By Scott Huff
The forecast for Thursday’s Penn Relays at 7:05 pm is cloudy with an 80% chance of showers – possible thunderstorm – a temperature of around 60 degrees and 13 miles per hour wind. And 7:05 pm is the starting time for the High School Girls 3000 meters race that features Suburban One League blue-chip distance runners Tori Gerlach (Pennridge) and Meghan McGovern (North Penn).
“That is perfect weather for a distance runner,” said North Penn head coach Jim Crawford Jr. “Meghan and Tori are both good friends who have competed against one another many times. They are familiar with each other, and that should give them a little bit of a comfort zone.
“They will begin the race right next to each other, and I’m sure that both of them will want to get off to a good start,” added Crawford. “You want to be in contention from the very start – you won’t make up ground by coming from behind against the caliber of runners that will be in that race.”
“Last year at the Penn Relays, Tori had to wait a couple of hours to run her race due to thunderstorms, but it didn’t bother her at all,” said Pennridge head coach Bill Smith. “She finished fourth in the race and that proved to be her break out day. She ran the rest of the season with an all-time high confidence level because she knew she belonged with the elite runners.
“Tori does not fear the big names that are going to be in this race,” added Smith of his senior that will attend Penn State University next fall. “She has very high goals for herself, and she challenges herself to do things that are extremely difficult to achieve. She has a tremendous drive to be successful.
“Doing well at the Penn Relays and doing well at the state meet are her two biggest goals right now,” continued Smith. “I have very high expectations for Tori in this race. She should be able to run in front of the pack and will compete for a chance to win the race. I can’t say that she will win – but I can’t say that she won’t.”
And that is a forecast you can rely on.
The Pennridge girls will also send a pair of competitive relays to Penn Relays at Franklin Field in both the 4 x 100 and the 4 x 400.
The quartet in the 4 x 100 will feature freshman Taylor Chapman, freshman Ariana Przbylowski, senior Casey O’Brien, and junior Natalia Pinkney. The 4 x 400 showcases the talents of Chapman, O’Brien, sophomore Lindsey Sheehan, and sophomore Stacey Nocero.
“The girls are really excited to compete in those relays,” said Smith. “Running at the Penn Relays is a great venue with great tradition. It is a big deal.”
North Penn senior Bridget Coffey will compete in the javelin Thursday afternoon @ 2:00 pm.
“Bridget has been throwing well all season, and her experience in the AAU programs is going to be a huge help in a big meet,” said Crawford. “She has a strong arm and has the talent to compete in all of the throwing events.”
The Neshaminy boys will send a magnificent 4 x 100 relay to the Penn Relays – a relay that set the school record and was the best time in the entire state when it jetted to a 42.16 time at the Central Bucks Relay last Saturday. That foursome consisted of senior Bryan Reice, senior Austin Gardener, senior Ryan DePinto, and junior Cody Minnig.
“I told the runners on that relay that nothing is set in stone and I might have a different group running in the Penn Relays,” said Neshaminy head coach Russ Horrocks. “I believe that competition is a great thing, and there should be no comfort in thinking you have a spot locked up.
“Ron Smith is a senior that could easily fit into that relay,” added Horrocks. “The runners know that I go strictly by times, and we work on all possible combinations in practice. We have to be focused – I will not accept mediocrity.
“In the race at CB West, our exchanges were flawless,” continued Horrocks. “The difference in winning the race doesn’t always come down to how fast your run, but how well you execute the exchanges.”
Minnig will also compete for the Redskins in the Penn Relays in the long jump on Saturday.
“Cody has been working hard with both Tim Beck and Cyrus Wesley getting ready for the meet,” said Horrocks in reference to his two assistant coaches. “Cody has tremendous speed and strength, and he knows that he needs to continue to improve on his technique. He is an excellent all-around athlete.
“Cody could really compete in at least six events,” added Horrocks as Minnig competes in the 110 hurdles and the 100 meters along with the 4 x 100 and the long jump. “Sometimes it is hard for him to zero in on the long jump. I expect him to do well.”
