Podcasts: Interviews from three days of the Penn Relays: Ryann Krais, Rob Ronzano, Lorraine Hill, Elisha Jones, Allyn Laughlin, Liindsay Regan, Anthony Carr, Ryan Comstock, Frances Koons, Jacob Walker, Kamal Marell, Adam Thielemann, Jared Jodon, Lenny Jordan, Christiana Taylor...
Thursday
Methacton sophomore Ryann Krais, in her first national caliber 400 Hurdles, starts strong, hits a slower patch, and then finishes with a flourish to a 1:01.11 to nearly catch 2005 Nike Outdoor Champ Crystal Cantey of New Jersey. PennTrack talks with both Ryann and her coach, Rob Ronzano right after the race.
Ryann Krais, Methacton (2:00/1.8 MB)
Rob Ronzano, Methacton Head Coach (2:55/2.7 MB)
Pennsylvania athletes went 2-3-4-5 in the girls' Javelin as defending Penn Relays champ Elisha Jones of Eisenhower took 3rd with a throw of 146-04 and Chambersburg senior Lorraine Hill took 2nd with an 11' PR for a mark of 146-11. Both girls credited a 'just let it happen' approach for their best throws.
Lorraine Hill, Chambersburg. 2nd, 146-11. (2:35/2.4 MB)
Elisha Jones. 3rd, 146-04. (1:00/940 KB)
In Thursday's Invitational Distance Medley Relay, Conestoga and Archbishop Prendergast were the top two PA teams, finishing 6th (12:07.79) and 9th (12:17.,38), respectively. Conestoga coach Ryan Comstock got a PR in the lead leg by a freshman, and closed with a veteran, Liz Costello, who split 4:53. And Archbishop Prendergast coach Anthony Carr returned a DMR team to the Penn Relays after being absent five years - a stretch that was preceeded by a great six-year run. He talks about an assistant coach who ran on the team at won it in 1999. This year's time is the 3rd best by a Prendie team at Penn.
Ryan Comstock, Conestoga coach (1:30/1.4 MB)
Anthony Carr, Archbishop Prendergast coach (2:00/1.8 MB)
Allyn Laughlin, Center, hit a 50' throw a week before the Penn Relays. And the night before her Thursday competition in Philly, she threw 49-10 at a meet in western PA, and then was going to travel home Thursday night to compete at another meet on Friday. Laughlin talks about the big throw, how she is now more competitive than she used to be, and her big dream to make the US Junior World team this summer.
Allyn Laughlin, Center, 48-10 SP(5:25/5.0 MB)
Easton senior Lindsay Regan has won state titles, and now she has won her 2nd Penn Relays watch... breaking her own record with a vault of 12-8. She's not 100% after losing training time with a muscle injury in her back and made the clearance on a shorter run of seven steps. Regan talks about the end of her stellar prep career, and her two older vaulting sisters.
Lindsay Regan, Easton, 12-08 PV (3:20/3.1 MB)
Villanova sophomore and Allentown Central grad Frances Koons helped the Villanova women return to the top of the podium in the prestigious Distance Medley Relay. Koons led off for the Wildcats with a 3:23 split, giving the 400 leg the baton virtually at the front.
Friday
Notre Dame-bound Jake Walker of Ellwood City ran his best race as a prep in taking a very close 3rd in the 3000 with a PR of 8:21.94. The mark converts to under 9 minutes for the 3200m run, but Walker says he'd like to make it official at States in late May.
Jake Walker, Ellwood City, 8:21.94 3000m(4:45/4.4 MB)
Saturday
Penn Charter's Kamal Marell was a little worried when he thought he had drawn lane 9, but when he discovered he was actually in 4, he relaxed, settled in and ran the 10th best time on the day. He's got faster goals in mind, though.
Kamal Marell, Penn Charter (4:31.8) (1:15/1.1 MB)
Cumberland Valley's Adam Thielemann is fighting a wrist injury that will require surgury after the season. He has dropped the Shot Put for the rest of the season to concentrate on the Discus. He persevered Saturday to finish 3rd with his best throw of the season, and 2nd best of his prep career at 171-02.
Adam Thielemann, Cumberland Valley (4:31.8) (3:30/3.2 MB)
It was a classic battle of attrition in the swirling winds around the Pole Vault competition. Jarad Jodon of Laurel Highlands didn't have a good warmup, so he played it conservatively and came in a foot earlier than his usual height, starting at 13-09. He used three attempts on that series, but got stronger before finishing a strong 2nd with a clearance of 15-05. He has cleared 16' twice in the past two weeks.
Jared Jodon, Laurel Highlands (4:31.8) (3:35/3.3 MB)
With a dropped baton by the 4x100 on Friday, and and a missed opportunity in the 4x400 to qualify for the Championship of America for the 4th straight year because an injury to a key runner, West Catholic coach Lenny Jordon allowed the girls to deal with the adversity in their own way, which is sometimes much easier said, than done. Jordan talks about the weekend.
Lenny Jordan, West Catholic coach (4:31.8) (1:35/1.5 MB)
Christiana Taylor, the 3rd leg on the 4x400 that won the Philly-area race in a time that would have qualified them for the COA earier, and would have done well in the actual COA. But Taylor didn't dwell on the missed opportunity, even though she had wanted to run in her first-ever COA... she talked about how her teammates had rallied around each other and an injured Kneshia Sheard, to run their best time of the year.
Christiana Taylor, West Catholic (4:31.8) (3:10/2.9 MB)