PIAA District 6 AA Championships

Altoona Area

PIAA District 10 AAA Championship

PIAA District 11 AAA Championships

  

PIAA District 12 AAA Championships

Swenson boys became the new state leaders in the 4x400 meter relay with a winning time of 3:16.97. Teammate Ian McGinnis threw a PA#5 mark of 177-9 to win the discus. Tom Coyle of Lasalle ran 4:18.74 to win the 1600 meter run. Haneef Hardy of Swenson ran 48.55 to edge out PA#6 Malik Jones of Monsignor Bonner (48.56). Niager Mathis of Swenson won the 100 (10.89) and 200 meter dashes (T-PA#4 21.68). John Landis of Father Judge leapt a PA#1 23-7.50 in the long jump.

For the girls, Diamond Hodge of Girls High won four events in the two day event. On day one, she won the long jump

(17-11) and the triple jump (36-7.75). Then on the 2nd day, she won the high hurdles (15.27) and the intermediate hurdles (PA#6 44.88). Ceaira Brown of Overbrook ran a PA#5 time of 2:12.73 to win the 800 meter run. Rachel Flynn of Archbishop Carroll ran 5:03.46 to win the 1600 meter run. Courtney Washington of South Philadelphia won the 100 (12.25) and 200 meter dashes (25.26).

PIAA District 9 AAA Championship

PIAA District 7 AA & AAA Championships

If they weren't breaking records, they were making history -- or both -- at the WPIAL (District 7) championships at Baldwin.
 

Led by the first four-time gold medalist since the 1980s, more than a dozen district records were erased as warm weather and hot performances were the order of the day.

 
Quadruple Winner Matches All-Time Great's Feat
 
What started with a convincing victory in the Class AA 110-meter hurdles, ended with a moment alone on the podium for Washington's Dustin Fuller. The 5-foot, 11-inch senior duplicated the four-victory performance by Steel Valley legend Clinton Davis in 1982, announced as the first such feat in the past 30 years.
 
"Winning four gold medals, I've got to be humble about that," Fuller said. "It feels unreal right now. When I stood up there and they said my name with Clinton Davis', it's a blessing, it's an honor.
 
"My coaches were talking about him a couple days ago. I've heard about him. It feels so unreal. It's amazing just being mentioned with him."
 
Fuller was timed in 14.71 seconds in the high hurdles, then 50.12 in the 400 dash and a record 38.50 in the 300 hurdles before anchoring the Prexies to a 3:26.90 and more than 3-second victory in the 1,600 relay.
 
"The 300 hurdles is my best event, I love the 300 hurdles," Fuller said in starting to describe his repertoire. "The 4x4 is just an event where I'm always excited. I get pumped up.
 
"The open 400 is something I just tried new this year, and I ended up being good at it. And for some reason more often now, I'm having good days in the 110s. Right now everything is hitting good for me."
 
 
Big PR Lifts Former 800 Runner to 1,600 Win
 
Margo Malone of North Hills wore the favorite's tag entering the Class AAA 1,600 run, with the 2011 state title in the event and a sizable edge in PR on her side. However, Autumn Greba of Norwin proved up to the challenge, showcasing an evenly-split race that was too much to handle.
 
"Oh, my gosh," Greba exclaimed when told of her PA#4 winning time of 4:52.41. "That's 12 seconds (off my PR). Wow.
 
"My weak laps are 2 and 3, mainly 3. I was thinking I've got to stay with her, I've just got to stay with her. That's all that was going through my mind."
 
Malone led through opening laps of 1:10 and 2:26 with Greba never wavering. Greba led with a lap to go and repeatedly kept Malone at bay before storming home to victory.
 
"I used to be an 800 runner my first three years of high school," the winner said. "Over the summer my coaches noticed my training was getting better for cross country, and they said, 'Why not try the mile?' I'm a little short for the 800."
 
Malone joined Greba under her old meet record by running 4:55.14. The North Hills senior got some redemption much later, winning the 3,200 in 10:57.17.
 
