By Scott Huff
And the beat goes on…
Suburban One League Women’s Track & Field ‘Snapshot’
Cheltenham hurdler/sprinter
Ciara Leonard
When Cheltenham junior Ciara Leonard gets set in the starter’s block for the 100 meter hurdles this weekend at the PIAA Class AAA state championships at Shippensburg University, the brilliant burner will do so as the favorite in the event. Leonard has recorded a state best clocking of 13.70 in the 100 meter hurdles.
“Ciara is a really cool runner – but the only time she gets a little nervous is right before the finals,” said Cheltenham head coach Kelly Jensen. “The hurdles is a high risk event and a lot can go wrong. But Ciara can make whatever adjustment in needed to win the race.”
“It does get a little nerve wracking,” said Leonard. “I just go into the race with the thought of doing the best I can do and do the things that I have been taught.
“I love running the hurdles as an individual event, but I also love running the relays,” added Leonard. “It is the best of both worlds for me to be able to compete as an individual and as part of a team.”
Leonard runs the first leg of the Lady Panther 4 x 100 relay. Oh by the way, when Leonard gets set in the starting block for the relay it will also be as part of a state best performance. Cheltenham has recorded a sensational 46.92 in the event.
“Ciara is a great 300 hurdler, but she won’t run at states in that event,” said Jensen. “With the heats in the 100 hurdles and the relays it would be too much over the two days we are there.”
Leonard has run a 44.17 in the 300 meter hurdles – just 1.26 seconds off the state best performance.
“We won districts and the girls are excited to see how well we can compete at states,” said Jensen. “I’m just as excited as them.”
PIAA AAA State Championship Favorites
Women
All times personal bests for 2014
(*) indicates place in state
100 Meters
(1) Dasia Pressley (Neshaminy) 11.74
(4) Taylor Chapman (Pennridge) 11.97
200 Meters
(1) Dasia Pressley (Neshaminy) 23.95
(2) Katelyn Jackson (Cheltenham) 24.36
(3) Chanel Brissett (Cheltenham) 24.42
(4) Taylor Chapman (Pennridge) 24.52
400 Meters
(1) McKenna Keegan (Avon Grove) 55.99
(9) Jamila Branch (Central Bucks West) 56.88
800 Meters
(1) Sarah Walker (Germantown Friends) 2:08.45
(3) Maddie Villalba (Central Bucks West) 2:09.98
(8) Kaelyn Heinicke (Council Rock North) 2:12.89
1600 Meters
(1) Brianna Schwartz (Shaler Area) 4:45.19
(4) Marissa Sheva (Pennridge) 4:49.53
3200 Meters
(1) Brianna Schwartz (Shaler Area) 10:10.03
(2) Marissa Sheva (Pennridge) 10:30.15
100 Meter Hurdles
(1) Ciara Leonard (Cheltenham) 13.70
(3) Chanel Brissett (Cheltenham) 14.21
300 Meter Hurdles
(1) Sierra Brabham Lawrence (Harrisburg) 42.91
(5) Uchechi Onuoha (Pennsbury) 43.63
(9) Ciara Leonard (Cheltenham) 44.17
4 x 100 Meter Relay
(1) Cheltenham (46.92)
(4) Pennridge (48.21)
(6) North Penn (48.37)
4 x 400 Meter Relay
(1) Central Bucks West (3:48.28)
(2) North Penn (3:49.17)
(7) Central Bucks South (3:56.40)
(8) Central Bucks East (3:565.67)
(10) Cheltenham (3:57.34)
4 x 800 Meter Relay
(1) Central Bucks South (8:58.18)
(4) Pennsbury (9:13.83)
(5) Central Bucks West (9:13.89)
(6) North Penn (9:14.94)
(10) Upper Merion (9:22.15)
High Jump
(1) Cyre Virgo (Fleetwood) 5-10
(9) Shannon Taub (Council Rock South) 5-7
Long Jump
(1) Maddie Holmberg (Hempfield) 19-3
(3) Ariana Przyblowski (Pennridge) 18-10
Triple Jump
(1) Sierra Brabham Lawrence (Harrisburg) 39-9
(4) Uchechi Onuoha (Pennsbury) 38-10 ½
(10) Shannon Taub (Council Rock South) 38-1 ½
Discus
(1) Emily Campbell (Slippery Rock HS) 148-3
(2) Taylor Hojnacki (Central Bucks South) 148-0
Shot Put
(1) Courtney McCartney (Selinsgrove) 47-2 ½
(5) Taylor Hojnacki (Central Bucks South) 43-6 ¼
Suburban One League Men’s ‘Snapshot’
Springfield 4-Time District One AA Champion
Chris Stone
Springfield junior Chris Stone was a 4-for-4 champion last week in the PIAA Class AA District One championships. Stone collected gold in the javelin, long jump, pole vault, and high jump.
“Chris accomplished what he wanted at districts – but he was the favorite in all four events,” said Springfield head coach Chris Mazurek. “The level of competition at the state level is much higher.
