Above: Reed Yost talks about his D10 Championship and AA lead.
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The PIAA State Championship is this weekend. What can we expect out of this year's final and who are the contenders in each event?
Links You'll Need:
- Performance Lists | Heat Sheets
- Meet Schedule
- State Rankings By Classification:
- AA Girls | AAA Girls | AA Boys | AAA Boys
AA Boys Pole Vault - Saturday 12:30 PM
Reed Yost (Seneca) is the top vaulter in 2A with his jump of 15-6 from the North East Invitational on May 4th. He is undefeated on the year, and just won the District 10 title.
Richland senior Logan Gossard could give Yost a challenge. He is a former PTFCA Indoor State Champion and was second at last year's PIAA Final. Can he up the stakes this year?
Gavin Holcombe (Danville) is also in the mix after winning the District 4 Championship with a vault of 14-6 last weekend.
AA Boys High Jump - Friday 9 AM
The field is going to have a hard time handling Hayden Smith (Union-Allegheny Clarion Val). You're talking about a jumper who has with indoor and outdoor bests of 6-11. He has made attempts at the elusive 7-foot bar, but hasn't quite cleared it in championship competition. This weekend could change that.
Also watch for Noah Crozier (North East) who cleard 6-7 to win the District 10 Championship last week.
AA Boys Triple Jump - Saturday 9 AM
The AA Boys Triple is another event that can go several different ways. There are realistically 10 boys that are capable of competing for the win. Amongst them is Jeremiah Hargrove (Trinity) who jumped 46-10.75 at the Shippensburg Roddick HS Invitational and still holds the top spot in 2A with that mark. Je just one the District 3 title.
Lorenzo Fancher (East Allegheny) won the District 7 Championship with a jump of 45-5.5, while Jack Thomas (Commodore Perry) won the District 10 title with a jump of 44-10.75.
Those are the top three seeds entering this year's competition.
AA Boys Long Jump - Friday 9 AM
We're due for a dual in the AA long jump. Anthony Conrey (Conwell-Egan) and Jason Ellman (Mercyhurst Prep) both jumped 24-0.5 to win their respective District Championships.
Conrey's mark was huge outdoor personal best. His previous season best was 22-5. For Ellman the tale is similar. His previous season best was 22-2.5
Who comes out on top? It is anyones guess.
Could someone like Ben Warburton (Troy) or Levi Prementine (Slippery Rock) play spoiler? Prementine is the defending state champion in this event.
AAA Boys Pole Vault - Friday 12:30 PM
A trio of vaulters from District 3 could sweep the event on Friday. Mason Bucks (Palmyra), Drake Risser (Lower Dauphin) and Breckin Swope (East Pennsboro) are renowned as three of the best in the state. They put that on display at the District Championship, vaulting 16-3, 15-9, and 15-9 respectively.
Risser won the Indoor State Title, but Mason Bucks and Breckin Swope finished second and third at last year's PIAA Outdoor Final.
State College's Adam Bell has also been making noise of late. He won the District 6 Championship with a jump of 15-6. That was a one foot personal best. Can he find more pay-dirt on Friday?
AAA Boys High Jump - Saturday 12:30 PM
Entering this championship, three boys in the field have jumped over 6-8 and another five have cleared 6-7. It is anyone's championship for the taking.
Xavier McGreal (Kennett) is the top returner from last year's field. He finished seventh last year.
Kyle Archie (Muhlenberg) had the best jump last week as he jumped 6-8 to win the District 3 Championship.
AAA Boys Triple Jump - Friday 9 AM
Jordan Sowell (Cheltenham) will look to get back over 50-0 this year. He hasn't been able to eclipse the barrier this outdoor season but he is still in great form. He jumped 49-4 earlier this season.
However, Kivaleon Clarke (Penn Wood) usurped Sowell at the District 1 Championship. Clarke jumped 47-6.5 to win the title.
Kyle Moore (Emmaus) will certainly be a threat again this year. The defending Long Jump State Champion has the explosiveness to clutch a strong jump. In fact, he jumped 48-1.5 earlier this year. He hasn't tripled jumped much this year, but he is capable of popping a long leap.
AAA Boys Long Jump - Saturday 9 AM
As mentioned in the previous entry, Kyle Moore is the defending state champion. The Penn State commit notched a season best 23-11.5 to win the District 11 title. That was the top jump from last week.
Nine boys have jumped over 23 feet, with several recording marks in the high 23s.
Xavier Beatty (Reading) won the District 3 Championship with his jump of 23-9. If he can replicate that performance, Kyle Moore might need a perfect day.
Umar Starks (Williamsport), Jesufifunmi Olugbenga (Ridley), Jack Inglis (Southern Lehigh), and Mark Bridgeford (Milton Hershey) are also in the conversation.