The boys AAA 1,600 did not yield a record, but it did produce a stellar final lap from Mt. Lebanon's Alex Moran. With the entire field bunched up after an opening two laps in 2:14 and some forced into lane 3 as they came to the line for the final circuit after 3:22, the real racing started on the backstretch as Moran felt the pressure and started his kick for home.
 
"The plan was to go with 200 to go, but with 400 left I started to get a little antsy," said Moran, who crossed the line in 4:20.04. "I actually thought maybe with 400 to go, but I caught myself. I knew (Wil Bailey of Penn Hills and Brent Kennedy of Kiski Area) both have incredible kicks, both are great milers and 800 runners."
 
Moran's closing lap of 58 seconds bettered Kennedy (4:22.15) and Bailey (4:22.47).
 
"I consider myself a strength kicker," Moran said. "I don't have 1:48 speed, but I can muscle my way through and try to run them into the ground. It worked today."
 
 
Match Race Tight to the Finish
 
For Clairton's Trenton Coles and Vincent Moody, bragging rights of all kinds -- roommate, family and Class AA -- were at stake as spectators and athletes alike took time to watch the cousins square off over 100 meters.
 
Coles, who stands 6-feet, 3 inches, and continues to recover from torn knee ligaments suffered in the state football championship, trailed throughout to Moody, who is only 5-4. Only in the closing meters did Coles take the lead, and barely, as he ran 10.94 to Moody's 10.95.
 
"We motivate each other," Moody said. "It was so close, I'm satisfied. He told me I had him most of the race.
 
"I'm really good at the blocks, ever since I first started. It was so close we had to wait and see. We couldn't tell who won."
 
Despite giving up almost a foot in height and a lot more in stride length, Moody is looking forward to a rematch in Shippensburg.
 
"His (closing) speed got me today," he said of Coles. "At states, I don't know what's going to happen. I'm just going and hope for the best."
 
 
Wildcat Hurdler Motivated By State's Best
 
Greater Latrobe hurdle standout Jeff Elam is on a mission. Part of it was accomplished with a pair of season-best clockings and a reported 46.7-second anchor leg that almost got him to the line first in the final race of the night.
 
"I want that state championship," Elam said of his motivation after running PA#7 14.55 and a meet record PA#4 37.78 to claim both AAA hurdles. "Eric Futch, No. 1 in the nation, I've got to get as close to him as possible so if he makes one mistake, I'm right there. I've been working hard."
 
Elam said his competitive fire also was stoked after he jumped the gun in the high hurdle final at his home invitational in April.
 
"I false-started in the 110s, and I ran angry in the 300s," he recalled. "When I ran angry, I went out harder so then after I knew that I could go out harder and still finish hard. That was really a good training thing. I'm actually really glad that I got disqualified in that race."
 
Elam's carry in the four-lap event brought the Wildcats home in a PA#5 3:20.12 to Central Catholic's PA#4 3:19.27. North Allegheny clocked a PA#8 3:20.53, while Hempfield Area (3:21.58) and Penn Hills (3:21.72) also ran strong.
 
 
North Allegheny's Tonzo Works Magic in Slow Heat
 
Although he wasn't thrilled with his starting spot, Vincent Tonzo of North Allegheny knew how to pull a rabbit out of the hat that was the Class AAA 800 run.
 
Running in the first of two heats, the senior put his front-running style to the test, manhandling his field in a PA#5 1:53.66 and then waiting to see if it would hold up against the "hot heat."
 
"I had team WPIALs two days (after the individual qualifier) so my coach told me to take it a little easy, save myself," Tonzo said of how he ended up in the slow heat. "When I found out that I got in the slow heat, I was mad at first, but I've been running alone by myself the entire season.
 
"So I know how to pace myself. I just try to stay smart out there. I think I went out a little bit fast, but I held it together at the end. It turned out OK."
 
Bailey went to the front of the second heat, running alone and gunning for Tonzo's time. Bailey reached the line a little slower, running just off his PR in 1:54.30.
 
