PTFCA Indoor States Preview: Girls' Distance


Girls' 3,000 Meters Preview

Even on a double, little should stop Marlee Starliper of Northern from winning the 3,000 meters and that's not a statement about the quality of the field behind her, but rather that Starliper is one of the best to ever do it in the United States at the high school level.

Starliper ran the third fastest time in US history in the 3K with a 9:07.14 at Boston University a few weeks ago. It is also a national senior class record. After skipping the state meet last year in favor of the USATF Indoor Championships where she raced pros en route to a 9:58 for a full 2 miles, she's back to try and replicate the mile/3K double she successfully completed two years ago. The mile comes first, followed by the 3K later in the day. It seems unlikely she will try and chase that 9:07 benchmark she set a few weeks back, but the senior NC State recruit will still be an overwhelming favorite in the 15-lapper.

It's a deep field after her, though, and one that should get very competitive. Friends' Central's Lydia Russell, West Chester Henderson's Jenna Mulhern and Brownsville Area's Gionna Quarzo are the others in the field with 3K conversions under 10 minutes. Russell and Mulhern raced to 10:35s at the Ocean Breeze Invite last month with Russell taking a slight win. Look for both to be positioned near the front of the chase pack. Quarzo went 10:35 for 3,200 meters at SPIRE and the multi-time outdoor state champion should be a factor as well.

Bethel Park's Emily Carter was second last season and enters Sunday as the top returner in the 3K. It was a breakthrough performance for her last year and she has been cruising ever since then. Expect her to be right up in the chase pack, competing for another high finish. Germantown Academy's Isabelle Goldstein is putting all her focus in the 3K on Sunday and that could be a move that pays off for the senior. She has a season best of 10:00 and has the talent to dip well under 10 minutes with a big race. She, too, will be right up there.

Neshaminy's Kaylee McCullough (DVGTCA MOC winner), Brownsville's Jolena Quarzo (10:53 best for 3,200m), and Cedar Crest's Gwyneth Young (PTFCA Carnival winner) are among the other talented distance runners in this field that will be in the hunt for medals.

Event 15  Girls 3000 Meter Run
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 Meet Record:  9:36.45  3/1/2014    Tessa Barrett, Abington Heights            
              10:42.83  SGQ State Guideline
     Name                        Year School                                
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  1  Carter, Emily                 11 Bethel Park                        
  2  Goldstein, Isabelle           12 Germantown Acad                    
  3  Labbiento, Gianna             11 Sharon                             
  4  Lindgren, Hannah              12 North Allegheny                    
  5  McCullough, Kaylee            12 Neshaminy                          
  6  Mulhern, Jenna                10 WC Henderson                       
  7  Quarzo, Gionna                12 Brownsville                        
  8  Quarzo, Jolena                 9 Brownsville                        
  9  Russell, Lydia                12 Friends' Cen                       
 10  Starliper, Marlee             12 Northern                           
 11  Williams, Janelle             12 Cheltenham                         
 12  Young, Gwyneth                11 Cedar Crest