By Scott Huff
Go ahead.
Try and tell Pennridge junior distance runner Tori Gerlach that she can’t do something – anything.
“Tori will always try to prove you wrong,” said Pennridge girls’ head track and field coach Bill Smith. “She is a tremendous competitor, and she has everything it takes to be an elite runner.
“She was the heart to compete, the talent to compete, and the desire to compete,” added Smith. “She was absolutely no fear of running against the very best runners, and she lives for that competition. Track is very well suited for her competitiveness.”
Gerlach has registered the very best time in the entire state of Pennsylvania in the 3200 meters stopping the clock in 10:51.63.
“Tori is without question one of the best runners at that event,” said Smith. “She should qualify from the 800 (meters) on up, but the 3200 is her very best race. The ultimate goal is to win a state championship, and she is going to be one of those elite runners at the end of the season.
“We have the Penn Relays where she will run the 3000 meters,” added Smith. “And then we have the districts and hopefully the states. She should perform very well.”
Gerlach is also a member of the excellent 4x800 meter relay team along with Jessye McGarry, Kaasey Jones, and Ally Desko. That foursome has qualified for districts.
“Tori has made remarkable progress since I first saw her run in middle school in the eighth grade,” said Smith. “And she will continue to improve.”
She wouldn’t have it any other way.
Taylor-made
Abington senior Will Taylor hasn’t been a track star his entire scholastic career. In fact, Taylor has just 13 months of experience behind him, but that hasn’t kept him from running the fastest time this season in the 400 meters.
Taylor’s 49.09 is the quickest time recorded in the 2011 outdoor season in the state of Pennsylvania.
“Will was a football player who decided during the spring of his junior year to come out for track,” said Abington head coach Brian Deck. “And even though he is very new to the sport, he has shown great work ethic and a dedication to the sport.
“He gets out of the blocks very fast, and has the ability to hold people off,” added Deck. “He is very tough to beat.”
Taylor is also tough to beat as a member of the nationally ranked Ghost 4x800 relay team that also features Tevin Smith, Kyle Moran, and Masey Watson. The talented Abington 4x400 squad also showcases the talent of Taylor.
“We have the Penn Relays coming up soon, and there are going to be a couple of tough challenges coming his way,” said Deck. “But he will be up for the challenge.”
Tyler Smith Wins Daily Double
Norristown’s Tyler Smith won the 100 meter and 200 meter sprints in the Shippensburg University Invitational. Smith won the 100 meter in a time of 10.59 and was the best of the sprinters in the 200 meters with a time of 21.90/
Wissahickon boys and Cheltenham girls dominate
SOL American Conference Relays
The Wissahickon boys and the Cheltenham girls each captured six first place finishes in the SOL American Conference relays held at Wissahickon.
(See below for results)
“This meet has been going on for over 30 years, and we want to keep the tradition alive,” said Wissahickon boys head coach Don Betterly. We started the meet around 10 o’clock and we got it in just before the heavy rains came.
“We didn’t have all the teams from the conference come, and that was tough,” added Betterly. “But it gives everyone a chance to compete.
“We are getting ready for the Penn Relays, and that is always a great time,” continued Betterly. “And we have the Trojan Track Classic coming up on Thursday – May fifth. That is always an excellent meet.”
‘The List’ of Suburban One League 2011 ‘Bests’
In the state of Pennsylvania
Boys
Drew Magna – Upper Moreland – 1600 meters – 4:17.8
Drew Magna – Upper Moreland – 800 meters – 1:54.58
Sam Hines – Hatboro-Horsham – 3000 meters – 8:52.6
Will Taylor – Abington – 400 meters – 49.09
Ryan Hines – Central Bucks South – 400 meter hurdles – 58.12
Chris Campbell – Council Rock North – 5000 meters – 15:22.22
Wissahickon – 4x800 relay – 7:57.66
Council Rock North – 800 sprint medley – 1:36.80
Girls
Emerald Walden – Plymouth Whitemarsh – 100 meter hurdles – 15.31
Kalya Coley – Cheltenham – 300 meter hurdles – 45.51
Tori Gerlach – Pennridge – 3200 meters – 10:51.63
Abington – 4x400 relay – 3:58.45
North Penn – 4x800 relay – 9:27.37
Gold Medal Performances in the SOL American Conference Relays
Held @ Wissahickon
Boys
4x1600 meters – Wissahickon (Hong Cho, Dillon Farrell, Sam Brooks, & Ben Ravetz) – 18:25.90
Sprint Medley – Upper Moreland (Menvekeh Daramy, Ricardo Santos, D. Baynard, & D. Monahan) – 3:38.6.
Shuttle Hurdles – Wissahickon (Max Hairston, Wesley Hayward, Jermey Cho, & Jin Young Park) – 1:03.9.
4x100 meters – Wissahickon (Hairston, Anthony Delegal, Park, & Cornell Dixon) – 44.4
4x800 meters – Wissahickon (Brooks, Ravetz, Cho, & Farrell) –
4x200 meters – Cheltenham – 1:32.3
Distance Medley – Upper Dublin – 11:38.7
Triple Jump – Upper Moreland (Steven Dutter & Jacob Soltis) – 76-8.
Long Jump – Wissahickon (Hayward & Cho) – 36-7.
High Jump – Upper Dublin (Sean McAnerney & Khalid Weems) – 11-0.
Pole Vault – Upper Dublin (Richard Berends & Christian Shultz) – 18-0.
Shot Put – Wissahickon (Nate Hansell & Tanoh Kpassagnon) – 80-2.
Discus – Upper Dublin (Tyler Fox & Evan Mao) – 202-10.
Javelin – Upper Dublin (McAnerney & Fox) – 270-2.
Girls
4x1600 meters – Cheltenham (Rucker, Beth Morgan, Liz Ellis, & Mara Popacostas) – 25:04.4
Sprint Medley – Upper Merion (Mary Jean Valerie, Jalen Pinnock, Jada Wilson, & Sophia Liu) – 4:37.3.
Shuttle Hurdles – Cheltenham (Dara Liss, Maya Blake, Kelly Anne Stuetz, & Nicolette Mathias) – 1:11.4.
4x100 meters – Cheltenham (Kristina Mason, Blake, Kara Coley, & Mathias) – 50.0
4x800 meters – Cheltenham (Francine Marquis, Hannah Gilliam, Tabitha Dehart, & Maya Alston) – 9:50.3.
4x200 meters – Cheltenham (Mason, Blake, Coley, & Mathais) – 1:49.6.
Distance Medley – Springfield (Meg Smith, Kirsten O’Connell, Michelle White, & Mara Kelly) – 13:58.9.
Long Jump – Wissahickon – (Melanie Fry & Donyea Tate) – 27-4.75.
Triple Jump – Wissahickon – (Ebony Grasty & Tiffany Wang) – 56-11.
High Jump – Cheltenham – (Stuetz & Coley) – 9-0.
Shot Put – Upper Merion – (Christine Stewart & Ashley Anderson) – 58-6.
Javelin – Upper Moreland – (Sarah Fullerton & Lauren Connelly) – 164-1.
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