AAA Girls 3200m Preview
It's been another terrific year for girls' distance running in Pennsylvania from the fall all the way through to now. The AAA 3200 meters will be a great meeting between some of those top distance runners of the 2020-21.
Due to the format of the XC state meet, we never got to see some of these top girls go head-to-head during the fall. We'll get that chance in the 3200 on Saturday morning to open up the meet.
The favorite is PA No. 1 Jenna Mulhern of West Chester Henderson. The junior was sixth at the state meet two years ago, but Mulhern is in some of the best shape of her career, as evidenced by a 10:14.92 to win the event at her home invite earlier this month. She pulled off a big triple (3200-4x8-1600) at the District 1 Championships, and now she'll chase an outdoor track gold medal to go with her state title from her freshman year of XC.
But Mia Cochran of Moon Area will be right there in the mix. The junior went 10:28.03 earlier this season at Butler and cruised to the WPIAL crown last week. Cochran has won the XC state title each of the last two years and will be gunning for her first track title.
There's also Margaret Carroll of Northeastern in this field. She's been consistently strong in the 3200 this spring, including a second place finish to Mulhern at Henderson. Carroll went 10:35.03 to win the YAIAA. She will look to mix it up with Mulhern and Cochran up front. The tactics will be very interesting to watch between these girls.
Plenty of others will be fighting it out for spots in the top five. Greencastle-Antrim's Claire Paci went 10:44 earlier this season and a not-too-distant second to Carroll in District 3. The District 1 contingent will be strong, as well. West Chester Rustin's Ellie Keefer is having a terrific season. She took second in D1 in 10:52.47. West Chester East's Sonia Piombino was third in D1, and she clocked a best of 10:49.03 at Henderson earlier this season.
The race for the medal stand will be fierce. Mechanicsburg's Hope McKenney, Lower Merion's Sarah Hurst, Dallastown's Lydia Tolerico, District 6 champion Jordan Reed of State College, WPIAL runner up Meredith Price of Pine-Richland, and District 6 runner up Kylee Cubbison all have clocked sub-11 times this spring.
In what could turn into a fast race up front, we'll see if a run can be made at the meet record of 10:16.02, which was set two years ago. Keep an eye on that clock in what should be a terrific race.
ENTRIES:
Event 310 Girls 3200 Meter Run AAA
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NFHS Record: 9:47.88 2018 Katelyn Touhy, North Rockland HS, NY
PIAA Record: 10:16.02 2019 Emily Carter, Bethel Park 07
NFHS Hnr Rol: 10:26.00
11:10.00 SQS
Name Year School Seed Finals
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1 Mulhern, Jenna 11 W C Henderson 01 10:44.48 SQS
2 Carroll, Margaret 12 Northeastern 03 10:50.97 SQS
3 Cochran, Mia 11 Moon Area 07 10:52.40 SQS
4 Keefer, Ellie 10 W C Rustin 01 10:52.47 SQS
5 Piombino, Sonia 11 W C East 01 10:52.50 SQS
6 Paci, Claire 9 Greencastle 03 10:52.68 SQS
7 Hurst, Sarah 12 Lower Merion 01 10:53.25 SQS
8 McKenney, Hope 11 Mechanicsburg 03 10:56.68 SQS
9 Tolerico, Lydia 11 Dallastown 03 10:58.09 SQS
10 Reed, Jordan 12 State College 06 10:58.69 SQS
11 Price, Meredith 11 Pine-Richland 07 10:59.10 SQS
12 Cubbison, Kylee 11 Mifflin Cnty 06 10:59.35 SQS
13 Hunkele, Angelina 9 Pine-Richland 07 11:01.51 SQS
14 St. John Kletter, Logan 9 Mt Lebanon 07 11:05.35 SQS
15 Lang, Jenna 9 Bethel Park 07 11:06.65 SQS
16 Carter, Laura 9 Fox Chapel 07 11:07.93 SQS
17 Adams, Caroline 9 Mt Lebanon 07 11:08.09 SQS
18 Tarpley, Carolyn 10 Dtown West 01 11:09.95 SQS
19 Pritchett, Marissa 11 Northeastern 03 11:10.59
20 Jobes, Emily 12 Liberty 11 11:28.98
21 DeMarzo, Molly 11 Crestwood 02 11:30.28
22 Kruskie, Shaela 9 Selinsgrove 04 11:41.42
23 Nola, Olivia 12 Erie 10 11:51.76
24 Gaston, Kelsey 12 Lehighton 11 11:52.66
25 Roemer, Morgan 9 DuBois Area 09 12:00.92
26 Panei, Erica 11 So Philly 12 12:28.12
27 Sideris, Mia 11 Northeast 12 13:09.50