Don Rich Report
Saturday
turning for home in boys 1600m, with Craig Miller leading, but Dan Breisch
bearing down
The rain held off much of Friday. Then it poured overnight. But at 8:59
AM Saturday morning, the rain suddenly stopped. No wind. Cool. A great
day for almost everyone (sprinters would have liked it a bit warmer).
And the athletes did not disappoint.
It started fast and got better, wiith four more PIAA Records for the
day, after three went down Friday. Gwynedd Mercy set the tone with a PIAA
AA record (and fastest of the day) in the 4x800, going 9:07.82. It was
just a few seconds off their Penn Relays time, but in this race they were
alone. Thomas Jordan, Cedar Crest, set a AAA Javelin Record with a huge
224-02 throw (now he is US#1). Jordan said he used the brief tie for US#1
as motivation. Brad Zimmerman, Warwick, 2nd in 209-02. Brad Mueller, Mars
Area, set a PIAA record in the AA 200 in 21.85. He also took the 100 in
10.70. And another Javelin record bit the mud as Bald Eagle Area's Angela
Hoover threw 154-05 for the PIAA AA Record. That means all four Javelin
compeitions produced new PIAA records.
Krista Simpkins, Wissahickon, slowed a bit after two tough days (23.77
Trials) to win the 200 in 23.97. Tiffany Abney was 2nd in 24.93 trying
to nurse a hamstring injury with the 4x400 her only remaining race. Abney
had previously won the 400 in 55.50, and the 300 Hurdles in 42.64. In
the days' last event, she anchored her Merion Mercy 4x400 to a win in
3:49.59. Abney finished her PIAA high school career with ten individual
state titles and three relay golds, which was recognized as a state record.
Kandance Ferguson, Milton Hershey, took home two individual golds, the
100 in 12.50 and the 200 in 25.35.
North Hills junior Andrew Johnson held off the late charge of William
Penn (York) sophomore Knowledge Timmons, 10.67 - 10.69. It was Timmons'
first lost of the season. Timmons did take the 200 in 21.84. Drew Eckman,
Oxford, took care of business in the one-lapper, winning in the day's
best 400 of 47.69.
In the 800, three AAA girls came down the straightaway side-by-side,
with Ganne Way, Warwick, winning the hot race in 2:10.31. Hatboro-Horsham
sophomore Catilin Klaas, after anchoring her 4x800 to a come-from-behind
9:10.52 with a 2:10 split, came back to get 2nd in the open 800 in 2:10.69,
while Merion Mercy sophomroe Kimarra McDonald, got 3rd in 2:10.86. In
AA, Gwynedd Mercy sophomore Kate Vernon went 2:13.67 to hold off fellow
soph Faye Korich, Springfield Montco (2:14.19), while Gwynedd senior Meghan
Bishop was 3rd in 2:14.90.
In the boys' 4x800, Cumberland Valley used the perfect race (7:48.11)
to beat favorites Mount Lebanon (7:48.55) and North Penn (7:48.77). Lewisburg's
Chris Spooner closed strong to help his team win the 4x800 in 7:55.20.
He had plenty of motivation, as Springfield Montco's Mark Korich closed
to 2nd from 5th, in 7:58.17. Spooner also won the 3200, going 9:13.93.
He tried for the triple, but finished 4th in 4:22.23.
Hatboro-Horsham kept it close the first three legs, and then handed off
to Caitlin Klaas, the tough sophomore, who proceeded to make up 30 meters
and more while posting a three second PR, splitting 2:10+ for a time of
9:10.52. Favored Haverford Township ran within a second of their season
best of 9:13.90, but had to settle for second in 9:14.48. Haverford loses
only one, and has a rising junior to fill the need.
