This week’s notebook includes SOL track and field athletes who have qualified for this weekend’s PIAA Track and Field Championships as well as their respective seeds in each event. (Photo provided courtesy of Kathy Leister Photography.)
By DENNY DYROFF
This weekend, a large contingent of athletes, parents and coaches from the Suburban One League will be traveling to Cumberland County in central Pennsylvania.
For them, it will be a special Memorial Day Weekend getaway – a weekend to compete in (or watch) the 2018 PIAA Track and Field Championships.
Here’s a look at the lineup of SOL athletes who will be putting their skills on display on Friday and Saturday at the boys’ and girls’ Class AAA track and field state meet at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
Starting with relay events, Central Bucks West’s foursome of Ben Bunch, Owen Shields, Luke Fehrman, and Brian Baker is seeded fourth in the 4×800-meter relay — just three seconds behind top-seeded Seneca Valley.
Two other Suburban One squads are also in the event – seventh-seeded Pennridge and 12th-seeded Central Bucks East.
The Bensalem quartet of Jaiden Ventour, Jared O’Connell, Dabi Chanez and Justin Johnson is seeded second in the 4×400 by the narrowest of margins. The Owls’ season best in 3:19.49 while top-seeded St. Joseph’s Prep from Philadelphia arrives with a 3:19.02.
“Our season best was 3:19-high before today,” said Ventour at last Saturday’s district meet. “We got our goal time today. Everything was good about our race. Now, our goal for states is 3:17 and finishing first.”
Three other SOL teams will be looking for medals in the 4×400 – Pennridge (10th seed), Truman (11th) and C.B. West (15th).
There are two league teams in the 4×100 – Truman with the sixth seed and Central Bucks South with the 11th seed.
Truman and Pennridge also look strong in the individual sprint events.
Sayyid Saunders, the Tigers’ stellar senior, has the top seed in the 200 at 21.65 – compared to the 21.81 by second seed Eudel Moreta from Hempfield. He also is seeded 14th in the tightly-bunched 100-meter dash at 10.97 – not far off the top time of 10.69 by Penn Hills’ Alex Trower.
“My goals for states are first in the 100, first in the 200, first in the 4×100 and top five in the 4×400,” said Saunders. “Goal times are 10.4 or 10.5 in the 100, 20.7 in the 200 and 41.2 for our 4×100.”
The 100 trials at states will also include Neshaminy’s Savion Hebron, who is seeded second in the 100 and fifth in the 200, Upper Moreland’s Caleb Meade (fourth), C.B. West’s Luke Benson (ninth) and North Penn’s Kaseem Cartwright, who is seeded 25th in the 100 and eighth in the 400.
Other SOL runners in the 200 at the big meet at Ship are Council Rock North’s Michael Welde, who has 12th seed in both the 200 and 400, Bensalem’s Jaiden Ventour (19th) and Pennridge’s John Nash (21st). The league also will have Pennridge’s Anderson Dimon as third seed and Upper Dublin’s Michael Henning as 15th seed in the 400.
In the middle distance/distance events, Neshaminy’s Rusty Kujdych is seeded second in the 3200 at 9:22.77 while the top time of 9:20.09 belongs to Butler’s Noah Beveridge. Council Rock North’s Ryan Campbell has the fourth seed in the race.
The 800 will feature six runners from the Suburban One League – Pennsbury’s Aiden Sauer (fifth) and Jed Scratchard (25th), Pennridge’s Matt Eissler (ninth), Council Rock South’s Collin Ochs (11th), Quakertown’s Hudson Delisle (12th) and Council Rock North’s Sam Earley (18th).
Sauer, who won the gold medal in the 800 at districts, is the second member of his family to compete at states. He was preceded by his older sister Maddie, who now runs at Manhattan University.
“This was my first district title,” said Sauer. “Last year, I was sixth. So, this is my second trip to states.
“This year at states, I’m just looking to have fun. I’m going for a medal and looking for a top three finish.”
Surprisingly, the league has no state meet qualifiers in the 1600.
There are also slim pickings for the SOL in the hurdles events with just one qualifier in the 110 hurdles – North Penn’s 17th-seeded Curtis Young – and three qualifiers in the 300 hurdles – C.B. South’s Kyle Magee (13th) and Chris Cardamone (18th) and Pennsbury’s Nasan Robbins (20th).
“I’ve been working hard all year and now I’m going to states as district champ,” said Magee, who is heading to St. Joseph’s University in the fall. “My P.R. is 39.6 so I definitely want to go faster at states.”
Don’t expect much “jumping for joy” by league athletes in the non-throwing field events.
The Suburban One League is represented in triple jump by Neshaminy’s ninth-seeded Logan Williamson and C.B. East’s 13th-seeded Marshall Duncan. Long jump has only William Tennent’s Markeith Baxter, who is seeded 12th.
In high jump, the Suburban One League still has the record holder – Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Tyrone Smith, who set the state standard with a leap of 7-0.75 in 1985. The year’s league contingent includes Bensalem’s Elijah Rizzo and C.B. East’s Duncan, who have the fourth-best height at 6-3, along with P-W’s Tristan Jones, Wissahickon’s Ahmir Johnson and Pennridge’s Vincent Polignano, who arrive for the meet with the seventh-best height at 6-1.
