AAA Girls Triple Jump Preview
Ava Alexander of West Chester Rustin has enjoyed a breakthrough season. The sophomore has been on fire the past few weeks, leaping 37-11.5, 38-7.5, and 38-11.25 in successive meets. The latest earned her the victory at the District 1 Championships. She will look to add her first state title on Saturday in what should be a very close and exciting girls triple jump.
Right behind Alexander at the district meet wad Gabrielle Teel of Upper Moreland, who put down a huge PR of 38-11 to take second, just a half inch off the state leader. Teel has a lot of momentum going into states, and she will look to use that to her advantage with hopes to pop another big one.
There are four others who have jumped over 38 feet this spring, so this will get interesting at the top of the standings.
Zaiyah Marshall of South Western is among the most experienced in the field. Two years ago, she placed sixth at the state meet. She comes into Saturday with a season best of 38-3.25, which she leapt to win the District 3 title, and she will aim for her first state title. Franklin Regional's Rayna Todero also medaled two years ago at states, when she placed eighth. Todero jumped a best of 38-1 this year and the WPIAL champ will look to compete for the win this time around.
Exeter Township's Denee Hibbert (38-0.5) and Palmyra's Grace Aplin (38-0.25) will both be among the contenders with leaps over 38 feet this season. Aplin was second in District 3, while Hibbert was third in D3. Altoona's Brooke Long is right on the cusp of the 38-foot barrier. She jumped a season best of 37-10 at the District 6 Championships and is another girl that will have a shot at a high finish on Saturday.
Like the long jump, this one is going to be close.
ENTRIES:
Event 315 Girls Triple Jump AAA
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NFHS Record: 44-10 2019 Jasmine Moore, Mansfield Lake Ridge, TX
PIAA Record: 42-10.25 2002 Sheena Gordon, McDowell 10
NFHS Hnr Rol: 40-02
36-06.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Mark Finals
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1 Alexander, Ava 10 W C Rustin 01 38-11.25 SQS
2 Teel, Gabrielle 11 Uppr Moreland 01 38-11.00 SQS
3 Marshall, Zaiyah 12 South Western 03 38-03.25 SQS
4 Aplin, Grace 12 Palmyra 03 38-00.25 SQS
5 Todero, Rayna 12 Franklin Reg 07 37-10.50 SQS
6 Long, Brooke 11 Altoona Area 06 37-10.00 SQS
7 Hibbert, Denee 12 Exeter Twp 03 37-07.25 SQS
8 Etter, Kate 10 Chambersburg 03 37-06.00 SQS
9 Nation, Grace 11 Parkland 11 37-05.75 SQS
10 Bair, Anne 11 Gettysburg 03 37-04.75 SQS
11 DeCaro, Capri 11 Hempfield 07 37-03.00 SQS
12 Owens, Maria 11 New Castle 07 37-02.00 SQS
13 Pieslak, Kate 12 Pennsbury 01 37-01.25 SQS
14 Brozeski, Aleksandra 12 Norwin 07 37-01.25 SQS
15 Mullin, Shannon 11 State College 06 36-09.00 SQS
16 Kullmann, Peyton 12 Upper Dublin 01 36-09.00 SQS
17 Bubeck, Karleigh 10 Greencastle 03 36-07.25 SQS
18 Manson, Leslie 11 Obama Acd 08 36-07.00 SQS
19 Baggetta, Megan 10 Butler 07 36-06.25 SQS
20 Dunham, Coco 11 Methacton 01 36-04.50
21 Iannelli, Isabella 11 Easton Area 11 35-10.50
22 Messner, Aria 9 Pittston Area 02 35-03.00
23 Sharrow, Samantha 11 Crdnl O'Hara 12 34-03.00
24 Nichols, Abigail 10 Grove City 10 33-06.25
25 Walker, Devon 10 Jersey Shore 04 33-02.75
26 Brown, Marie 10 Crdnl O'Hara 12 32-04.00
27 Nuzzo, Abigail 11 Bradford Area 09 32-01.50