Central Bucks West girls’ team captured the PIAA 3A State Track & Field Championship. Check out the SOL’s medalists for boys/girls track. (Photos provided by CB West girls track & field)
CB West Girls Capture PIAA 3A State Championship
The Central Bucks West girls track team ignored the less-than-ideal weather to make history this weekend, capturing the program’s first ever PIAA 3A State team title.
“There have been times when we thought our cross country team was going to be possibly a state team, but it didn’t come to pass, so nobody was thinking anything other than – let’s do well,” West coach Kevin Munnelly said of his team’s approach heading to the state meet. “They all did what they normally have done all season, and they did it well.”
The biggest surprise of the weekend, according to the Bucks’ coach, was the second place finish of freshman Mimi Duffy in the 200m dash.
“She was the number 12 seed going in, and she exceeded everyone’s expectations by not only making the final but also placing second in the final,” Munnelly said. “There were four heats, and for her to end up the number one seed in the final and then she took second - it was a very difficult field.
“She broke 25 seconds in both of her races on a raw 48-degree day. She overcame things, and for a freshman, it was very mature of her to see it through, do what she had to do to get to the final and then do very well in the final. That was impressive, and she showed incredible composure for a freshman.”
West’s 4x800m relay comprised of Claire Dalsass, Julia Flood, Emmi Simon and Carlin McFadden captured the gold medal with a time of 9:20.15.
“I think the girls originally wanted to set a school record in the 4x8, but when they saw the weather was going to be as bad as it was – it was 48 degrees and raining, they said, ‘Hey, let’s just all work together for a team title,’” Munnelly said. “So for Carlin McFadden and Emmi Simon, that was a huge decision for them that they were no longer going to try to get the school record in the 4x8 but win the 4x8 and then get a team title, and they performed like they always do like clockwork. No one is going to take anything from them – that’s the way they run.
“Julia Flood really helped in that equation along with Claire Dalsass, who had no state meet experience prior to this, and she did very, very well. Claire was the leadoff in the 4x8 and the 4x4. No school record or big-time national ranking with it but enough to take that 10 points and move on.”
Flood typically runs the 1600 and 3200m but stepped up in a big way for the relay team.
“She just kept getting better as an 800-meter runner, and she put herself in the 4x8 by her performances,” Munnelly said. “She’s a mile, two-miler, she’s a state medalist in cross country twice, so for Julia Flood to really continue to improve - her split in the 800 last week at districts was 2:16.
“When you have five girls that are 2:20 or under, people aren’t going to be able to handle you, so Julia Flood made it possible for us to pull Kate Edenson out and put her in the open 8 fresh, and then she ran her best time ever at 2:12.”
Edenson captured gold in the 800m run, one of two individual first place performances by the Bucks. The other was pole vaulter Chloe Timberg, whose top vault of 13-00 was three inches shy of the state record.
“Chloe Timberg did her normal excellent work, winning the pole vault indoors because of the weather,” Munnelly said. “She then came down to the track to help the 4x100m relay place eighth.”
Joining Timberg on the 4x100 relay were Duffy, Kate Finnan and Riley Corona.
West’s 4x400m relay team – comprised of Dalsass, Simon, McFadden and Edenson also captured goal, giving the Bucks four first place finishes out of 18 events.
“Emmi Simon and Carlin McFadden became the people who made every relay perfect,” Munnelly said. “They did what they had to do to get first place.
“There are 18 events, and when one team takes four 10s out of the 18 events, that doesn’t leave a lot of points for the 100 and some other high schools. We didn’t even need to win the 4x4 to win the state title, but Kate Edenson put the 56 in at the end of the 4x4, and it was ours – another 10 points. It was an unbelievable day.”
Simon and McFadden finished sixth and eighth, respectively, in the 800-meter run.
“For kids to be exposed to that kind of weather for 7-8 hours, that doesn’t do their muscles any good,” Munnelly said. “
“These girls decided they wanted this, and they saw the possibilities, and they made it happen. They did what they have done in leagues and districts. Districts was an 85-degree day, and it was almost 40 degrees colder on Saturday.”
Council Rock South senior Siniru Iheoma turned in a pair of gold medal performances, capturing first place in the shot put (48-00.75) and discus (164-00). Behind the Princeton University-bound senior’s strong showing, Council Rock South finished third in the team rankings.
Neshaminy junior Sanaa Hebron won gold in the 400-meter dash (56.36), and Pennsbury senior Kayli Williams finished first in the 100-meter hurdles (14.38).
On the boys’ side, Upper Dublin senior Jaden Price-Whitehead won gold in the long jump (23-11.00).
GIRLS’ CLASS 3A (Top SOL finishers)
Girls Team Rankings
1. Central Bucks West 53
2. Hempfield 31
3. South Fayette 25
4. Moon Area 20
4. Council Rock South 20
4. Spring Grove 20.
7. Wilson 19
8. Bishop McDevitt 16
8. West Chester Rustin 16
8. Pennridge 16
8. JP McCaskey 16
8. State College 16
8. Mount St. Joseph 16
Girls 4x800m Relay
1. Central Bucks West 9:20.15
Girls 100m Hurdles
1. Kayli Williams Pbury 14.38
5. Emma Schlotter Pridge 15.15
6. Kylie Emmens CBE 15.25
Girls 100m Dash
6. Jael Sykes NP 12.51
Girls 4x100m Relay
3. North Penn 48.76
8. Central Bucks West 49.67
Girls 400m Dash
1. Sanaa Hebron Nesh 56.36
2. Eyota Bey Chelt 56.99
Girls 300m Hurdles
2. Ella Derstine CBE 44.84
3. Victoria Angelo Pridge 45.62
4. Felicia Oh CBS 45.66
Girls 800m Run
1. Kate Edenson CBW 2:12.36
6. Emmi Simon CBW 2:16.12
8. Carlin McFadden CBW 2:17.43
Girls 200m Dash
2. Mimi Duffy CBW 24.75
4. Eyota Bey Chelt 25.15
5. Sanaa Hebron Nesh 25.16
Girls 4x400m Relay
1, Central Bucks West 3:55.69
3. Pennridge 3:58.79
5. North Penn 4:00.74
8. Central Bucks East 4:02.63
Girls Pole Vault
1. Chloe Timberg CBW 13-00.00#
8. Julia McBride Sfield Twp 11-06.00
*NFHS Honor Rolle
Girls Long Jump
4. Hannah Alderfer Ston 17-10.50
Girls Shot Put
1. Siniru Iheoma CRS 48-00.75#
#NFHS Honor Roll
Girls Discus Throw
1. Siniru Iheoma CRS 164-00#
#NFHS Honor Roll
BOYS’ CLASS 3A (Top SOL finishers)
Boys 4x800m Relay
3. Central Bucks West 7:59.69
5. North Penn 8:01.71
7. Pennridge 8:02.62
Boys 400m Dash
6. Isaiah Marc Wiss 49.04
Boys 300m Hurdles
6. Joey Lewis CRS 39.36
8. Malcolm Garbutt Chelt 39.53
Boys 800m Run
2. Holden Emery CBE 1:53.26
Boys 3200m Run
4. Devon Comber HH 9:00.56#
#NFHS Honor Roll
Boys 4x400m Relay
2. North Penn 3:20.89
3. Central Bucks West 3:23.15
Boys High Jump
6. Evan Kutzler Ston 6-00.00
7. Chris Bonsignore NP 5-10.00
Boys Long Jump
1. Jaden Price-Whitehead UD 23-11.00
Boys Triple Jump
2. Kasey Savage HH 46-01.75
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