"I was just watching the clock, seeing what he got," Tonzo said. "It was close. I'm glad to see what happened."
 
 
Records Fall For Top Vaulters
 
WPIAL's vaulters of 2012 set -- and cleared -- the bar very high, registering three meet records and some lofty state marks.
 
Larisa Debich of Hempfield Area emerged from a Class AAA girls event loaded with quality efforts as the top 3 all popped over 12-0 on their first tries to raise the tension and expectations. Although she could not match her 13-footer from the Baldwin Invitational less than two weeks ago, the Auburn recruit scaled 12-9 for the victory over the PA#2 clearance of 12-6 by rival Kasey Kemp of Norwin and the PA#4 12-3 by Brooke Mancuso of North Allegheny.
 
"Really I came here wanting to just break the meet record of 12-7 because now I have every (major) meet record in western Pennsylvania," Debich noted. "I said at the beginning of the season, anything else would just be bonus. Same thing with states, if I win, anything else is bonus."
 
In the Class AA girls vault, Marissa Kalsey of Waynesburg Central used a combination of passes and first-, second- and third-attempt clearances to erase the 2001 meet record of 12-5 by another Waynesburg pole vaulter, Jocelyn Lindsey. The winning PA#2 12-6 clearance made a nervous competitor feel at ease.
 
"I was really hoping to break the record," said Kalsey, who won by 21 inches. "On my third jump (at 12-6), that might have been the most stressful time of my life. I tried to relax, which I can never do usually I am so nervous, but I was able to relax because there was nobody else in the (vault)."
 
Despite clearing on her third try, Kalsey took the unusual exit in a vertical jumping event and decided not to try to go higher.
 
"No, she got everything she needs," coach Howard Brunell said when asked if it was a difficult decision to make to end with a make and not a miss. "She's set for the state meet, she set the record today.
 
"She is a little tired. I said the sun's going down, it's cooling off, I don't want to take any chance of getting injured. It's just one stage, the next stage is the big one."
 
And based on Kalsey's final jump, Brunell sees greater things in the future.
 
"That time she got almost to the perfect position," he said. "If she can keep doing that, she can set the state record. If she does it again like she did it today, there's no question in my mind."
 
On the boys side, Jesse Laverdiere of Laurel Highlands didn't set a meet record, but he was the highest flyer in Class AAA at 15-0 over teammate Jacob Hensh's 14-6. In Class AA, Joey Rakowski of Quaker Valley added a half-inch to the record by clearing 14-8.

 
Javelin Standouts Offer Mixed Reviews
 
Long throws from javelin standouts Billy Stanley of South Park and Jessie Merckle of Fort Cherry yielded varied reactions. Stanley's opening throw of 227-0 was his best and bested the meet record by more than 25 feet, while Merckle had a pair of 150-plus throws with her final preliminary efforts carrying a US#3 156-8.
 
"If I pick my foot up, then it just rushes the whole throw," Stanley lamented. "That's what was wrong today. My whole body starts leaning forward, it messes up the angle, too. It goes too high, and it doesn't fly right."
 
Merckle, who also set a PR in finishing second in the triple jump but will not compete in it at Shippensburg, was pleased with her record throw and impending battle with Christine Streisel of Tamaqua Area.
 
"I love it," she said of the PR in her specialty. "I think it's a good place for me to be. I'm trying to get to 160s. I got it in practice, I'm going to try to hit that at states."
 
 
Eight-Lap Events Worth the Wait
 
In the boys AAA 3,200, Andrew Kuchta of Baldwin and Logan Steiner of North Allegheny ran away and hid from the rest of the field. And then with two laps to go, Kuchta duplicated his late-race burst from the Baldwin Invitational to win going away in a state-best 9:10.36 to Steiner's PA#4 9:17.21.
 
"Obviously Steiner is a great runner," Kuchta said. "He stuck with me the whole time. I just knew I had to drop him at (lap) 7, and I tried, and it worked out.
 
