AAA Girls Long Jump Preview
One glance at the state rankings for the AAA long jump and you know we've got a wide open competition on our hands for Saturday. 12 girls have jumped 18 feet or better, and while not all of them will be featured in Saturday's state meet, it's an indication that this is a deep year in the event. But there's also no clear-cut favorite.
But the top seed and AAA#1 entering the weekend is Maria Owens of New Castle. The junior popped a nice PR of 18-6.75 to claim the WPIAL title last week. She's jumped 18+ in two other invites this spring, and seems primed for a big day at Ship.
Shannon Mullin of State College Area is also jumping her best right now, as evidenced by hr 18-6.25 -- just a half inch off Owens' top jump -- last week to win District 6. Mullin has been consistent this spring, too, and will certainly be right in the mix for the victory on Saturday. Her D6 counterpart from Altoona Area, Brooke Long, will figure into the equation as well. Long leapt 18-3.5 to take second in the district to Mullin. She has a season best of 18-4.5, which will also make her a state title contender.
Mount Lebanon's Matisse Gelblum (18-3.5 SB), Ridley's Brianna Foster (18-2.5 SB), Villa Maria's Allyson Metzger (18-2 SB), District 1 champion Kasi Brown (18-1.5 SB) of Wissahickon, Bishop McDevitt's Lindsay Husic (18-1 SB), and Souderton's Hannah Alderfer (18-1 SB) are the others in this field who have leapt over 18 feet this season.
It's really a wide open field and it will come down to who brings their best stuff on the right day. There should be plenty of intrigue around this one.
ENTRIES:
Event 314 Girls Long Jump AAA
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NFHS Record: 22-01.75 1976 Kathy McMillan, RaefordHCHS,NC
PIAA Record: 20-03 2005 Nicole Smith, McDowell 10
NFHS Hnr Rol: 19-06
17-09.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Mark Finals
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1 Owens, Maria 11 New Castle 07 18-06.75 SQS
2 Mullin, Shannon 11 State College 06 18-06.25 SQS
3 Long, Brooke 11 Altoona Area 06 18-03.50 SQS
4 Brown, Kasi 12 Wissahickon 01 18-01.50 SQS
5 Alderfer, Hannah 12 Souderton 01 18-01.00 SQS
6 Foster, Brianna 12 Ridley 01 17-11.00 SQS
7 Gelblum, Matisse 12 Mt Lebanon 07 17-10.50 SQS
8 Foster, Taylor 11 Bish McDevitt 03 17-06.75
9 Hibbert, Denee 12 Exeter Twp 03 17-06.75
10 Metzger, Allyson 12 Villa Maria 01 17-05.75
11 Fortner, Makenna 12 Nazareth Area 11 17-05.50
12 Bennett, Jazmine 10 Bish McDevitt 03 17-05.25
13 Husic, Lindsay 10 Bish McDevitt 03 17-05.00
14 Brozeski, Aleksandra 12 Norwin 07 17-04.75
15 Alexander, Ava 10 W C Rustin 01 17-04.25
16 Ioppolo, Anastasia 11 Wallenpaupack 02 17-03.00
17 Burrowes, Shanelle 12 Chambersburg 03 17-02.75
18 Sharrow, Samantha 11 Crdnl O'Hara 12 17-02.00
19 Robertson-Dutrieuill, Nataia 10 Norwin 07 17-01.00
20 Nation, Grace 11 Parkland 11 17-00.00
21 O'Brien, Erin 11 BonnerPrendie 12 16-11.00
22 Poust, Lilian 12 Selinsgrove 04 16-06.25
23 Manson, Leslie 11 Obama Acd 08 16-03.50
24 Hudnall, Riley 12 McDowell 10 16-01.25
25 Grimm, Peyton 10 DuBois Area 09 15-07.50