This week’s notebook features Quakertown and Neshaminy and also highlights some of the weekend’s top performances.
By Scott Huff
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy Williams
It may not be the Christmas season – but for Suburban One League track and field athletes and coaches there is nothing better than the next three weeks of competition. The spring outdoor season concludes in a crescendo that includes the conference championship this week – the District One championship the following week at Coatesville – and the PIAA state championship the third week at Shippensburg University.
“This is without doubt the best time of the year,” said marvelous Quakertown senior sprinter Jody-Ann Evans. “I can’t believe that this is my senior season and I won’t get another chance to compete in the league, district, and state championships again. It has all gone so fast.
“My goal for the end of the season is get my 100 down to 11.5-11.6 and my 200 down to around the high 22 seconds,” added Evans who is seriously considering an offer from the University of Pittsburgh for next year. “I have run 11.7 and 24.7 by hand time this year, so I am going to have to keep training hard.”
“This is the time of year that coaches dream about,” said Neshaminy head coach Russ Horrocks who will take a strong Redskin team into the final trio of meets. “Our league meet should be exciting, and District One is without doubt the strongest district in the state. It seems like in every event at states six of the eight top finishes come from District One.
“As a coaching staff, we have worked real hard to have our athletes competing at their best at this time of year,” added Horrocks. “This is the time of year that everyone has worked really hard for – to compete well against the best around.”
Quakertown will enter the SOL Continental Conference championships at Central Bucks South with only one conference victory, but the Lady Panthers have still showcased some excellent talent despite the one-win conference dual meet record.
“We are going to send quite a few of our kids to districts,” said Quakertown head coach Jason Anderson. “We have competed well in dual meets, but with 45 people it is hard for us to compete with the Central Bucks schools and Pennridge with the numbers that they have on their teams.
“It is nice to know that we will take a big bus to districts,” added Anderson. “We are very pleased with the season.”
Evans – who will run the 100 and 200-meter sprints along with the 4 x 100 relay for the Panthers at districts – is the blue chipper on the Lady Panther roster.
“We have been busy training hard the last couple of weeks, but we are trying not to overwork Jody-Ann,” said Anderson. “We ask so much of her in our dual meets, and she and Jasmine Korr have been a tremendous leaders for the rest of the team.”
“This has been a great year for us – we are all comfortable together and are like a family,” said Evans. “The whole team has bonded together, and nobody on this team is left out. It is just a good team with good people.”
In addition to Evans on the district bus will be her 4 x 100 relay team. That talented foursome includes Evans (anchor), sophomore Meredith Vandergrift (lead), Korr (second leg), and junior Shannon Gibat (third leg).
“This relay really had a fine showing at the Penn Relays,” said Anderson. “We are excited to see how they compete at the end of the season.”
Other Q-town athletes on that district bus to Coatesville includes senior Lauren Suelke (triple jump and long jump), senior Shelly Cowan (javelin), junior Rachel Rhyner (discus), sophomore Linzi Wolfe (800 meters), and junior Kasi Cronk (high jump).
Neshaminy has established itself as one of the elite track and field programs in the area – and senior Renard Howell has gained a measure of success that might have eluded him if he remained at Trenton High this year.
“Renard could always run, but I believe that we taught him how to race,” said Horrocks of his sprinter that emerged as one of the premier runners around. “We taught him a work ethic that he really didn’t have at the beginning of the season. He used to show up at meets and just run – he doesn’t do that here.
“Our training is intense, and we do everything specific to the athlete,” continued Horrocks. “Cody Minnig has been a great challenge for Renard on our own team, and both of them have pushed each other hard. They are both great team mates and great competitors.”
Both Howell and Minnig make up half of the Fab Four for the Redskins that have impressed during the dual meet season. The talented duo are joined by Dave Marrington and Joe Sulon.
Howell runs the 100 meters, the 200 meters, and runs on both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams. Minnig competes in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the 4 x 100 relay, and the high jump. Marrington runs the 110-meter hurdles, the 300-meter hurdles, the 4 x 400 meter relay, and the 400 meters. Sulon competes in the 4 x 800 relay, the 400 meters, the 800 meters, and the 4 x 400 relay.