"It feels so awesome. It feels amazing. I wanted to try to break 9:15 today. It's awesome."
 
Bethel Park got the records tumbling on the track in the girls 3,200 relay. The foursome's PA#2 9:15.80 effort was an almost 10-second winner.
 
For the boys, Kiski Area was just as dominant as a PA#5 7:54.84 won by almost 8 seconds.

"It works here, it works at this level," coach Tom Berzonsky said of his lineup. "We're just going to have to stop and try to think more about what it takes at the state meet. Last year we got beat in the second leg, and our best guy never got a chance to race. We're going to think about (the order) and see what's best to compete."
 
Other top performances came from West Allegheny freshman Lauren Costa, who edged Jasmine Jones of Hempfield Area, PA#9 12.13 to 12.15, in the AAA 100 dash. Gateway's Aaron Barlow cruised a PA#5 21.74 to win the AAA 200 dash.


 

PIAA District 1 AAA Championships

Strath Haven girls set a new meet record in the 4x800 meter relay with a US#5 time of 9:04.65. West Chester Henderson finished 2nd with a US#6 time of 9:05.18.

For the boys, Bensalem ran a PA#2 time of 7:49.11 to win the 4x800 meter relay. Pennridge was 2nd in a PA#3 time of 7:49.54. 

 

Friday...

Wellington Zaza of Strath Haven won the triple jump with a PA#2 mark of 49-8.

 

 

Ryan Hart of Downingtown East set a new district meet record in the discus with a mark of 183-7. Jordan Matthews of Abington won the girls long jump with a mark of 18-4.75.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda Benninghoff of Council Rock South cleared 11-4 to win the pole vault.
 

 

 

 

 

In the track prelims, three meet records were set. Emma Keenan of Gwynedd Mercy broke the 800 meter record set by the high school all time record holder Kim Gallagher of Upper Dublin. Keenan's US#10 time of 2:08.47 broke the 1980 record of 2:09.5. Kenya Woodall of Coatesville regained her number 1 ranking in the 400 meter dash with a meet record time of 54.68, breaking the 2008 record of 55.03 set by Ije Iheoma of Council Rock South. Ryan Hynes of Central Bucks South ran a PA#3 time of 37.23 to set a meet record in the boys 300 meter hurdles, breaking the 1981 record of 37.3 by Rob Irvin of Plymouth Whitemarsh.

PIAA District 3 AA Championships

PIAA District 3 AAA Championships

By CORY MULL
PennTrackXC.com

SHIPPENSBURG -- History told Imani Brown that he should be  happy. On Saturday, he captured his third straight District 3 Class AAA gold medal in the triple jump.  

But the Reading High senior had the look of disappointment on his face.

His 48-foot, 8.75-inch jump was a new meet record (wind aided) and over two inches farther than his result a year ago. Though to Brown, it wasn't enough. What he really wanted was to leap into the elusive 50-foot club.

"It's really an important benchmark I've set for myself," said Brown, who also won the long jump with a leap of 23-4 on Friday. "I feel I have to be in the 50s."

"I feel like I'm not hitting the  numbers I want to be hitting," he added. "I'm disappointed with the distances."

At least for Brown, one more meet stands in his way. It may be enough time for him to improve. Heading into the large-school state meet, Brown is among the favorites to win the triple jump -- as well as the long jump.

"While I am disappointed, winning is special," Brown said. "I feel like I've worked hard to get here and that I deserve to be here. I'm happy inside."


Surprise, Surprise:
It was an average jump.

That was the impression Chambersburg junior Marshay Ryan received when she landed her District 3 Class AAA record 18-feet, 9.5-inch long jump.

"It was just the feeling I had when my feet hit the sand," said Ryan, a runner-up finisher in last year's meet. "It didn't feel like a very long jump, but when they told me my mark, I was definitely surprised."

Ryan certainly exceeded expectations, besting her seasonal mark of 18-7.5, which she achieved in last week's Mid-Penn Championships. From a year ago, Ryan added eight inches to her leap.

