Race Sequences of the 4x800 finals on 5/29 at the PIAA State Championships @ Shippensburg

Jun 01, 2004

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Race Sequences of the 4x800 finals on 5/29 at thePIAA State Championships @ Shippensburg

Girls AA, won by Gwynedd-Mercy in 9:15.30.
Splits: 2:19.6, 2:23.9, 2:16.9, 2:14.7
Elk County Catholic, 9:16.86.

The first exchange,and Elk County Catholic has established a lead.

A lead widens halfway through the second leg.

And is maintained going into the third leg.

But Gwynedd's big guns are the last two legs.

Khaki Mealey gets them within striking distance for the anchor.

Kate Vernon knows the job ahead.

And Kate Vernon pulls ahead on the first lap
and keeps the lead until the finish (sorry,
had to shoot the high jump while this race was finishing.)

Boys AA, won by Lewisburg in 7:44.44, US#2.
Splits: 1:57.1, 1:58.3, 1:56.4, 1:51.8

There was really never any doubt, and a US#2 affirmed that.

Girls AAA, won by Haverford Township in 9:09.06, US#5.
Splits: 2:19.4, 2:22.3, 2:11.2, 2:15.2
Allentown Central Catholic 9:10.76.

Haverford's rivals from Hatboro-Horsham were without
star and anchor Caitlin Klaas, who was ill. But a 9:09.09 demonstrated
that the rivalry would have come down to the final steps,
just as it did, as anchor Adriana Boyle held off the
2:09 charge of Frances Koons of Allentown Central Catholic.
Haverford lead-off Alicia York didn't let any team get away in a 2:20 open.

Junior Julia Somers accomplished her goal of keeping
contact with the chase pack. A loss of 20 meters here, and the race
would have had a different outcome.

Fiana York gets the stick and spends most of the first lap
catching the leaders, taking the final turn wide and literally
sling-shotting around the group into first for her 2nd lap.
Fans watching thought she'd come back to the pack,
but didn't slow down at all on the way to a 2:11.

Anchor Adriana Boyle gets a 30 meter lead on Allentown Central Catholic
anchor Frances Koons. She started the first lap at a confident pace, with no
panic. Koons' 2:09 wasn't enough, as Boyle split 2:13 to seal the win.

Boys AAA, won by Central Dauphin in 9:47.28, US#5.
Splits: Not available
Cumberland Valley, 7:48.12.
North Penn, 7:48.42.

The AAA boys race was a battle the whole way,
as defending champ Cumberland Valley nearly pulled off the win with
a frantic stretch run. Central Dauphin grabbed ahold of the race early,
refusing to allow anyone to pass, going 7:47.28 to win by .9.