Denny Dyroff previews the upcoming state meet and the SOL qualifiers.
By DENNY DYROFF
At last weekend’s District 1 Class AAA Track and Field Championships, Suburban One League teams had a monopoly on gold medals in the girls’ meet and also accounted for a large percentage of the gold medals in the boys’ meet.
A lot of the winning times and distances have translated into top seeds for the 2106 PIAA Class AAA Championships, which will be held this Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium
Three of the district gold medals in the boys’ meet came in field events. Souderton’s Shamar Jenkins won the gold in long jump (21-11) and is seeded 19thfor the state meet. The talented jumper also placed second in triple jump at districts (47-2) and is seeded fifth for this weekend.
Pennridge’s Riley LaRiviere claimed the top spot last week in discus (160-9) and enters the state meet as 16thseed. He could move into medal contention at states (top eight) with a good throw but challenging for gold or silver is unlikely as the top two seeds are coming in at 192-11 and 184-1. The Rams’ powerful thrower is also seeded 16thin discus.
Hatboro-Horsham’s Nicholas Marino took gold at districts in pole vault (14-9) and is seeded third for this weekend’s meet.
“I felt pretty good coming into districts having come off of a sprained ankle two weeks earlier,” said Marino. “It is my plant foot. I was doing run-throughs at a local school dual meet and rolled in the pit. I had been doing rest and rehab like crazy these past two weeks getting ready for the end-of-the-season meets.
“I still haven’t got back on my last two poles from the end of April but I feel I will be able to at states. Knowing states is the last meet with nationals three weeks away, I can push it and go ‘All in.’
“I really like the venue at Shippensburg and am really looking forward to states. Ship has the crowd right in front of the vault and the people give you the extra energy and adrenaline to get pumped up. It is a great place to jump. There is going to be good competition there and it should be very exciting.”
The SOL had three gold medals in running events at districts -- two in individual events and one in a relay event. Souderton’s Stephen Scott topped the field in the 300-meter hurdles (39.05). The Big Red junior is seeded second for the state meet behind North Allegheny’s Ayden Owens (38.34).
Jake Brophy, who was district champion in the 3200, is seeded fifth for the state meet just a few seconds off Peters Township’s top-seeded Nick Wolk at 9:16.38.
“The 3200 at districts felt nice,” said Brophy. “I just did what was necessary to win. The field at districts was pretty deep -- 12 guys under state-qualifying time. Last year, I got eighth at states. It wasn’t that great a day.
“Having been through it before makes it a little easier from the nerves aspect of it. I’m looking to win it this year -- and hopefully medal in the 4x800. My p.r. is 8:57 and I’ll have to go sub-9:00 if I’m going to win states this year.”
Six of the top seven district finishers in the 4x800 were SOL squads -- Pennridge (first, 7:48.46), Central Bucks West (second, 7:55.02), Council Rock North (third, 7:55.57), Central Bucks East (fourth, 7:55.70), North Penn (fifth, 7:55.95) and Abington (seventh, 7:58.25). Sixth place went to the Ches-Mont League’s Bishop Shanahan.
As evidence of the strength and depth of District One teams, these seven teams have the top seven seeds for this weekend’s state meet.
Wissahickon has the potential to do very well in the team scoring at the state meet. The Trojans’ large state-meet contingent features Darien Williams (100), Ethan Dolberry-Wescott (110 hurdles), Raheed Wright (1600), Andy Harmon (800), Cameron Christopher (800), Yondell Dudley (shot put) and the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Pennridge also could fare well in the team rankings with a state-meet crew that includes Alex Dimon (110 hurdles), Austin Howell (400), Cayce Giblin (300 hurdles), Griffen McMann (shot put), Matt Ludlow (long jump), Tucker Desko (800) and the 4x100 and 4x400 relay.
Hatboro-Horsham has two qualifiers -- Bobby Gadlein (100), Tommy Haas (javelin) -- while Truman’s Sayyid Saunders has qualified in two individual events (100, 200).
Other qualifiers from the SOL are Upper Merion’s Noah Falasco (1600), North Penn’s Dante Watson (1600), Albert House (triple jump), William Tennent’s Stephen Testa (300 hurdles, long jump), Central Bucks East’s Ryan Mill (pole vault), Bensalem’s Hamzah Massaquoi (300 hurdles), and Council Rock North’s Bryan Keller (800).
The list also includes Quakertown’s Hudson Delisle (800), Council Rock South’s Seth Steinberg (200), Cheltenham’s Will Griffen (3200), Central Bucks West’s Brian Mass (3200), Council Rock South’s Joe Maguire (3200), Pennsbury’s Eric Wacker (high jump), Central Bucks South’s Adam Smoluk (triple jump), and the 4x400 relay teams from Abington and Upper Dublin.
On the girls’ side, no team can come close to Cheltenham on paper and it’s extremely likely that no team will be able to come close once live action begins Friday morning.
The Panthers won the state championship last year and this year’s team appears to be even stronger and deeper.