And it was a successful two days overall for Ryan, who also won the triple jump with a leap of 39-8.5.

"Going into any event, I always have confidence that I can win," Ryan said. "I have a competitive spirit that helps me with my events."

Ryan recorded her district record long jump on her third attempt in trials.


No Need for a Kick:

In just two short seasons, Meredith Speakman has gone from average to elite.

On Saturday, she continued to build to her growing resume with a win in the Class AA 1,600-meter run, taking the field in 5:04.67. She finished 60-meters ahead of the next closest competitor.

"Looking back a couple years ago," Speakman said, "I couldn't have imagined myself being here."

The Boiling Springs senior believes her weakness in the mile is still in the final kick. However, she had no need for it on Saturday. She took command early, establishing control on the inside as she gradually built her lead.

"My weakness has always been my kick," said Speakman, who also won the 3,200-meter run on Friday with a time of 11:01.57. "Someone always passes me with 150 meters to go. But I've worked on it this season and I've really committed myself to improving there."

The Syracuse University commit finished third in 2011 with a time of 5:20.


What a Difference a Week Makes:

Placed in a familiar situation Saturday, Chambersburg High boys' 4x800-meter relay team made sure to change their fate.

Just a week earlier at the Mid-Penn Championships, anchor leg Ryun Holder held a slim lead with 200-meters left, but was passed at the finish line. Against rival Cumberland Valley.

That result wasn't lost on Holder, or the Trojans.

On Saturday, instead of leading into the final lap, Holder trailed.  Knowing that patience would pay off, he waited until the final 100-meters to kick and ultimately skimmed by the Eagles at the line to give his team an impressive 7:48.94 finish, two seconds faster than their best time on the season. It's also PA#1.

The senior laden relay team was helmed by Holder, lead-off Nick Rotz and middle legs Adam Harringer and Aaron Powell.

"What was different was that, as a team, we had more support overall," said Holder, whose Trojans also broke 7:50 at the Mid-Penn meet. "I didn't have to do much work, because my teammates gave me good positioning heading into the anchor."

Holder felt his position heading into the final lap was ideal.

"It helps more sometimes when you're fighting from behind," Holder said. "You know what distance you need to make up, and ultimately you use that to compete."

Getting the win against Cumberland Valley was the icing on the cake.

"Going into the season, our goal was to break 7:50," Harringer said, "and we did that last meet. So to do it today again was even better, and to get it against Cumberland Valley was special."

Chambersburg was just three seconds shy of breaking the District 3 record of 7:45, which was set in 1984 by Harrisburg.

* * *

Performances of Note:

PIAA District 10 AA Championship

Just when you thought all of the story lines had played out in the District 10 championship meet, up stepped the anchors in the boys 4x400-meter relay.

With the winners of every individual race except the hurdles and 3,200 lined up to carry the baton for their schools, a run-of-the-mill relay wasn't likely. Clay Allen of West Middlesex, Nico Zahniser of Greenville and Ryan Smathers of North East did not disappoint as each gave it all they had for team glory, with Allen's 49-second carry giving the team champions another victory.

"They set us up well, and we've always said if you just give Clay a chance," West Middlesex coach Ed Pikna said of the final lap. "Chandler Tyillian, Jake Puskar and Luke Patten kept it close, and anytime you have an anchor the quality and caliber that Clay Allen is … you give him a chance and he's going to catch 'em."

Smathers was the first with a baton, followed by the Greenville anchor and then Allen. All eyes were back on the finish line moments later as Zahniser and Allen were side by side, with the distance runner a few strides back.

"I just wanted to run well for my team so we could win the District 10 championship because we've never done that," said Allen, who crossed the line first in 3:26.89 to Greenville's 3:26.97 and the Grapepickers' 3:27.86. "I was just focused on getting as many points as I could.

"My team was getting me hyped and just keep going, 'Don't stop.' Once I got around the bend, I knew I could pass him. I just kept going, just focused on doing it for my team."