“I call those guys our four studs,” said Horrocks. “They have all had great seasons, and we are excited to see how we can do in the next few weeks.”
The destinations for the Suburban One League championships to be held on May 10 and 11 are William Tennent (SOL National Conference), Plymouth Whitemarsh (SOL American Conference), and Central Bucks South (SOL Continental Conference).
Making The National Silver Standard
Helman Memorial Invitational
- Marissa Sheva (Pennridge) – 1600 meters [4:50.24]
- Veronica Eder (CB East) – 1600 meters [5:00.63]
- Caitlyn Sheva (Pennridge) – 1600 meters [5:11.59]
- Elizabeth Morris (CB East) – 1600 meters [5:14.47]
- Kate Scott (Council Rock North) – 3200 meters [11:03.39]
- Marisa Hawley (CB East) – 3200 meters [11:10.63]
- Elizabeth Huues (CB East) – 3200 meters [11:15.02]
- Taylor Chapman (Pennridge) – 400 meters [57.92]
- Dara Lindsey (CB East) – 800 meters [2:19.80]
- Ella Fox (Pennridge) – Javelin [123-0]
- Colby Trauger (Pennridge) – 300 meter hurdles [39.38]
- Joey Logue (Pennridge) – 800 meters [1:53.25]
39th Trojan Track Classic
- Phoebe Clowser (North Penn) – 1600 meters [5:11.68]
- Lotte Black (Wissahickon) – 1600 meters [5:12.03]
- Jody Ann Evans (Quakertown) – 200 meters [24.92]
- Nicole Burke (Upper Dublin) – 400 meters [57.95]
- Linzi Wolfe (Quakertown) – 800 meters [2:19.58]
- Anna Chiodo-Ortiz (Wissahickon) – 800 meters [2:19.94]
- Anecia Alexaki (Upper Merion) – Pole Vault [10-6]
- Sydnee Jacques (North Penn) – Triple Jump [36-1.5]
- Ishmael Wright (Quakertown) – 300 meter hurdles [39.24]
- Dave Stellato (Wissahickon) – 400 meters [48.95]
- Vincent Espositio (North Penn) – Pole Vault [14-6]
- Kyree Willis-Lear (Chelteham) – Triple Jump [45-5]
Rob Thomas Memorial Invitational
- Renard Howell (Neshaminy) – 100 meters (10.72)
- Renard Howell (Neshaminy) – 200 meters (21.34)
- Cody Minnig (Neshaminy) – 200 meters (22.0)
- Jeffrey Wiseman (Council Rock South) – 400 meters (49.34)
- Brad Rivera (Bensalem) – 800 meters – (1:55.87)
- Kyle Francis (Bensalem) – 800 meters – (1:56.44)
Lady Rocker Invitational Winners
Central Bucks East
- Elizabeth Huuki – 1600 meters (5:07.99)
- Elizabeth Morris – 3200 meters (11:28.08)
- Grace Becker – Triple Jump (35-3)
Council Rock South
- Shannon Taub – Long Junp (16-10)
- Shannon Taub – High Jump (5-3)
- Karyn Deissler – Pole Vault (9-0)
Central Bucks West
- Jamila Branch – 200 meters (25.61)
- Cait Mautz – Javelin (118-0)
Neshaminy
- Dasia Pressley – 100 meters (12.47)
Bensalem
- Tyra Roberts – Shot Put (40-1.75)
Lower Merion Invitational Winners
North Penn
- Victoria Finley – Pole Vault (10-0)
- Ali Valenti – 800 meters (2:21,55)
- Jenna Reimer – 3200 meters (12:02.8)
- Christine Johnson – Shot Put (32-9.5)
- Kristen Morrison – Discus (35-9.5)
- Steph Bresadola, Melanie Vlasic, Phoebe Clowser, & Ali Valenti – 4 x 800 Relay (9:37.94)
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