AAA Girls 800m Preview
The AAA 800 meters looks to be wide open for Saturday afternoon. Five girls will enter the race with times in the 2:13 range, so it will be very close up front.
The top seed is Katie Dallas of Wilson, who has emerged in a big way this year. Dallas, a junior, has gotten consistently better all season long and dropped a big PR of 2:13.60 to capture the District 3 title this past weekend and move into the top spot. She will look to keep her breakthrough season rolling as she chases a state title.
But, as we said, this will be close. Central Bucks West boasts a pair of top entries in this field, who are also on their top-ranked 4x800. Carlin McFadden went 2:13.78 to win the District 1 title this past week. Kate Edenson wasn't far behind, taking second in 2:14.48. Edenson has run the fastest AAA 800 in the state this season -- a 2:13.55 from SOLs. It always helps to have friendly company in a race like this, so watch for McFadden and Edenson to work together.
Blue Mountain's Olivia Haas has run 2:13.60 this year, but she will find herself in the first of the two timed final section after running a 2:18 to win the District 11 title. Regardless, Haas, who is also entered in the 1600, will likely push the pace in that heat in hopes of challenging for the win, despite not being in the "fastest" section. JP McCaskey's Arielle Breuninger has run 2:13.63 and certainly has the speed to make some noise in this field, coming off the 1600 and 4x8.
After the 2:13 girls, there is -- as always -- good depth in the 800. Twin Valley's Sarah Ann Miller, Central Bucks South's Julia Pye, Pennridge's Ava Pultorak, Cumberland Valley's Ashley Pines, Grove City's Abby Steffler, and Baldwin's Lena Barakat all have times of 2:16.00 or faster this season and will all be in the hunt for high finishes.
With a wide open field like this, who knows, they could even challenge for the win. This will be a good one!
ENTRIES:
Event 308 Girls 800 Meter Run AAA
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NFHS Record: 2:02.04 2011 Amy Weissenbach, HarvardWestlakeHS, CA
PIAA Record: 2:02.90 2008 Chanelle Price, Easton Area 11
NFHS Hnr Rol: 2:09.60
2:18.47 SQS
Name Year School Seed Finals
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1 Dallas, Katie 11 Wilson 03 2:13.60 SQS
2 McFadden, Carlin 12 C B West 01 2:13.78 SQS
3 Edenson, Kate 11 C B West 01 2:14.48 SQS
4 Pye, Julia 10 C B South 01 2:15.10 SQS
5 Breuninger, Arielle 12 J.P. McCaskey 03 2:15.53 SQS
6 Pines, Ashley 10 Cumberlnd Vly 03 2:15.92 SQS
7 Barakat, Lena 12 Baldwin 07 2:16.00 SQS
8 Miller, Sarah Ann 10 Twin Valley 03 2:16.08 SQS
9 Murray, Kelly 12 Gwynedd-Mercy 01 2:16.20 SQS
10 Simon, Emmi 12 C B West 01 2:16.31 SQS
11 Pultorak, Ava 10 Pennridge 01 2:16.80 SQS
12 Henkel, Lucy 11 Radnor 01 2:16.93 SQS
13 Martin, Anna 12 Warwick 03 2:17.68 SQS
14 Haas, Olivia 11 Blue Mountain 11 2:18.34 SQS
15 Morningstar, Grace 10 State College 06 2:18.56
16 Blahovec, Cydney 10 Hempfield 07 2:18.82
17 Fleck, Emma 12 So Fayette 07 2:19.32
18 Hoffman, Claire 12 Uppr St Clair 07 2:19.67
19 Sechrist, Aubrey 12 Jersey Shore 04 2:19.99
20 Emin, Sophie 11 Easton Area 11 2:20.00
21 Steffler, Abby 11 Grove City 10 2:22.35
22 Roemer, Morgan 9 DuBois Area 09 2:23.13
23 Bonczewski, Jillian 12 Wyomng Vly W 02 2:23.33
24 Eagle, Mary 9 Allderdice 08 2:30.54
25 Smith, Alexis 11 Abp Wood 12 2:32.22
26 O'Brien, Allison 10 BonnerPrendie 12 2:32.98