Smathers Dominates Middle Distance Races

Although he wasn't able to hold off the sprinters in the 4x400 relay, Smathers had too much speed and strength for both middle-distance fields. Last year's Class AA runner-up at 1,600 left nothing to chance in his individual races as he immediately took the lead at the break line and was never challenged.

With an opening lap of 60-plus in the metric (high school) mile, Smathers had the district record squarely in sight. His 2:06 split at halfway was worth an 8-second edge on the field, with the lead growing to 12 seconds as he finished 1,200 in a robust 3:11.

His final time of 4:14.74 erased the 2009 meet record by former state champion Sam Havko of Fairview. It also was worth a three-step climb to PA#3 on the yearly rankings.

"The 60 was a little faster than I wanted to, but I just made up for it in the next lap," the junior said. "I was hoping for about 4:12. Only two seconds off, I think that's pretty good."

Ted Miller, North East's veteran distance coach, agreed with his standout's assessment of the opening 400 and applauded his desire.

"I'm very pleased with his aggressiveness and his competitiveness and his desire to run the race well," Miller said of the double winner. "I'm a little concerned about (the first lap). I still would like him to go out in 62.

"Continually work on it, but this kid is so full of energy. It's sort of hard to control. He always seems to have a lot left anyway, so I don't think he will give it up in the last 100 meters, for sure."

In the 800, Smathers showed restraint, covering the first lap about as fast as he did for a race twice as long. His competitors were close after a lap, but he powered away down the final straight for a 1:58.20 win over Greenville's Zach Anderson (2:00.68).

"I didn't know what everybody else was going to do, and I hate going out too fast," Smathers said. "I was being conservative. No one else was taking the lead so I decided I should. Then I just picked it up in the last 300 like I normally do."

Miller said Smathers' work in the bright sunshine and warm temperatures will serve his standout well in Shippensburg.

"This will get you ready for state," Miller said of the heat, which resulted in about six athletes receiving medical attention during the meet."I hate to go down there when its 85-90 degrees and we haven't seen one day like that all year."

Sprinter Saves Best for Finals

Facing an overflowing schedule that was about to change, Allen focused on the short sprints and relays. He entered as the No. 2 seed in both the 100 and 400 dashes, rectifying the one and scratching out of the latter for some relay work.

Allen's winning time in the straightaway sprint was a PA#8 10.78 and a large improvement over qualifying.

"I ran 11.09 (in the prelims), and I slowed up and my start wasn't so good," he said of his first race of the day. "So I figured I would have a little more in the final, and I did."

Penciled in for too many events, Allen's coach took his No. 2 seed time out of the mix in the 400 so he could anchor the 400 relay.

"I didn't think I was going to be running (the 400) because our 4x1 team had a real good shot at the meet record and District 10 champs," Allen said of his schedule change.

With Allen getting the baton in second behind the host Hornets, the record came as the junior flashed across the line in 43.01, bettering the mark by 0.04 seconds.

Richards Beats Heat, Fields

Her counterpart went out a little fast, but Morgan Richards of host Hickory was right on pace in the 1,600. The end result was another meet record and 12-plus-second victory.

"I was really happy with that time," she said of her 5:03.35 that erased the 2009 effort by Lauren Zarger of Harbor Creek. "I knew the record was (5:05.71), and I was hoping to get that because I ran faster than that last week.

"I was pushing for that time. I had the splits mostly, the third lap was a little bit slower, but I just tried to push it out the last lap. The heat got me a little bit, but I just tried my hardest."

With no relief from the sunshine and blue skies, Richards returned later at twice the distance. She wasn't able to close in on another Zarger record, but the Hornet runner crossed first in 11:40.36 as she looks to add to her three medal finishes at Shippensburg.

"It's going to be so hot," the North Carolina-Charlotte recruit said of the weather ahead. "Hopefully there's a little bit of clouds next weekend so it will cool off a little bit."

