The Harry S Truman and Abington programs are featured in a notebook that also previews the Penn Relays.
By DENNY DYROFF
The time has arrived when Philadelphia once again gets invaded by thousands of track and field athletes -- from all over the world and at all levels.
Now through April 28, the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field will be the site of the 124th annual running of the Penn Relays Carnival.
Many of the events are open events, and that means most of the Suburban One League schools will be sending their 4x100 and 4x00 relays to the huge event in University City –girls’ 4x100 and 4x40 on Thursday, boys 4x100 on Friday and boys 4x400 on Saturday.
There are also a number of invitation-only events for high school athletes – events that have lofty qualifying standards.
North Penn leads the way with three qualifiers – Ariana Gardizy in the 3000-meter run, Natalie Kwortnik in long jump and the 4x800 relay.
Central Bucks East is sending both its boys and girls 4x800 quartets while C.B. West has qualified for the girls 4x800 and the boys distance medley relay. Additionally, both Pennsbury and Council Rock South will be sending their boys 4x800 to Franklin Filed this week.
The girls 400-meter hurdles event will feature three talented Suburban One League athletes – Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Taylor O’Brien, Cheltenham’s Bria Barnes and Upper Dublin’s Madison Langley-Walker.
Neshaminy has a pair of individual qualifiers – Rusty Kujdych in the 3000 and Shelby Kishel in javelin – while Bensalem will be represented by Yobani Moreno in the boys shot put event.
Wissahickon’s Ahmir Johnson also qualified for Penn Relays in triple jump but will not compete in this week’s meet at the University of Pennsylvania’s stadium.
“Ahmir has been hurt,” said Wissahickon coach Don Betterly. “He’s been having hamstring problems. He’s doing the drills and he looks fine in practice. We’re just taking our time with him.”
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The teams from Harry S. Truman are poised to perform well in the sprint events at the Penn Relays.
At the 10th Annual Abington Jack Armstrong Invitational, which was held last Friday at Abington High School, Truman’s Sayyid Saunders took first in the 100-meter dash at 10.79 after clocking a 10.74 in the trials. He also posted the best time in the trials of the 200 but didn’t compete in the finals.
“This was the first Sayyid ran both this year because we’ve been waiting for the weather,” said Truman coach Micah Wright. “Sayyid didn’t run the 200 finals because it was so cold last Friday. We left after the 4x100.”
Saunders and his Tiger teammates collected another gold at the invitational meet at Abington. The foursome of James Koliyah, Sayyid Saunders, Badr Fask, and Terrance Rogers won the 4x100 with a time of 43.27.
“That time was fine for now,” said Wright. “It was the first time we ran the relay with those four guys. We need to improve some of the handoffs for the Penn Relays. We just need more live reps. Our goal there is to make it back for the finals.”
Koliyah turned in a strong performance earlier in the year when he won the 100 at 11.52 and placed sixth in the 200 at 23.58 at the Track and Field Coaches Association Spring Invitational, which was held April 14 at Coatesville High.
“James had a very good meet there,” said Wright. “It was a good time for early in the season. He’s also been doing a good job running the 4x400 for us.”
Truman’s boys also put on a good show at last Saturday’s Central Bucks West Relays.
The quartet featuring Sayyid Saunders, Jeshran Gayle, Badr Fask, and Terrance Rogers won the 4x200 in 1:29.64. The Tigers also took first in the sprint medley with a time of 3:45.61.
Truman’s 4x100 also captured first place at the Haverford Invitational with a time of 43.10. Saunders was second in the long jump (20-8.5).
“Long jump is just for fun,” Saunders said. “My events at districts will be 100, 200, 4x100 and 4x400. The 200 is my stronger event because I have more time to gain speed.
“I’ve been working on my starts and they’ve been improving a lot. All the work I’ve put in on starts helps with my 100 more than my 200.”
Saunders, a senior, started track as a sophomore – on a challenge.
“Badr Fask said he was faster than me,” said Saunders. “So, I tried out for the track team sophomore year and – boom. I beat him the first time we raced – and every time since then.”
Last year, Saunders’ district performances included a gold medal in the 100, a silver medal in the 200 and a bronze medal in the 4x100. At the state championship meet in Shippensburg, he was second in the 200, third in the 4x100 and third in the 100.
“My goals this year are first in the 100, 200, 4x100 and 4x400 – at districts and at states,” said Saunders, who wants to major in exercise science in college.
“Our 4x100 is a lot stronger this year. We’ve been working on our handoffs and our times are going to keep coming down. Everyone is really focused.”
Last Saturday, it was also the Truman girls’ time to shine at the Central Bucks West Relays.
The team of Kayla Walker, Jaleezia Gibson, Laurel Montgomery, and Rebecca Sloboh took first in the 4x100 with a time of 49.45. Truman also won the gold medal in the 4x200 with the same foursome – crossing first with a time of 1:43.78.
“We knew what these girls were capable of doing,” said Wright, who is in his first season as the Tigers’ head coach. “We used the same lineup in both events and it worked out.”
The Truman girls first showed their potential outdoors at the Lady Skins Invitational, which was held April 14 at Neshaminy High – starting with a gold medal performance in the 4x100 with a clocking of 50.04.
Gibson was an individual double-winner. She crossed first in the 100 at 12.40 and captured first in the 200 at 26.04.
“Jaleezia has already improved on her best times from last year,” said Wright. “She has already qualified for districts (District One Class AAA Championships) this year in the 100, 200 and 4x100. She’s on a different trajectory this year.”
Gibson, a sophomore, used her freshman year as a learning experience and is ready to move to a higher plateau.
