Welcome to TRACKside – Stories and notes on athletes, teams, coaches and races to be published mid-week during the 2008 indoor and outdoor seasons. Vaulting to the top of PA | Angling for the Perfect Jump | One Fast Frosh D.J. Horton - Travis Hammaker: There are a few events where the athletes share a bond that is the event itself. No bond is stronger than that which is created by the shared danger and thrill of the pole vault. Kristin Brandt has it all figured out. All she has to do now is get the right day, good competition, great speed, a steady but evenly building run, and just the right amount of height. Then, and only then, will it be the perfect jump. She can see it clearly. In fact, she's done it, only they've all been fouls. State College freshman Chloe Schmidt probably would not think of telling people she is the top freshman runner in the state. But there she is in the rankings. #1 in the mile at 5:00.79 (4:59.05c 1600); #1 in the 800 at 2:16.41, and probably most surprisingly, #2 in the 400 at 57.34. No, the deceptively diminutive and slightly shy 9th grader at State College High School doesn't look at the world that way. You see... comparisons to fellow freshmen just don't seem to be in her nature.
Coverage
Photos by Don Rich of the April 5, 2008 7th Bruce Dallas Invitational @ Cumberland Valley High School
BRUCE DALLAS COVERAGE: Photo Gallery | Meet Story Jav provides early fireworks on a cool day (and only those boys with green uniforms medaled). Quick highlights: Bruce Dallas: Eric Brittingham, Methacton 199-06, Justin Shirk 191-02 in jav showdown; Juan Steward, Cumberland Valley, 11.38, 22.63, 49.47 triple; Kayln Fisher anchors Lewisburg to PA#1, meet record 9:30.11 4x800, going 2:17.9, and doubled back to win the open 800 in a meet record 2:21.47. Kaleena Gray (in photo) set to of the meet's 18 new records, winning the discus and shot put. | Council Rock Kiwanis: Kevin Steinberg 10.73, 22.53 | Penn Hills 48.84 PA#1 4x100 MR, Dan Kwiatkowski, McDowell 57'0" Shot Put @ TSTCA Champs | Swenson girls set three, Father Judge boys set four records; Ryann Krais, Methacton, 18-9 LJ @ PW Colonial Relays @ Plymouth Whitemarsh | Strath Haven girls sub-4 4x400, Penncrest boys 3:23.6 4x400, Karen Shump, Penncrest, 45-4 SP, 147 DT double @ Central League Relays | At the Bedford Giant Eagle Invitational, Tussey Mountain senior Jordan Donaldson set a meet record in the 400, running 49.9. | At the Diamond State Relays in Delaware, Norristown won four relays, the 4x1, 4x2, 4x4 and 4x8. | At the White Rose Invitational at Central York HS, Red Land's Greg Karelis won the 800 in a very fast race, with a time of 1:56.90. | In VA at the CNU HS Captain's Classic, Great Valley had some top finishes. | On Monday night at the Larry Simmons Invitatonal at Penncrest, Karen Shump, Penncrest, upped her discus from Saturday's 147 to improve her PA#1 to 150; and she added a 46-11.50 in the shot put. The Glen Mills throwers, Kenneth Bell, (54-1) and Isiah Gonzalez (52-06.50) went one-two.