Wilmington Thrower Gets Two Wins, PRs

In case Wilmington's John Yohman didn't realize it before, practice DOES make perfect or at least a pair of lifetime bests and victories over a chief rival for state gold.

Entering the meet as the No. 2 competitor in both weight events, Yohman never let off in edging out Hickory's Matt Bell in the shot put before dominating the discus.

"A lot of practice this week," Yohman said in adding up the hours. "So much practice it finally paid off, too. It was nice."

The junior needed every little bit in the shot put as he broke through the 60-foot barrier for a winning heave of 60-3.75, which is now PA#3. Bell finished only 0.75 inches behind.

"He's a pretty good athlete, so it was really tough getting that one out," Yohman said of his rival. "He's still a threat so we have to watch out at states."

In the discus, Yohman proved consistent and more than long enough. With a pair of tosses over 170 feet, he moved from 167-9 on the yearly list to a PA#8 171-11.

"Whoever gets the bigger throw first is probably going to win," Yohman said. "That's usually how it goes, that's how it went here today. You just have to put the pressure on the other guy."

 In 2011, Yohman earned a pair of fourths with efforts of 54-6.5 and 160-0.

High Jumper Shakes Off Early Scare

Jeremy Jancso already had a win in a long jump dominated by underclassmen. When the boys high jump helped bring the meet to a close, the West Middlesex leaper had to get past a senior and state indoor champion, Hickory's John Mudrey.

The path to a season-best equaling leap of 6-8 and the gold medal was not one without obstacles.

Although he was coming off a record-setting performance a week ago, Jancso stayed with a lower opening height and he almost was not around for his matchup with Mudrey. He was perfect at 5-10 and 6-0 but needed all three tries to top 6-2.

"I was scared there for a second because I had two misses on 6-2 and almost went out, but I pulled through luckily," he said. "I could have come in at a higher height, but I've been coming in at 5-10 all year and I just wanted to stay comfortable with it."

He popped right over 6-4 and put pressure on Mudrey, who needed a pair of jumps at his opening height. Both only needed one try at 6-6, and the victory was Jancso's with a two-attempt clearance compared to Mudrey's three-try good at 6-8.

"My problem all year has been jumping too far away and coming down on (the bar)," said the winner, who had a pair of close tries at 6-10. "I had been getting the good jump there, and I cleared 6-8. I'm real happy. It will be fun next weekend with some good competition."

Disappointment Drives Multi-Event Performer

As the defending state champion, Lauren Lubarski had high expectations in the high jump. A no-height Saturday canceled those plans and threatened to ruin the rest of her day.

The cloud over the East Carolina signee passed relatively quickly, thanks to a pair of PRs and another unexpected result.

"It took pretty much the entire day for me to get over it, but I kind of changed my ways, changed my mentality and built off of that," she said of her three misses at 5-2. "It was more of a reality check, and I came out and I PRed in two other events and I qualified for another event that I wasn't even looking to do and pursue at states. Everything happens for a reason."

Opening with a PR and new PA#2 142-3 in the discus in the morning session, Lubarski rallied in the afternoon thanks to the javelin. Entering with a 138-11 best, the senior upped the ante to a PA#4 147-9 heave worthy of a meet record.

Her new event at Shippensburg? The long jump, thanks to a third-place leap of 17-0.75.

"Everything happens for a reason," Lubarski confirmed.

With Allen out of the race, Zahniser breezed to victory in the one-lapper, with a 50.20 clocking almost a second up on the field.

Other top performances included Greenville sophomore Rebekah Petty moving to PA#6 with a meet-record 12-0 pole vault victory and running 12.56 to win the 100, along with Wilmington's Alexis King spanning 18-0.5 in the long jump and teammate Mariah Burns going 37-0 in the triple jump. Hickory's Jennifer Neider led a Hornet sweep of the shot put at 45-4.5 as all eight placers earned spots in Shippensburg, and Patten opened his day with a 14-0 clearance in the boys pole vault.