Penn Relays Honor Roll
Boys
4 x 800 Relay – Pennridge – Bensalem – Central Bucks West –[Friday – 9:40 am]
Distance Medley Relay – North Penn – [Friday – 5:50 pm]
Mile Run – Drew Magaha - Upper Moreland (15) – [Friday 6:05 pm]
3000 Meters – Sam Hibbs – Hatboro-Horsham (23) – [Friday 6:10 pm]
400 Hurdles – Max Hairston – Wissahickon (21) – [Saturday – 9 am]
High Jump – Jalen Ramsey – Norristown (22)- [Saturday – 10 am]
Pole Vault – Corey Smith – Central Bucks West (16) – [ Saturday – 10 am]
Long Jump – Cody Minnig – Neshaminy (5) –[Saturday – noon]
Triple Jump – Harley LaCroix – Cheltenham (23)- [Saturday – noon]
Shot Put – Tevin Kirby – Hatboro-Horsham (10) – [Friday – 2:30 pm]
Girls
4 x 800 Relay – Pennsbury-Central Bucks South-Council Rock North-North Penn-Pennridge – [Thursday – 10:50 am]
Mile – Sara Sargent – Pennsbury (16) – [Thursday – 7:00 pm]
3000 meters – Meghan McGovern – North Penn (8) – [Thursday – 7:05 pm]
3000 meters – Tori Gerlach – Pennridge (9) – [Thursday – 7:05 pm]
400 hurdles – Kayla Coley – Cheltenham (23) – [Thursday 10:20 am]
High Jump – Taylor Morgan – Upper Dublin (11) – [Thursday 2:30 pm]
Pole Vault – Amanda Benninghoff – Council Rock South (10) – [Thursday – 1 pm]
Long Jump – Jordan Matthews – Abington (10) – [Thursday – 1:45 pm]
Discus – Taylor Hojnacki – Central Bucks South (18) – [Thursday – 2:00 pm]
Javelin – Bridget Coffey – North Penn (18) – [Thursday – 2:00 pm]
For The Record
Central Bucks West Relays
Girls
4 x 400 Relay – Pennsbury (Sara Sargent, Husniyyah Rogers, Uchechi Onuaha, Zakiyyah Richardson) – 3:50 – [school/meet record]
4 x 100 Relay – Pennridge (Taylor Chapman, Ariana Przbylowski, Casey O’Brien, Natalia Pinkney) – 48.05 – [school/meet record]
4 x 1600 Relay – Pennsbury (Erin O’Connell, Erica Gray, Liz Wedekind, Sara Sargent) – 21:24.21 – [meet record]
Boys
4 x 100 Relay – Neshaminy (Bryan Reice, Austin Gardener, Ryan DePinto, Cody Minnig) – 42.16 – [school record/meet record]
Invitational News & Notes
Abington – Jack Armstrong Invitational
Girls
1600 meters – Sarah Holl – Upper Dublin – 5:08.85
300 meter hurdles – Taylor Morgan – Upper Dublin – 45.30
4 x 800 meter relay -
Long jump – Jordan Matthews – Abington – 17-9.5
Boys
4 x 400 relay – Bensalem – 3:21.87
4 x 800 relay – Bensalem – 8:05.16
800 meters – Drew Magaha – Upper Moreland – 1:48.82
800 meters – Brad Rivera – Bensalem – 1:54.09
Discus – Seyram Avakame – Bensalem – 154-6.50
Central Bucks West Relays
Girls
300 hurdles – Kelly Knauer – Central Bucks East – 45.92
4 x 200 relay – Pennsbury – 1:41.64
4 x 400 relay – Central Bucks West 3:54.28
4 x 800 relay – Council Rock South – 9:28.26
4 x 800 relay – Pennsbury – 9:35.67
4 x 800 relay – Central Bucks West – 9:39.80
4 x 800 relay – North Penn – 9:42.56
Sprint Medley – Central Bucks South – 4:16.92
Sprint Medley – Central Bucks East – 4:18.73
Sprint Medley – Pennridge – 4:26.43
Boys
300 hurdles – Ryan Hynes – Central Bucks South – 39.16
4 x 1600 relay – Council Rock North – 18:12.53
4 x 1600 relay – Pennsbury – 18:29.62
4 x 1600 relay – Central Bucks West – 18:41.89
4 x 200 relay – Pennsbury – 1:28.19
4 x 200 relay – Pennridge – 1:29.37
4 x 200 relay – Central Bucks South – 1:29.96
4 x 400 relay – Pennridge – 3:20.44
4 x 400 relay – Pennsbury – 3:21.46
4 x 800 relay – Pennridge – 7:55.61
Distance Medley – Central Bucks West – 10:40.77
Pole Vault – Corey Smith – Central Bucks West – 14-0
Sprint Medley – Pennridge – 3:39.94
Sprint Medley – Council Rock North – 3:43.27
West Chester Henderson – Warrior Invitational
Girls
300 meter hurdles – Kayla Coley – Cheltenham – 44.33
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