Denny Dyroff recaps the SOL highlights of day one of the Penn Relays on Thursday.
Photos provided courtesy of Kathy Leister Photography.
By DENNY DYROFF
When the Penn Relays got underway Thursday at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field, there were more than 150 runners from the Suburban One League but only two competitors in field events.
In the High School Girls High Jump -- the only field event featuring athletes from the Suburban One League -- Central Bucks South’s Val Przekop claimed third place and Souderton’s Moira O’Malley placed 10thin a field of 18 talented jumpers from four states and three foreign countries (Republic of South Africa, Barbados and Jamaica).
The top spot went to Erika Voyzey from Pennsylvania’s Tyrone Area High at 1.71 meters (5-7.25) while Shiann Salmon from Hydel School in St. Catherine, Jamaica was runner-up at 1.67m (5-5.75). Przekop also cleared 1.67m but Salmon had fewer misses. O’Malley’s best jump was 155m (5-1).
The elite track events for high school teams at the Penn Relays each year are the Championship of America races -- especially the 4x800-meter relay.
In the 4x800, a team first must qualify to run in one of the four preliminary heats (two small school and two large school races). Then, then a team must finish with one of the 12 fastest times in the trials to earn a berth in the prestigious Championship of America final.
On Thursday morning in the huge meet at Franklin Field, North Penn’s girls came through big-time and earned a spot in Friday’s Championship of America 4x800 race.
The team of Ariana Gardizy (2:24.72), Phoebe Clowser (2:17.23), Uche Nwogwugwu (2:15.34) and Mikaela Vlasic (2:16.30) finished third in its “Large School” race with a time of 9:13.59.
The Maidens will compete Friday afternoon in the 12-team field that includes teams from four states (Virginia, New York, California, Pennsylvania) and two teams from Jamaica.
Pennridge and Central Bucks West also were good enough to qualify to compete in the 4x800 races Thursday but not quite good enough to join the elite dozen.
Pennridge took ninth in its heat at 9:27.69 with the team of Monika Brill (2:23.35), Margot Brill (2:21.33), Madison Polson (2:24.18) and Juliet Ryan (2:18.83).
Central Bucks West placed ninth in its heat at 9:30.20 with the quartet of Vanessa Barrow (2:19.97), Maddie Villalba (2:12.73), CC Davies (2:28.62) and Laura Roth (2:28.88).
In the 4x100 and 4x400 events, any team can enter the races on Thursday. In the 4x100, the very best finishers qualify for Friday’s Championship of America race. Not surprisingly, Cheltenham stepped up and claimed a spot in the CofA final.
The foursome of Bria Barnes, Brielle Lewis, Alexis Crosby and Chanel Brissett posted a time of 47.38 to move on to the CofA final.
The Panthers are the only Pennsylvania girls to join the eight-team field that includes five Jamaican squads (Holmwood Tech, Edwin Allen, Excelsior, St. Catherine and Green Island), a team from the Bahamas (St. Augustine’s) and a team from Virginia (Nansemond River).
In other 4x100 action, Norristown and Pennridge qualified for Friday’s High School Girls' 4x100 Large Schools final.
Norristown won its heat at 47.66 with the quartet of Jonae Cook, Siani Sanders, Shelia Day and Jayana Webb. Pennridge took first in its heat at 48.38 with the team of Holly Harbeck, Jessica Milligan, Zoe Williams and Kouri Peace.
Additionally, all three -- Cheltenham, Norristown and Pennridge -- also qualified to run in Saturday’s High School Girls' 4x100 Tri-State along with Central Bucks South and Pennsbury.
C.B. South (Amanda Carr, Jasmine Noble, Steph Hiltpold, Lydia Fielding) was second in its heat Thursday at 48.58 (behind Edwin Allen) while Pennsbury (Taylor Allen, Nissia Boone, Worada Sanghanphat, Dasia Pressley) won its heat at 49.03.
In Thursday’s High School Girls’ 4x400 Suburban National race, North Penn (Natalie Kwortnik, Mikaela Vlasic, Lauren Follis, Uche Nwogwugwu)was first at 3:55.75 and Central Bucks West (Vanessa Barrow, Maddie Villalba, Sam Ronald, Aly Logue) was runner-up at 4:00.35.
In the High School Girls’ 4x400 Suburban American race, Cheltenham (Bria Barnes, Chanel Brissett, Neeyah Turner, Alexis Crosby) crossed first at 3:53.42. Norristown (Lorriane Boggs, Siani Sanders, Sheila Day, Jayana Webb) took second place with a time of 4:00.66 and Wissahickon (Kirsten Haney, Rachel Coleman, Hayley Ross, Lotte Black) was third at 4:01.43.
Pennsbury finished 10thin the prestigious High School Girls Distance Medley Relay Championship of America Thursday evening with a clocking of 12:12.45. The Falcons’ foursome included Mary Webb (3:48.13), Dasia Pressley (58.37), Maddie Sauer (2:21.19) and Olivia Sargent (5:04.77).
The race was won by Burke, Virginia’s Lake Braddock High at 11:36.52 and perennial New York State powerhouse Saratoga Springs was runner-up at 11:46.84. Pennsbury was one of just two Pennsylvania schools that qualified for the event.
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