Girls Field Recap - PTFCA Indoor State Championships
A pair of state meet records went down by a pair of PA's finest in the field events.
The first of which came in the shot put, where current national leader Maria Deaviz of Souderton uncorked a put of 50-00 on her final attempt. Deaviz started off with a put of 48-8.5 on her first attempt and eventually threw 49-9.5 before her 50-footer on her final attempt. The 49-9.5 broke Payden Montana's 2018 meet record of 49-5.25 and the 50-00 padded that number. Deaviz remains at US No. 1 with her best of 51-10.75.
The other meet record occurred in the pole vault, with Manheim Township's Sydney Horn successfully defending her crown and taking down a record that has stood for 12 years. Horn cleared 13-3 on her first attempt to take down Abby Schaffer's 2008 meet record of 13-0.25. Germantown Academy's Liliana Cohen took second at 12-6, and Central Dauphin's Gabriella Recce, also over 12-6, took third.
The triple jump was very competitive in a deep field that jumped 38 feet or better. But it was West York's Tesia Thomas that came out on top. The senior leapt 39-6 on her first attempt to set the standard that would ultimately win her the event. With the win already secured, Thomas popped a jump of 40-1 on her final attempt to move her up to US No. 10. Shipley's Sabrina Imes took second with a leap of 39-1.
There were some dramatics in the long jump, too, it what was also a loaded event of talented jumpers. North Allegheny's Casey Burton, on her final attempt, leapt 19-1 to take her from seventh place all the way up to the top spot to claim her first state championship. Thomas, the triple jump champion, jumped 18-10 to take second. It was a hotly contested event with athletes needing an 18-5 to get on the medal stand.
Cheltenham's Brianna Smith has been among the state's high jumpers since emerging onto the scene as a talented freshman four years ago. On Sunday, the multis specialist got her first state title. Smith was the only girl in the field to clear 5-6. She got over both 5-4 and 5-6 on her first attempts and claimed the win. Six girls in the field cleared 5-4.