Boys 800m Preview
Get ready for a good one in the boys' 800 meters. A number of half milers have broken through this winter in a big way and it should make for a very interesting event.
At the top of the field is Moon Area's Jacob Puhalla. The junior has had a terrific indoor season, following up on a solid outdoor season last spring. He ran a 1:53.79 at SPIRE at the end of January, which is the fastest time in the field (and an overall PA#2 and US#12). He went 1:56 to win the TSTCA title last week, and he will look to earn his first state title on Sunday. Despite a 4:20 mile to his name, Puhalla has decided to go all-in with the 800m.
There are plenty of others looking to take a shot at the top spot. Central Bucks West's Carter Fitzgerald went 1:55.19 on a flat track this winter. The speedy senior has been getting better as the season has gone on, and he will put himself right in a spot to contend for the win, coming in fresh to the event.
Carson McCoy of Deer Lakes and Saint Joe's Prep's Quinn Worrell will be coming into the 800 off the mile earlier in the meet, but both should still be factors in this double. McCoy went 1:54.49 at Youngstown State this season . Worrell ran 1:56.31 (flat track) to capture the TFCAofGP Meet of Champions title last week. McCoy, a 1,600m state champ last spring, knows how to perform on the big stage, while Worrell has been a revelation this spring.
State College's Sean Adams is one to watch. The senior ran a best of 1:55.73 on the same PSU track a few weeks ago and looks to be hitting his stride at the right time. He'll be on SC's 4x8 earlier in the meet, but should be able to double back and contend for the win. Riverside's Ty Fluharty has had a great season, posting a best of 1:56.87. He's improved nicely and should be a contender, as well.
A few boys have run in the 1:57 range and should make a run at a high finish. Twin Valley's Anthony Engle went 1:57.34 to take second to Worrell at MOCs. Canon McMilan's Jadon Rahman (1:57.05 AT SPIRE), North Allegheny's Zane Kinne (1:57.57 at TSTCAs), Coatesville's Dave Kelly (1:57.73 at the Garden State Invite), Central Dauphin's Timothy Roden (1:58.05 at Kevin Dare), Southern Lehigh's Chase Hensinger (1:58.28 at the Varsity Classic), and Lewisburg's Thomas Hess (1:58.42 to win the Carnival) are among the other top five contenders in this crowded field.
ENTRIES:
Event 12 Boys 800 Meter Run
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Meet Record: 1:50.55 3/1/2014 Kyle Francis, Bensalem
Name Year School
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1 Adams, Sean 12 State College
2 Brown, Luke 11 Cathedral Prep
3 Comanda, Jesse 12 Kennett
4 Engle, Anthony 11 Twin Valley
5 Fitzgerald, Carter 12 C B West
6 Fluharty, Ty 12 Riverside (7
7 Hensinger, Chase 12 Sthern Lehigh
8 Hess, Thomas 11 Lewisburg Ar
9 Keller, Noah 11 Ephrata
10 Kelly, Dave 12 Coatesville
11 Kinne, Zane 12 North Allegh
12 Mattern, Christian 11 McDowell
13 McCoy, Carson 12 Deer Lakes
14 Nagy, William 12 Westtown Sch
15 Puhalla, Jacob 11 Moon Area
16 Rahman, Jadon 12 Canon-McMillan
17 Roden, Timothy 11 Central Dauphin
18 Smith, Jacob 12 Warwick
19 Wolfe, Ryan 12 Cedar Crest
20 Worrell, Quinn 12 St Joseph Prep
21 Zielinski, Jake 12 Great Valley