The wait is over. It is officially PTFCA Championship Week. With an action-packed meet on deck - we want to ensure you're as prepared as we are.
Throughout the week, we will release event-by-event previews of the action and what you can expect on Sunday. Today we have previews of the Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump and Pole Vault. Make sure to click through to each event to read event-by-event previews of the action.
Pole Vault | High Jump | Long Jump | Triple Jump
Triple Jump Preview
By Ian Sherlock
The Girls
Ava Alexander (West Chester Rustin) will be on state title defense this weekend. She won the triple jump contest at last year's PTFCA State Championship, jumping 40'-11", just half an inch off the state meet record. Alexander enters this year's competition with the current PA No.1 mark of 39'-10" after winning the Garden State Invitational last weekend. She appears to be gaining the moment she needs to break 40' for the first time this season and defender her title.
Alexander can't underestimate her competition, though. Athletes such as Nataly Walters (Palmerton Area), Taylor Forbes (North Penn), and Megan Baggetta (Butler) are all capable of top-three finishes.
Walters won the Ocean Breeze Youth Invitational in January, covering 37'-7.25". This was the only time the sophomore triple jumped this season, but her effort was enough to throw her hat in the ring as one of the top-performing athletes.
Forbes has had a consistent season averaging 37'-2" per jump, remaining undefeated every meet. Coming off of her 3A state title from outdoor last year, Forbes will look to add another strong state meet to her resume.
Baggetta makes a solid case for herself after consistently jumping over 36' five different times this season. She also covered a personal best distance of 37'-2.25" to win the Youngstown State High School Meet #3. Baggetta shows she knows how to compete as she's won every meet she's competed in this season except for one.
You also need to pay attention to Lauren Howard (Hempfield Area (7)) and Shaniyah Weidler (Susquehanna Township).
Howard, a freshman, shows excellent promise after jumping her best of 36'-11.5" at the Youngstown State High School Meet #3. She may be young but she is a competitor, especially after finishing second at the TSTCA Indoor Championship Meet last weekend.
Weidler will compete at her first indoor state championship, but she's no stranger to high-level competition. She won a freshman New Balance Nationals Outdoor title in the triple jump last year, covering 38'-10.25". Weidler's season best is 36'-11.5", but she is more than capable of tapping into her true potential that she demonstrated last year.
Other athletes in medal contention to keep an eye on are Maddy Brooks (Bishop McDevitt), Rose Kuchera (Canon-McMillan), and Madison Gee (North Penn).
The Boys
Thanks to his PA No.1 effort, JJ Kelly (Chambersburg) is the current favorite. effort of 46'-10". As a freshman, Kelly won a 3A state title in the triple jump last year. The young star will be making his indoor state championship debut, looking to add another state gold to his name.
However, returning indoor state champion Jared Hess (Pennridge) will be looking to defend his PTFCA title. Hess has been having a solid year, consistently jumping over 44' and hitting a personal best of 45'-5.25" earlier this season.
Kyle Moore (Emmaus) can also mix things up with Kelly and Hess. It will be an electric showdown between these three young men. Moore is having a competitive season covering a personal best mark of 45'-0.25" and coming in 2nd at the Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival.
Jordan Sowell (Cheltenham) and Jayden King (Mifflin County High School) can't be overlooked as athletes who are more than capable of placing in the top three.
Sowell did an excellent job improving his personal best almost every time he competed this year. Last weekend, he wrapped up the regular season with a 44'-10.75" effort to win the TFCAofGP Meet of Champions. With that kind of momentum, seeing him compete at a high level on Saturday will be no surprise.
King made his indoor debut this season and hit a massive personal best of 44'-4". He can likely contend with some of the state's top jumpers this weekend.
You should also watch Samuel Chedester (Easton Area) and Rohan Gupta (North Allegheny).
Chedester has been competing well at big meets this season, finishing 3rd at the Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival and 4th at the U.S. Army Hall of Fame Invitational. He also hit a personal best mark of 44'-1.25" back in December.
Gupta is another guy that has been jumping consistently all season long. He hasn't jumped less than 40' this year (best effort being 44'-1"), and as long as he stays true to that Saturday, there's a good chance he leaves with a state medal.
Other athletes in medal contention are CJ Simbiri (Delaware County Christian), Terry Tineh (Plymouth Whitemarsh), and Nasir Heard (Bloomsburg).