tyler                  12 Wallenpaupack 02    4:16.84  SQS   
  4    366 Dorenkamp, Evan               12 Manheim Twp 03      4:17.65  SQS   
  5    556 Owori, Sam                    12 Seneca Valley 07    4:18.51  SQS   
  6    559 Volk-Klos, Connor             12 Seneca Valley 07    4:18.98  SQS   
  7    266 Binda, Dylan                  12 Grnsbrg Salem 07    4:19.04  SQS   
  8    149 Grucelski, Nathan             12 Conestoga Vly 03    4:19.79  SQS   
  9     35 Hoey, Jonah                   11 Bish Shanahan 01    4:20.13  SQS   
 10    341 Seiberlich, Jack              12 LaSalle Cllg 12     4:20.29  SQS   
 11    251 Price, Nate                   12 Gen McLane 10       4:20.87  SQS   
 12    381 Macknair, Chayce              12 Mifflin Cnty 06     4:21.25  SQS   
 13    257 Ermold, Alexander             12 Gvrnr Mifflin 03    4:21.34  SQS   
 14    343 Twomey, Vincent               11 LaSalle Cllg 12     4:21.73  SQS   
 15    278 Tomov, Aiden                  12 Haverford Twp 01    4:21.94  SQS   
 16    669 Lewin, Joshua                 11 W C East 01         4:22.80  SQS   
 17    372 Beveridge, Matt               12 Meadville 10        4:23.09  SQS   
 18    283 Rittenhouse, Justin           12 Hempfield 03        4:23.31  SQS   
 19    449 Ali, Saabir                   12 Overbrook 12        4:23.57  SQS   
 20    272 Starvaggi, Ryan               12 Harbor Creek 10     4:23.78  SQS   
 21    236 Garrett, Sean                 11 Garnet Valley 01    4:24.28        
 22    469 Williamson, Riley             12 Parkland 11         4:24.62        
 23    189 Chamoun, Joseph               12 Dtown West 01       4:24.87        
 24     37 Haas, Kevin                   11 Blue Mountain 11    4:25.77        
 25    119 Overcash, Trentin             12 Chambersburg 03     4:26.72        
 26    578 Strouse, Logan                12 Shikellamy 04       4:27.17        
 27    457 Toth, Zachary                 11 Palmyra 03          4:27.25        
 28    515 Bartlebaugh, Owen             11 Punxsutawney 09     4:41.20