PIAA States Preview: Boys' Distance


AA Boys 800m Preview

The AA 800 meters will be one of the more interesting races at the state meet, due mostly to the new meet format for this year. Since it's all timed finals for events over 200 meters, there will be multiple heats and the fastest time from those heats claims the state title.

That's a key point in the 800 because Stanley Saint-Fleur of Dock Mennonite enters the state meet with the fastest AA 800 time of the season, but he will be in the first of the two sections on Friday because he won he District 1 title in 2:01.78. Saint-Fleur clocked a 1:53.79 earlier this season and clearly has some serious talent.

But if Saint-Fleur wants to win the state title, he'll have to go out hard and run what could be a mostly solo effort if he wants a shot at the win. He is doubling off the 400 earlier in the meet, so we'll see what the senior has in his legs. Needless to say, it will be interesting.

Most of the other contenders will be in the second and "fast" section of the event. Riverside's Colby Belczyk went 1:54.94 to win the WPIAL title, and he's going all-in for the 800. He's been progressing at a great rate all year long and could be the one to beat on Friday. His teammate from Riverside, Ty Fluharty, is the No. 2 seed and he was impressive taking second in D7 in 1:56.41 -- a big PR. He enters the meet with good potential to score a high placing.

District 10 champion Cole Frazier is one to watch. He ran 1:57.73 to win at SRU this past weekend. Like Saint-Fleur, he'll be doubling back off the 400, but has some good speed that he showed off at the D10 meet to make him a factor. Gabe Nichols of Grove City, among the favorites in the 1600, will be worth watching for. He went 1:58.62 to take second to Frazier in D10.

Schuylkill Valley's Luke Seymour is the lone returning medalist in this field; as a freshman he took sixth in the state. He won the District 3 title last week and has a season best of 1:56.91 that will make him a contender for the title here. He's running the 1600 earlier in the day, but is clearly a strong runner.

Gabe McConville of Waynesburg Central will be in that first section with Saint-Fleur. He has run 1:57.54 this year and could be a factor out of the slower heat. South Park's Kirk Stewart, South Williamsport's Quaid Molino, and Penns Valley's Colton Sands and Brendan Colwell are among the others that could get themselves in the mix for a state title in what could turn into a very wide open event.

ENTRIES:

Event 608  Boys 800 Meter Run AA
===============================================================================
 NFHS Record:  1:46.45  1996        Michael Granville, BellGardensHS,CA        
 PIAA Record:  1:50.10  2016        Domenic Perretta, Beaver Falls 07          
NFHS Hnr Rol:  1:52.00                                                         
               1:59.70  SQS
           Name                        Year School                 Seed     Finals
===============================================================================
  1        Belczyk, Colby                12 Riverside 07        1:54.94  SQS   
  2        Fluharty, Ty                  11 Riverside 07        1:56.41  SQS   
  3        Frazier, Cole                 12 Hickory 10          1:57.73  SQS   
  4        Nichols, Gabe                 12 Grove City 10.      1:58.62  SQS   
  5        Seymour, Luke                 11 Schuylkll Vly 03    1:59.03  SQS   
  6        Stewart, Kirk                 12 South Park 07       1:59.12  SQS   
  7        Sands, Colton                 12 Penns Valley 06     1:59.66  SQS   
  8        Molino, Quaid                 11 So Wlliamsprt 04    1:59.98        
  9        Colwell, Brendan              12 Penns Valley 06     2:00.16        
 10        Deremer, Josh                 12 Pen Argyl 11        2:00.20        
 11        Moore, Mason                  11 Lanc Catholic 03    2:00.31        
 12        Clark, Jonah                  12 St. Joseph 06       2:00.41        
 13        Saint-Fleur, Stanley          12 Dock Menn 01        2:01.78        
 14        Paxton, Garrett               12 Freedom Area 07     2:01.89        
 15        Cessna, Holden                11 Everett Area 05     2:01.99        
 16        McConville, Gabe              12 Waynesburg 07       2:02.56        
 17        Neal, Seth                    12 Williamson 04       2:02.84        
 18        Lee, Thomas                   12 Holy Cross 02       2:02.99        
 19        Buzard, Koby                  12 Keystone 09         2:04.60        
 20        Way, Dylan                    10 Elk Lake 02         2:05.08        
 21        Myers, Aaron                  10 Johnsonburg 09      2:05.54        
 22        Maxwell, Kyiese               11 Bshp McDevitt 12    2:09.18        
 23        Traure, Baba                  11 Bartram 12          2:09.55