In pole vault, three SOL competitors have qualified with the fourth-best height (14-3) – William Tennent’s Randy Shoemaker, North Penn’s Bryant Durant and C.B. South’s Ryan Ruggiero.
The league’s best hopes for a medal or two in weight events comes in discus with Bensalem’s Yobani Moreno seeded third, Pennsbury’s Joshua Anturase seeded fifth and Quakertown’s Mike Weaver seeded 13th. Moreno also has the seventh seed in shot put while Abington’s Jamil Robinson has the 20th seed. Suburban One qualifiers in javelin are Neshaminy’s Hunter Barnett (20th) and C.B. East’s Evan Clark (22nd).
In the girls’ meet, expect a battle for the team championship trophy between North Penn, the defending state champion, and Cheltenham, which won its sixth consecutive District One Cass AAA championship last weekend.
North Penn’s top individual qualifier is Natalie Kwortnik who is seeded first in long jump at 19-4, fifth in the 400 at 56.98 and seventh in triple jump at 37-9.75 – and is part of the Knights’ 4×400 relay.
“I definitely want to medal in four events at states,” said Kwortnik, a versatile junior. “I want 20 or at least 19 in long jump and 38 in triple.”
In the 3200, Ariana Gardizy has the 12th seed and her teammate Olivia Dyer is seeded 18th. North Penn also is sending Anais Williams, who is seeded 15th in the100 hurdles
North Penn has the ninth seed in the 4×400 and the 11th seed in the 4×100. The Knights are seeded 14th in the 4×800.
In the same event (4×800), C.B. West has the third seed and C.B. East has the 13th seed. In the 4×400, West is seeded sixth and East is seeded 18th.
Central Bucks West’s Samantha Ronald and Central Bucks East’s enter the meet tied with the fifth-best height in high jump.
C.B. West’s Lauren Hahn is seeded 16th in discus, while Central Bucks East’s Abby Eisold enters the100 hurdles as 20th seed.
Cheltenham has the number one seed in the 4×100 at 47.60 with the team of Alayna Faison, Cynthia Sheehy, Nicole Noel and Anais Williams and the number two seed in the 4×400 at 3:53.43 with the foursome of Bria Barnes, Ciani Fleming, Crosby and Ni Asia Williams.
Alexis Crosby is seeded third seed in the 400. At last weekend’s district meet, Crosby won the open 400 with a time of 56.42.
“I’ve won gold medals at districts before but last week was my first individual gold medal,” said Crosby. “This really pumps me up a lot for states – gives me extra confidence.
“It’s my last meet for Cheltenham. I’m just going to give it all I got. Since freshman year, my goal is to run 53. It can be 53.95 and I’ll be happy.”
Brianna Smith has the top seed in high jump at 5-7. She is also seeded 14th in the100 hurdles and seventh in the 300 hurdles.
Ni Asia Williams is the15th seed in the 200, 11th seed in the 300 hurdles and 17th seed in the 100. Bria Barnes has the ninth seed in the 300 hurdles and her Panther teammate Ari Wallace is the 13th seed in the 800.
Hatboro Horsham’s Allison Riches had the fifth-best seed height in pole vault and Council Rock North’s Kate Donnelly is seeded with the third-best height in high jump.
Upper Dublin’s Madison Langley-Walker is seeded high in four events – first in the 300 hurdles, second in triple jump, and fourth in the 100 hurdles and long jump.
“Hopefully at states, I’ll get 40 in triple jump,” said Langley-Walker, a senior who is headed to the University of Oklahoma. “And, I want low 14s in the 100 hurdles. I still need more work on my landing in long jump but I’m sure I’ll have it together for states.”
Also, Upper Dublin is seeded 20th in the 4×400.
Abington’s Rorie Spencer is seeded sixth in the 200 and eighth in the 100.
“At states, I’d like to beat 12 seconds in the 100,” said Spencer. “I want to bring my time down in the 200. And, I want to be on the podium. Last year, I got a concussion at SOLs and wasn’t able to compete at districts or states. To finally be able to complete a season without injuries is great.”
Pennridge’s Ashley Gordon will run in the 1600 as 10th seed along with Upper Moreland’s Jill Kelly who is seeded 12th.
Truman will be represented by Jaleezia Gibson in the100 (18th) and Naomi Hallman in the 100 hurdles (24th) and Council Rock South’s
Elke Knecht also will run the 100 hurdles (10th).
Pennsbury’s Madison Hackman is competing in two events — 400 (13th) and 200 (22nd) – and the Falcons have the 12th seed in the 4×100
Souderton’s Maria Deaviz, the District One shot put champion, in seeded eighth in shot put and 22nd in discus.
“I’m ready for states,” said Deaviz. “I want to do 40 or better in shot and 120 in discus. I’m looking forward to the experience – and hoping to P.R. I’ll show what I’m made of there.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Taylor O’Brien is seeded second in the 300 hurdles and has the fourth-best height in high jump.
Bensalem’s Maya Scott is seeded 22nd in the 400 and Central Bucks South’s Nancy McGrath is the 16th seed in the 800
Neshaminy’s Kaylee McCullough is seeded 14th in the 3200 and Shelby Kishel is seeded 19th in javelin. Their teammate Kaeley Wadlington has the 19th seed in long jump.
Quakertown’s promising sophomore Jocelyn Fafard checks in with the 25th seed in javelin.
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