PIAA Preview: Girls' Sprints


Championship season is upon us. The PIAA state championship is this weekend and we're rolling out previews for all of the hotly contested jumps, throws, and races.

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AAA Girls 100m

Laila Campbell (Spring Grove) returns for her title defense. Last year, she won the 100m final in 11.55. This year, she returns with the number one seed time of 11.55. That time is good for a US #25. Campbell will undoubtedly be aiming for even faster times to etch her name deeper into the state's history books. 

There's a few girls who will push for great races to try to dethrone Campbell. Dani Prunzik (Upper Saint Clair) heads this group after running a new personal best of 11.70 last weekend. She was last year's runner up to Campbell. Macaela Walker (Oxford Area) is also in the top three mix with her personal best of 11.73. Monroe Law (Franklin Regional) finishes out the sub 12 entries with her 11.91. She was the District VII runner-up to Prunzik. 

There are also a number of girls who have run sub 12 this season and will make pushes for high podium finishes. Ava Alexander (West Chester Rustin) with 11.80, Amirah Nesmith (Archbishop Ryan) with11.86, Abbie Huey (Indiana Area) with 11.94, and Summer Mellow (Methacton) with 11.99.

AAA Girls 200m 

She's back again and looking for another short sprint double crown. Laila Campbell leads the field by over a full second after running a new personal best of 23.24. She won the event last year after running 23.56. 

The battle for second will be tightly contested as these girls are all within hundredths of seconds with each other. Dani Prunzik is the second seed in both the 100m and 200m. She placed fifth in this race last year and she's in good standing for a higher finish this year with her seed of 24.53.

Monroe Law, a freshman, sits in good position for the third seed with 24.54. Kamyah wright (J.P. McCaskey) is the fourth seed after running 24.56. JaNaisa Dearry (Chester) enters the meet at 24.70. Milan Ramey (Harriton) finishes out the sub 25 entries with 24.85. She was sixth in this event last year. 

AAA Girls 400m 

The freshman from Cedar Crest, Kaddel Howard, has demonstrated 400m dominance through both the indoor and outdoor season. She ran a current US #10 53.28 which also ranks her second amongst all freshmen in the nation. That's also a new freshman class record, according to our database. She enters the state meet as the number one seed after winning district III in 54.68. Could we see Howard come within striking distance of the PIAA record which is held by collegiate superstar Talitha Diggs?

Jillian Sydnor, the senior from Shippensburg, is on title defense. She was the runner up to Howard last weekend after running a personal best of 55.06. She'll need another big PR to challenge Howard and defend her title. 

The next three fastest entries all come from the District I championship. Mimi Duffy (Central Bucks West) leads the charge after taking the win in 55.23. Ava Alexander (West Chester Rustin) is the fourth seed after running 55.27 and she took fifth place last year. JaNaisa Dearry is the fifth seed with 55.41.

Some other names to watch out for: Payton Drumwright, Ryleigh Hearn, Riley Ebersole (4th last year), Jianna Long (2nd last year). 

AAA Girls 4x100m

The girls of North Penn were second in this event last year. This year, they enter the event as the favorite after winning District I in 47.31. Chester will look for revenge after they took second place to them in 47.76. 

J.P. McCaskey will have the next best shot at taking them down after they won district III in 47.85. Canon-McMillan is next up at 48.00.

Cheltenham are your defending champions and they return as the fifth seed for their title defense after running 48.10.

AAA Girls 4x400m 

The AAA girls 4x400m is shaping up to be one of the most exciting events on the track. The indoor champions, J.P. McCaskey are fresh off of their best performance of the season and they enter as the favorite in 3:48.21. That's #16 on the PA all time performance list. 

District 1 produces the next four fastest times. That's 4 out of the 5 fastest relays. The girls of West Chester Rustin will have to make big efforts to take J.P. McCaskey down. They come in as the second seed after winning the ultra competitive race at District 1 in 3:50.93.

Central Bucks West are the defending champions and this year they come in with the third best time of 3:52.02. Haverford Township is fourth at 3:52.18 and Cheltenham is fifth at 3:52.94.