Lewisburg senior Ashleigh Wetzel ran alone to the day's fastest 1600,
a 4:55.12 in AAA. In AA, four girls went under 5:00, led by Lauretta Dezubay,
a sophomore from Freedom, in 4:56.08, and Elizabeth Drazdowski, a frosh
from Crestwood, was 2nd in 4:58.56. In AA boys, Mark Korich, had to produce
his own 4:14.74 for Springfield Montco. In AAA, frosh Craig Miller, Manheim
Township, ran the fastest freshman 1600 in PA, getting 3rd in 4:14.26.
Quakertown senior Adam Breisch, ran wide on the final turn, and used a
strong kick to hold off Coatesvile's Ryan Shaver, 4;13.28 - 4:13.32. Breisch
also added a 6th in the 800 in 1:55.17. Korich then doubled back to take
the 800 in 1:54.96.
The expected start-to-finish fast pace in the AAA 3200 fizzled early
as the first lap churned in at 72 seconds. But Ian Fitzgerald used the
saved energy to launch a drive from 600 meters to outkick Bishop Shanahan
senior Eric Fleming, 9:13.81-9:16.06. Lampeter-Strasburg senior Emily
Kruger used a push with 800 to go that broke up a small group, winning
in 10:39.36. She had to hold off junior Frances Koons, who was less than
two seconds back in 10:40.88. Top seed Angie Saterstad,Hershey, was 3rd
in 10:43.70. St. Basil sophomore Lynn Morelli held off a charging Debbie
Huss, Wyomissing 10:45.08 - 10:45.62 in the AA 3200.
AA Girls team champs Milton Hershey won the 4x100 in 49.02 and the 4x400
in 3:57.50. And Union City Shot Put record setter Justin Clickett came
back to get a second gold, this one in the Discus with his 164-03 effort.
Tyree Suber, Glen Mills, the Indoor Shot Put champ, threw 61-04.50 for
the AAA championship.
Additonal state champions included, in AA: Mycah Clemons, Valley, 100
Hurdles in 14.75; Christa Sawko, 300 Hurdles, 44.60; Maggie Borden, Delone
Catholic, 57.13 400; Giancarlo Maragni, Greensburg, 14.85 110 Hurdles;
Calab Hood, Ligonior, 38.78 300 Hurdles; Eric Baker, Montoursville, 48.55
400; Elmer L Meyers, 4x100 in 42.41; Bethlehem Catholic, 3:19.26 4x400;
Gerald Mickie, Milton Hershey, 21-10.00 Long Jump; Ashley Mondie, Milton
Hershey, 37-01.25 Triple Jump; Kim Rorabaugh, Purchase Line, won the AAA
Shot Put (41-00.50); Christina Roadman, Connellsville, 126-00 Discus;
Ryan Fritz, Octorara, 6-07.00 High Jump.
Additonal state champions included, in AAA: Emily Lepley, Lewistown,
14.57 100 Hurdles; Jannea Bridgeford, Upper Darby, 11.99 100; Bridgeford
ancors 4x100 to 46.82; Tom Dance, Cathedral Prep, 14.41 110 Hurdles; Central
Dauphin, 42.23, 4x100; Strath Haven junior Phil Atkinson, 37.66 300 Hurdles;
Matt Warco, Peters Township, 1:53.34 800; North Penn, 3:19.18 for 4x400;
Chris Nardi, West Allegheny, 6-07.00 High Jump; Courtney Regan, Easton,
12-00.00 Pole Vault; Brooke Wolfe, Pennridge, 37-07.75 Triple Jump; Andrew
Rademacher, Hickory, 15-00.00 Pole Vault; Mike Bauer, Pottsgrove, 22-11.50
Long Jump.
Friday
Three PIAA records
Pix:
Justin Clickett,Union City, 64-06.75 AA Shot Put
Rugby Radocaj, Williamsport, 156-08 AAA Javelin
Michael Whitehead, Norristown, 49-08 AAA Triple Jump (four over 49)
Three PIAA records graced a cold, damp and gray day, all in the Field.
