The Cheltenham girls' squad captured its fourth straight district title. Denny Dyroff recaps the SOL's top performances.
By DENNY DYROFF
CALN TOWNSHIP -- At the conclusion of Saturday’s District 1 Class AAA Track and Field Championships, Cheltenham’s girls’ team could have used a sound bite from former Philadelphia 76ers all-star Moses Malone.
Before the start of the 1983 NBA playoffs, Moses Malone was asked his prediction for the upcoming playoffs. He answered “fo' fo' fo'” -- meaning “four four four,” which indicated three consecutive four-game sweeps in the playoffs.
For the Panther girls, it would mean “4-for-4” -- meaning four district team championships in the last four years.
“This was our fourth straight,” said Chltenham coach Kelly Jensen. “And, all of them are coming back next year -- most of them for the next two years. Now, it’s on to next week when we try to repeat as state champion.”
The Panthers were led by triple-winner Madison Langley-Walker (long jump, 18-7.5; triple jump, 37-8.75; 300-meter hurdles, 43.41) and Chanel Brissett, who won the 100 hurdles (14.16), took second in the 200 (24.12) and teamed with Bria Barnes, Brielle Lewis and Alexis Crosby on the gold-medal 4x100 (47.11).
“In the 300 hurdles, I tried to get out hard and then keep that pace for the rest of the race,” Langley-Walker said. “I got a p.r. (personal record).
“In long jump, I knew I just had to get one good jump in the finals. In triple jump, the rain made the runway sloppy and wet. It was hard in the rain. I just tried to get through it.”
Brissett said, “My 100 hurdles race was good -- but far from a p.r. It was an average race. In the 200, I got out fast. For the weather, it was okay.”
The Panthers’ other top individual finishers were Ashley Alexander (first, shot put, 41-6.5), Lewis (third, 100, 12.23), Crosby (third, 400, 56.04) and the bronze medal 4x400 (3:52.49) featuring Dior Alston, Arianna Wallace, Barnes and Crosby.
Pennsbury had two girls return home from the meet at Coatesville High with two medals each -- Dasia Pressley took the gold in the 100 (11.75) and the bronze in the 200 (24.23), and Olivia Sargent, who was second in both the 3,200 (10:35.20) and the 1600 (5:02.32).
“I’m happy with my 100,” said Pressley. “My p.r. was 11.77, which I ran sophomore year. Today, I just focused on executing the race more -- using my drive phase. I did have a good start.
“My 200 was okay but not what I wanted. My p.r. in the 200 is 23.5.”
The SOL’s other gold medalists in Saturday’s Girls Class AAA competition were Central Bucks West’s Maddie Villalba (800, 2:09.65), Pennridge’s Kouri Peace (200, 23.91), Council Rock South’s Domenique Franco (pole 
vault, 12-6, meet record), Central Bucks South Val Przekop (high jump, 5-7) North Penn’s Uche Nwogwugwu (400, 55.18) and North Penn’s 4x800 team of Phoebe Clowser, Ariana Gardizy, Jenna Webb and Mikaela Vlasic (9:13.77).
“I didn’t get out as fast as I wanted,” said Villalba, who is heading to the University of Pennsylvania in the fall and was a three-peat as gold medalist in the 800. “My goal today was to break the meet record (2:08.8 set by Gwynedd-Mercy Academy’s Emma Keenan in 2012). My main focus is going back to states and winning again.”
North Penn’s Nwogwugwu also finished fourth in the triple jump (36-11.50) and fifth in high jump (5-03.00), qualifying for states in all three events.
“This was the third or fourth race today where I had to go all out and it felt good,” she said after winning the 400. “I was happy with my time. But, I got a little lazy on the last curve. I need to open up more and just relax.”
Peace, a Pennridge freshman, also took second in the 100 (11.98) and was on the Rams’ runner-up 4x100 (47.60) with Holly Harbeck, Jessica Milligan and Zoe Williams.
Suburban One League athletes garnered just five gold medals in the boys’ meet and Souderton accounted for two of them. Stephen Scott placed first in the 300 hurdles (39.05) and Shamar Jenkins grabbed the gold in long jump (21-11).
“Today, I lifted my head up and kept a longer stride,” said Jenkins, who also was silver medalist in triple jump (47-2). “On my winning jump, I had good speed, plenty of height and a good landing, I wanted to go 23 but I didn’t get it. Still, I’m happy with first -- and I’m going to states.”
The league’s other gold medalists were Hatboro-Horsham’s Nicholas Martino in pole vault (14-9), Pennridge’s Riley LaRiviere in discus (160-9) and Central Bucks East’s Jake Brophy in the 3200 (9:18.32).
Another SOL gold medal was logged in the 4x800 -- an event that was dominated by league teams. Six of the top seven finishers were SOL squads -- 1. Pennridge (7:48.46), 2. Central Bucks West (7:55.02), 3. Council Rock North (7:55.57), 4. Central Bucks East (7:55.70), 5. North Penn (7:55.95) and 7. Abington (7:58.25).
The Suburban One League dominated the team standings. On the girls’ side, North Penn was second behind Cheltenham followed by Pennsbury, Pennridge, Penn Wood, Central Bucks South, Perkiomen Valley and Norristown.
In the boys’ meet, Pennridge was runner-up behind Downingtown West. Glen Mills was third followed by Wissahickon and Souderton.
- Log in to post comments
