Craig Miller runs #15 all-time 3000 in 8:22.65.
He was the boys' Athlete of the Meet
SELECT PIX LINK IS TO THE RIGHT AND BELOW.
LINKS TO PHOTO GALLERIES ARE BELOW.
Photo Galleries by Event of the 2/25 PTFCA Indoor State Championships @ Penn State University – by Don Rich, Megan Zeller and Karen Ward
Boys' Select Pix from the 2/25 PTFCA Indoor State Championships @ Penn State University
Girls' Select Pix from the 2/25 PTFCA Indoor State Championships @ Penn State University
Boys' Highlights:
Manheim Twp SR Craig Miller US#14 all-time 8:22.65, Ellwood City SR Jake Walker, US#3 8:30.35
Chichester SR Carrington Queen US#2 7.89 60H
Simon Gratz SR Kenneth Talley, US#3 21.96 200m
Simon Gratz wins 4x200 in 1:29.79 and now owns the top three 4x200's in US this season
North Penn wins 4x800 in US#4 7:53.73 (Wissahickon US#4 7:54.53
Bensalem SR Reggie Carter, US#5 48.36
Harrisburg US#6 3:20.92 in 4x400
Red Land SR Aaron Kaffman wins the 800 from the next-to-last heat in 1:55.34!
Coming off just three workouts and a bit higher mileage than he used to win XC states this past November, Manheim Township senior Craig Miller ran a #14 all-time 8:22.65 3000 meters, erasing the state best of Southmoreland's Chris Dugan, a multiple all-American NC State grad. Miller led wire-to-wire, and was never challenged. Coming through the mile in 4:26, he responded to the crowds' urging when told of the threatened record by closing in 31.7. During the entire race, he never exceeded 35 seconds for a lap. Miller was named the Boys' Athlete of the Meet. Ellwood City's Jake Walker, who had set the meet record in 2005, shaved another seven seconds off his PR with an 8:30.35.
But Miller was not alone in his national level performance. Senior hurdler Carrington Queen of Chichester got faster through three races of the 60 Hurdles, finishing off with a US#2 7.89. Simon Gratz's Kenneth Talley used a late surge to win the 200 in a US#3 21.96. he was also on the winning 4x200 that went 1:29.79, a time that gives his squad the top three 4x200 times this season. But Gratz and every other team in the final race of the day ran into a buzzsaw as Harrisburg used a spirited anchor performance to win in a US#6 3:20.92.
Generating 21 points in the three relays and another ten in the Triple Jump, North Penn charged past Simon Gratz, Bensalem and every other team to tally 45 points for the team win. The relay barrage included a US#4 7:53.73 win in the 4x800, a 3rd in the 4x400 and a 4th in the 4x200. Wissahickon chased North Penn anchor Cody Edling to capture the US#5 spot in the 4x800 at 7:54.53. North Penn's Brandon Turner contributed ten points with his 47-08 win in the Triple Jump. Bensalem's Reggie Carter posted a US#5 48.36 400. Strath Haven's Scott Henkelman went 23-02 to win the Long Jump.
Athletes of the meet for the girls:
Ryann Krais, Methacton (8.71 60H 1st, 19-03.75 LJ 1st, 24.79 200 4th)
and Latavia Thomas, West Catholic, (2:09.70 80 1st, 1:41.91 4x200 1st, 3:53.23 4x400 1st).
Photo by Megan Zeller
Girls' Highlights:
West Catholic SR Latavia Thomas, US#1 800m 2:09.70, (Easton SO Chanelle Price, US#2 2:10.57)
Laurel Highlands JR Breehana Jacobs, 7.46 60m - PA State Meet Record
West Catholic SR Kneshia Sheard, US#3 54.88 400m
Chambersburg JR Sarah Morrison, 4:54.05, Conestoga SR Liz Costello, 4:57.24 Mile + 10:17.26 3000m win (Diana Filtz, Penn-Trafford 10:17.92)
Methacton SO Ryann Krais, 8.71 60H, 19-03.75 LJ
Bradford SR Erin Hannon, 5-06 HJ, 38-08.50 TJ, 18-03.25 LJ (2nd)
Easton SR Lindsay Regan, 12-06.00 PV (4th straight indoor title)
Kneshia Sheard and Latavia Thomas led West Catholic to their third state title tallying 62 points. Sheard had a hand in 38 of those by winning the 400 in a US#3 54.88, taking 2nd in the 200 in 24.76 (teammate Simone Carter was 3rd in 24.78), and joining with Thomas and two other teammates to take the 4x200 in 1:41.91 and the 4x400 in 3:53.23. In the 800, Thomas beat Easton's Chanelle Price with a US#1 2:09.70. Price is now US#2 at 2:10.57. Thomas was named the co-Female Athlete of the Meet.
There was one meet record for the girls as Laurel Highlands' Breehana Jacobs ran 7.46 to win the 60m Dash. Conestoga SR Liz Costello went for the distance double, but despite a 4:57.24 Mile, was out sprinted over the final 200 m by Chambersburg JR Sarah Morrison who narrowly missed the meet record in running 4:54.05. Costello did come back in the 3000 to win in 10:17.26. Penn-Trafford JR Diana Filtz was 2nd at 10:17.92.
Erin Hannon of Bradford finally got her state championship... in fact, she took home two, taking the Triple Jump at 38-08.50 and the High Jump, clearing 5-06. Hannon was 2nd in the Long Jump to sophomore sensation Ryann Krais of Methacton, who leapt 19-3.75. Krais also won the 60 Meter Hurdles, going 8.71 in the Finals. Krais was named the co-Female Athlete of the Meet. The three US-ranked shot putters finished on top of the standings with Center SR Allyn Laughlin defeating defending state champ, Penncrest SO Karen Shump of Penncrest on the last throw with a 47-09.50 effort, just after Shump had gone 46-07.50. Hempfield's Samantha Fetter threw 45-00.75. And Easton SR Lindsay Regan won her FOURTH straight indoor Pole Vault title, clearing 12-06. She had only been able to practice once in the past couple of weeks because of a back strain.