“We want to repeat as state champions,” said Cheltenham coach Kelly Jensen. “If everybody stays healthy and they compete hard, I think we can. Based on the strength of our district and the fact that we doubled the second place points, I have confidence in them. Every time they have a big meet, they step up.”
The Panthers’ top finishers at districts were Madison Langley-Walker, who went triple-gold (long jump, 18-7.5; triple jump, 37-8.75; 300-meter hurdles, 43.41) and Chanel Brissett, who snagged the gold medal in the 100 hurdles (14.16), the silver medal in the 200 (24.12) and teamed with Bria Barnes, Brielle Lewis and Alexis Crosby on the district-best 4x100 (47.11).
“We’re going to the state meet to win it,” said Brissett. “We’re not concerned with the other teams or thinking about their times. We’re just focused on our times -- on how well we run our races.”
Langley-Walker is seeded fourth in the long jump, sixth in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the triple jump for the state meet. Brissett is seeded second in the 100 hurdles (by four one-hundredth of a second) and second in the 200 (by just over two-tenths of a second).
The Panthers’ 4x100 has the number one seed.
Cheltenham’s other district gold medalist was Ashley Alexander who took first in shot put (41-6.5). She has the fourth seed for the state meet.
“At leagues (SOL American Conference Championships), Ashley had a p.r and set a school record and a meet record,” said Jensen. “Then, she had a better distance at districts. She’s a senior and she’s had a different attitude this year. She’s very consistent -- and she knows when to turn it on.”
The Panthers’ other top seeds for states are 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.
Cheltenham’s state team also features Arianna Wallace (800), Lewis (sixth, 100; 15th, 200), Crosby (third, 400), Barnes (fifth, 400) and the fourth-seeded 4x400.
The SOL’s other gold medalists at districts were Pennsbury’s Dasia Pressley in the 100 (11.75), Central Bucks West’s Maddie Villalba (800, 2:09.65), Pennridge’s Kouri Peace (200, 23.91), Council Rock South’s Dominique Franco (pole vault, 12-6), Central Bucks South Val Przekop (high jump, 5-7) North Penn’s Uche Nwogwugwu (400), and North Penn’s 4x800 team of Phoebe Clowser, Ariana Gardizy, Jenna Webb and Mikaela Vlasic (9:13.77).
Peace won the 200 at districts and was silver medalist in the 100 (11.98). At the state meet, Pressley is seeded first in the 100 and third in the 200, while Peace is seeded first in the 200 and second in the 100.
“I’m going to have to work pretty hard to get ready for states,” said Peace, a freshman. “I’m really excited for next week. I’m hoping to get first in the 200 and the 100. I feel most confident in the 200.”
Peace was also a member of the Rams’ runner-up 4x100 (47.60) with Holly Harbeck, Jessica Milligan and Zoe Williams. Pennridge’s 4x100 is seeded second behind Cheltenham.
Additionally, North Penn’s 4x800 is seeded first for the meet at Shippensburg -- almost a second-and-a-half faster than number two seed Owen J. Roberts. Gardizy is seeded fourth in the 3200 and Vlasic is seeded ninth in the 800. The Maidens’ have the second seed in the 4x400 and have Olivia Dyer in the 3200, Dela Matthew in javelin and Allison Williams in triple jump. Nwogwugwu is seeded first in the 400, 10thin high jump and 13thin triple jump.
Villalba, who has won the gold medal in the 800 for the last two years, said “My goal has all season has been to get ready for states. My main focus now is going back to states and winning again.”
Council Rock South’s Franco and Central Bucks South’s Przekop will be carrying the SOL’s banner in field events at the state meet.
Przekop is sitting in the top seed position in high jump at 5-7 with one other girl -- Dallas’ Katie Kravitsky. Franco is sitting in the top seed position in pole vault at 12-6 with two other girls -- Laurel Highlands’ Cassandra Phelan and Liberty’s Rachel Finn.
SOL teams with multiple state qualifiers are Pennsbury: Olivia Sargent (3200, 1600), Lizzy Kirk (1600), Alexis Mongiello (pole vault), 4x800, and 4x100; Council Rock South: Elke Knecht (100 hurdles) and Savannah Wood (pole vault); Central Bucks East: Leah Kendrick (100 hurdles) and 4x800; Central Bucks South: Jasmine Nobel (100), Lydia Fielding (100), 4x100 and 4x400; Wissahickon: Lotte Black (800) and Cala Lejman (pole vault); Norristown: Jonae Cook (100), Jayanna Webb (400), Siani Sanders (200), 4x100 and 4x400; and Abington: Kelly Jawork (1600) and 4x400.
Other qualifiers from the league are Central Bucks East’s 4x100, Souderton’s Emily Bonaventure (1600), Quakertown’s Neketa Woodson (400), Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Taylor O’Brien (300 hurdles, high jump), Pennridge’s Jessica Milligan (300 hurdles), Central Bucks West’s 4x400, Souderton’s Moira O’Malley (high jump), Neshaminy’s Allyson Smoluk (pole vault) and Upper Merion’s Carolyn Helenski (discus, javelin).
- Log in to post comments
