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 800m, Mile and 3000m. Make sure to click through to each event to read event-by-event previews of the action.
800m | Mile | 3000m
800m Run Preview
by Ian Sherlock
The Girls:
Alli DeLisi (Penn Charter) is the top returning finisher from last year's indoor state championship and is more than capable of winning in 2023. DeLisi is gaining a lot of momentum after winning over a stacked field last weekend at the DVGTCA Meet of Champions. She ran her season best of 2:13.62, beating athletes such as Gwen Hamilton (Archbishop Wood) and Quin Stovall (Friends' Central).
Speaking of freshman Gwen Hamilton, she's having a great season going into the state meet with the current PA No. 1 time of 2:12.44. Hamilton has competed well, winning big meets such as the PCL Indoor Championship and the Varsity Classic.
When discussing solid front runners with the potential to win, Ella Woehlcke (Mount Saint Joseph Academy) and Ashley Pines (Cumberland Valley) can't be overlooked.
Woehlcke opened her season, running a strong 2:13.02 to beat DeLisi and win the Armory Hispanic Games. She also contended well, taking 7th at the Ocean Breeze Invitational.
Pines also shows much promise as she's remained undefeated all season and consistently improved upon her season best every race. She enters the state meet with a personal best of 2:13.73 from last week at the State College HS Invitational #3, proving she is peaking at the right time this season.
Olivia Cieslak (Haverford Township HS) has kept a low profile in the 800m this indoor season but will bring her A-Game on Sunday. She clocked a season-best of 2:14.70 back in January and showed she was still ready last weekend by winning the 1600m at the Garden State Invitational in 4:49.14.
Lily Schindler (Avon Grove) has the potential for a top-three finish. She ran a season-best of 2:14.96 at the State College HS Invitational #3 after winning the PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival just a few days prior. She is another case of someone peaking at the right time this indoor season.
Ashley Landis (Pennridge), Maddie Miller (West Chester Rustin), and Erin Vincent (Easton Area) are all more than capable of earning a medal. Landis comes in with a personal best of 2:15.31, Miller comes in with a personal best of 2:16.11, and Vincent comes in with a personal best of 2:16.13, all from the Ocean Breeze Invitational.
You also shouldn't overlook Grace Morningstar (State College Area High School), Harley Kletz (Montour), Sarah Ann Miller (Twin Valley), Jenna Lang (Bethel Park), and Quin Stovall (Friends' Central). All these girls have run under 2:17 this season and have been competing well.
The Boys:
Michael Woolery (Episcopal Academy) will go into the state championship meet with this season's PA No.1 time of 1:53.28. Woolery ran this to win the Ocean Breeze Invitational. He's been having a consistent year, remaining undefeated in the 800m run this season. These are the accolades it takes to contend for a state title.
Although, there is a very competitive group of runners who are also capable of winning the event.
Thomas Hess (Lewisburg Area) comes in with a personal best time of 1:54.38 from the Brant Tolsma Invitational. Hess also proves to compete well after taking 2nd at this year's PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival, getting nabbed at the line by Timothy Roden (Central Dauphin).
Roden also showed much promise after winning the PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival in 1:55.47. He also won the Kevin Dare Invitational in January, running 1:55.96. One of the most impressive things about Roden that increase his odds of winning a tactical race is his top speed. Roden ran 50.70 in the 400m dash earlier this season, showing off the true potential of his foot speed.
Maxwell Hamilton (Our Lady Sacred Heart) shows potential as a competitor. He finished 2nd at the Youngstown State High School Meet #4, running his personal best time of 1:55.64.
Anthony Engle (Twin Valley) is a front-runner capable of a top-three finish. Engle has competed well all season, notably clocking a personal best effort of 1:55.89 to finish 2nd at the Youngstown State High School Meet #2.
Another guy with high closing speed is Gabriel Cuffey (Archbishop Carroll). He ran a personal best of 1:56.05 to finish 5th at the Ocean Breeze Invitational. His fast times may not be as consistent as some of the other front runners, but he has been below 52 seconds three different times in the 400m dash this season. If the race goes out slowly, expect a tactical kick from Cuffey to earn a top place.
Kayden Lightner (North Hills) and JP Byrnes (Pittsburgh Central Catholic) both have the potential for high placement. Lightner ran a personal best of 1:56.16 this season, while JP Byrnes ran a personal best of 1:56.22 this season.
Other runners you may see on the medal stand are Amberson Bauer (Riverview), Aidan McHugh (Episcopal Academy), and Jacob Puhalla (Moon Area).
Notably, Puhalla is the returning indoor state champion with a lot of potential to surprise some people this weekend. After getting a late start to the indoor season, he ran 1:57.08 at the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase Meet and finished 2nd last weekend at the TSTCA Indoor Championship. So don't count Puhalla out. With fresh legs, he very well could defend his title.