“It’s getting there,” said Gibson. “It’s progress. My times are a lot better than they were last year. And, our training is better with the new coach.
“My best event is back-and-forth between the 100 and the 200. I like the 200 better and I need to build more stamina. My best meet this year was the Lady Skins Invitational. I got three gold medals and had good times.”
Gibson has pursued sprinting since middle school.
“I started running in seventh grade at FDR Middle School,” said Gibson. “I started track because I was always an athlete – and I was fast. When I was younger, I played field hockey and flag football. I still play field hockey and I’m a starting forward on the varsity team.
“Last year, districts wasn’t a good meet for me. I didn’t have the confidence I needed. Now, I have it. My goals are to p.r., go to states and place in the finals.”
Naomi Hallman returned home from the Lady Skins meet in Langhorne with a pair of silver medals after taking second in the 100 hurdles at 15.60 and second in the 300 hurdles at 46.70.
“Naomi has already qualified for districts in both events,” said Wright. “She’s shown a lot of improvement. She’s doing a lot of work on the technical side to improve on her mechanics as she clears the hurdles.
Tierra Lloyd also had a good day at the Lady Skins meet when she won triple jump with a distance of 34-8.5 and placed sixth in long jump at 15-1.
Wright and his Truman squads are moving the program in the right direction despite having the drawback of the school having no cross country program in the fall.
“We just keep working hard,” said Wright. “Based on the athletes that come out, we focus on the events they’re best suited for. Without cross country, it’s hard to cultivate runners in the 800, 1600 and 4x800
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Another Suburban One League team that always fares well in sprint events is Abington. This year, the Ghosts’ sprinters are led by Rorie Spencer.
At the Third Annual Jim Kelly Invitational, which was held March 31 at Hatboro Horsham High School, Spencer won the gold medal in the 100 at 12.58.
One week later at the inaugural Upper Moreland Invitational at Upper Moreland High, Spencer captured the gold medal in the 200 at 25.15 and clocked a 1:00.25 to place second behind Cheltenham’s Alexis Crosby in the 400.
“I got a p.r. in the 200 in the meet at Upper Moreland,” said Spencer, a junior. “My start was slow. Coming off the curve, I started to pull away. My 400 wasn’t as good as I wanted. But, my times are still a lot better than they were at this point in the season last year.”
Abington coach Bill Neely said, “Rorie’s time in the 200 was the best time in the state at the time. She also ran the 4x400 at Upper Moreland.”
Abington won the 4x400 at the meet with a time of 4:08.43.
“That 4x400 had Rorie, Alaina Smith, Sofia Moreno, and Monique Williams. Rorie had a good race and ran a 59 split,” Wright said.
At the Armstrong Invitational last Saturday, the Ghosts’ 4x400 topped the field with a time of 4:13.30. Individually, Spencer was gold medalist in the 100 with a clocking of 12.11.
“I don’t know if Rorie will run the 400 at districts,” said Neely. “We’ve pretty much focused on the 200 for the most part. To run the 200, 400 and 4x400 at districts and states would be a lot. That’s seven races in two days.
“The 200 is her best event. Her speed in the 200 is a lot faster than her speed in the 400. But, it’s good that she runs the 400 during the season because it builds her strength and helps with her stamina.
“Rorie has the speed. I knew she had it when she was just a freshman. She just had to put things together. She’s very good now – and can get a lot better.”
Spencer is a veteran runner.
“I started running for a club team – Philadelphia Xpress – when I was seven,” said Spencer. “We trained at Martin Luther King High School. After that, I went to Ambler Olympic Club. Now, I have a personal trainer.
“When I was younger, I tried playing soccer, but I didn’t like it. My aunt was a track coach and that influenced me. I liked that track was an individual sport – that whatever success you got, it was on your own.
“My goal this year is to get a p.r. in every race and to keep moving. I want to medal at districts and qualify for states. Last year, I fell at a race right near the end of the season and wasn’t allowed to run at districts. That has made me more motivated for this year.”
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Abington has also been getting good results on the boys’ side from weight event specialist Jamil Robinson.
The Ghost senior opened his season with a bronze medal in shot put (47-0) and a fifth-place finish in discus (139-8) at the Jim Kelly Invitational on March 31.
At the Council Rock Kiwanis Invitational, which was held on April 7 at Walt Snyder Stadium in Newtown, Robinson was gold medalist in shot put with a heave of 46-1.75.
One week later, Robinson snagged the gold medal in shot put (49-6) and the silver medal in discus (112-2) at the Upper Moreland Invitational on April 13.
Returning home last weekend, Robinson took the silver medal in shot put (48-11) and the bronze medal in discus (128-5) at the Abington Armstrong Invitational on April 20.
“Jamil has been pretty consistent with his throws this season,” said Neely. “He’s already qualified for districts in discus. He went to districts last year in shot put. This year, I’m not sure which is his best event. It fluctuates.”
“The 49-6 at Upper Moreland was a p.r. (personal record) for me,” said Robinson. “Disc could have been a lot better that day, but I was slipping and didn’t have a lot of grip.
“My previous best in shot was 48-something. My first throw at Upper Moreland was 50 but I fouled. My second throw was the 49-6. My goal this season is to get a 54 – or at least a 53.”
Robinson is still relatively new to the throwing events.
“I started throwing when I was in 10th grade,” said Robinson, who is considering attending Shippensburg University to major in accounting or sports management.
“At first, I just wanted to do javelin. But, my coaches convinced me to do disc and shot. Strength-wise, shot was a lot easier for me – more explosive.”
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