Justin Clickett, the Union City senior, threw a 62+ throw, and just five
minutes later, blasted past the last marker for a PIAA AA record of 64-05.75.
Just ten minutes before Clickett's record toss, Williamsport's Ruby Radocaj
uncorked a 156-08 PIAA AAA record in the AAA Javelin. And earlier in the
day, the boys' AA saw a new mark with Osayi Osunde, a Central Columbiia
sophomore, throwing 195-07. John Wormuth of Lakeland was 2nd with a 192-03.
Meanwhile back at the Triple Jump pit, Norristown senior Michael Whitehead,
spurred on by the competitive challenge of Hickory's Dante Marshall, and
empowered by a evening of prayer, "jumped the best of his life"
as he exceeded 49' in the Trials three times, the last a 49-08 effort.
It was all prelims on the track. Top seeds in the 4x800's took care of
business as Gwynedd Mercy (AA 9:29.61), and Haverford cruised to a 9:20.90.
For the guys, North Penn looked comfortable with their 7:52.04. In the
sprints, Kandance Ferguson (Milton Hershey), and Jannea Bridgeford (Upper
Darby), looked strong in AA and AAA 100 action. Ferguson also topped the
200 field in 25.38. In AAA, super soph Krista Simpkins did anything but
relax as she went 23.77 to pull away from a talented field. In the other
heat, Elyse Goode, Ambridge, went 25.07, while Tiffany Abney, Merion Mercy,
still nagged by a tweaked hamstring, was 3rd in 25.16.
In other finals action, Steve Ekema-Agbaw, Bloomsburg, won the AA Triple
Jump (45-05.00); while William Penn (Harrisburg) Sophomore Knowledge Timmons
went 10.82. Abney was the class of her specialty, the 300 Hurdles, in
43.51. Bradford's Shawn Colligan was the top performer in 37.85. Abney
returned in the 400 to easily outdistance her competition in 55.56. Oxford
senior Drew Eckman went 48.21 to qualify ahead of the field.
In the 800, Warwick senior Ganne Way ran 2:13.89. The fastest time of
the boys prelims came from Eastern York senior Tom Devine in 1:56.48,
but Mark Korich, Springfield Montco, was totally in control of his 1:57.69
win, conserving energy for the 1600 final on Saturday.
Lewisburg senior Ashleigh Wetzel kept control of her race with a 5:04.92.
But it was Freedom sophomore Lauretta Dezubay who posted the best time
of the day, a 4:58.84. For the boys, Forest Hills' Jacob Strayer and Korich
won their heat in the 4:24 range; while District 1 champ Ryan Shaver of
Coatesville, Henderson junior Greg Williams, Manheim Township freshman
Craig Miller, and Quakertown senior Adam Breisch all went under 4:20.
In the relays Upper Darby delivered a strong message with their 47.51
heat win, while North Penn is the class of AAA with a 42.55. In the 4x400's,
Gwynedd Mercy, Wissahickon, Lakeland and North Penn were each the best
of AAA and AA girls, and AAA boys.
In first-day field finals, Leandra Golden, Hanover, won the AA Pole Vault
(11-00.00), Valley hurdler Mycah Clemons, was AA Long Jump champion (18-00.00),
Dana Ventrone, Chartiers Valley, went 18-03.00; Steve Ekema-Agbaw, a Bloomsburg
senior, threw 45-05.00 for the AA boys title; Ann MarinThompsan, Villa
Maria, was AA Shot Put champ (41-03.25); Franklin's Andrew Cohen won the
AA Discus (170-09); Wilmington's throwing legacy remained intact with
the win of Cassie Buckwalter, taking the AA Discus with her 132-08 effort.
The state's top high jumper, Erin Davis of Western Wayne cleared 5-07;
Lindsay Bihler of Montoursville, cleared 5-06 to win the AAA girls HJ;
and Andrew Cecchetti of Kane Area, cleared 14-06 to take the boys AA Pole
Vault.
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