“Almost all of the schools around here are AAA schools, but most of the schools in the central and western part of the state are AA schools,” added Mazurek. “Chris will face much better competition this weekend – and that is a good thing.”
“I really wanted to qualify in all four events – and I will compete in all four events,” said Stone. “It is going to be a little difficult because both the high jump and the pole vault are going to be run at the same time.
“My Dad is going to be on the field with me, and he is going to keep track of what is going on in the pole vault,” added Stone. “I might have to pass on some heights in the pole vault, and I am going to focus more on the high jump.”
“The toughest thing about competing in both events at the same time is the shoes that Chris wears,” said Mazurek. “He wears one set of spikes for the high jump and another set of spikes for the pole vault. He might not have enough times to change his shoes.”
“I am really looking forward to states,” said Stone. “The better the competition – the better I seem to do.”
PIAA AAA State Championship Favorites
Men
All times personal bests for 2014
(*) indicates place in states
100 Meters
(1) Demitrus Lanier (East Stroudsburg) 10.54
(2) Christian Brissett (Cheltenham) 10.62
(3) Tyler Whitmore (Upper Moreland) 10.67
200 Meters
(1) Demitrus Lanier (East Stroudsburg) 21.34
(4) Christian Brissett (Cheltenham) 21.46
(7) Tyler Whitmore (Upper Moreland) 21.55
(9) Dave Stellato (Wissahickon) 21.74
400 Meters
(1) Malik Jones (Ridley) 47.06
(2) John Lewis (Cheltenham) 47.69
(3) Dave Stellato (Wissahickon) 47.89
(4) Tyler Whitmore (Upper Moreland) 48.13
(5) Charles Snorweah (Pennsbury) 48.48
800 Meters
(1) Jeffrey Wiseman (Council Rock South) 1:51.91
(2) Joey Logue (Pennridge) 1:52.04
(6) Austin Cooper (Upper Merion) 1:53.94
3200 Meters
(1) Tony Russell (West Chester Henderson) 8:57.21
(2) Ross Wilson (Council Rock North) 9:01.61
(7) Sam Webb (Pennsbury) 9:11.91
300 Meter Hurdles
(1) Chance Post (Conestoga) 37.43
(3) David Marrington (Neshaminy) 38.06
(6) John Lewis (Cheltenham) 38.36
4 x 100 Meter Relay
(1) Cheltenham (41.66)
(3) Wissahickon (42.11)
(6) Council Rock North (42.53)
(7) Pennsbury (42.62)
4 x 400 Meter Relay
(1) Cheltenham (3:16.99)
(2) Wissahickon (3:19.17)
(4) Pennsbury (3:19.76)
(6) Central Bucks South (3:20.10)
(9) Pennridge (3:20.62)
4 x 800 Meter Relay
(1) State College (7:45.12)
(2) Pennridge (7:45.28)
(3) Central Bucks East (7:48.21)
(5) North Penn (7:51.81)
(6) Pennsbury (7:53.10)
(7) Bensalem (7:53.20)
High Jump
(1) Andy Pancoast (Malvern Prep) 6-10
(6) Randall Johnson (Central Bucks South) 6-7
(9) Matt Knittle (Wissahickon) 6-6 ¾
Long Jump
(1) Montae Nicholson (Gateway) 24-3 ½
(2) Bobby Hill (Truman) 23-8
(4) Byron Coleman (Plymouth Whitemarsh) 23-2
Triple Jump
(1) Isa Paschall (Carlise) 49-10
(9) Gift Omo-Ekpadi (North Penn) 47-1 ¾
Discus
(1) Max Adams (Hempfield) 192-0
(12) Andrew Varichione (Quakertown) 162-1
Pole Vault
(1) Gus Yahner (Northern Cambria) 15-3
(6) Brandon Raguz (Central Bucks South) 14-6
Springfield Hopefuls in AA Championships
Women
400 Meters
(1) Nicole Leonzo (Harrisburg Christian) 56.16
(5) Syndi Stovall (Springfield) 58.85
800 Meters
(1) Kennedy Weisner (Elk County Christian) 2:11.80
(2) Syndi Stovall (Springfield) 2:17.60
Men
100 Meters
(1) Ian Corbet (Clarion) 10.89
(2) Jhaloni Johnson (Springfield) 10.96
200 Meters
(1) Andrew Synder (Camp Hill) 22.38
(9) Jhaloni Johnson (Springfield) 22.78
High Jump
(1) Chris Stone (Springfield) 6-8
Pole Vault
(1) Gus Yahner (Northern Cambia) 15-3
(2) Chris Stone (Springfield) 14-0
Long Jump
(1) Tyler Burger (Northwest) 22-2 ¼
(12) Chris Stone (Springfield) 21-4 ¾
Javelin
(1) Michael Biddle (Williamsburg) 195-7
(13) Chris Stone (Springfield) 169-0
- Log in to post comments
