Summaries

Highlights

Chris Spooner 1:54.79 800, 4:19.03 1600, 9:36.62 3200 triple @ D4 AA 5/20 @ Bucknell
He'll focus on 800, 1600, 4x800 & 4x400 at States
Steve Hallinan, 4:14.08 Mile, 1:55.60 800
Nicole Leach 12.10, 24.43, 54.32 and 1:00.63 400H @ PCL Championships 5/23 @ Widener
Cardinal O'Hara wins both titles, with girls edging West Catholic by a point 98-97.

Krista Simkins, the junior Wissahickon sprint star, apparently reinjured her right hamstring during the week leading up to the 5/21-22 District One Championships @ Coatesville. In the 'no scratch' meet, she advanced from Friday's trials in the 100, 200, 4x100 and 4x400. In her first race Saturday, the 100 Semis, she was noticbly limping as she finished, but advanced to the finals. Simkins did run the 100 finals, and finished sixth with a state qualifying time. She was set to anchor the 4x100, but a baton drop cost the team a shot to improve on last year's runner-up at States to Upper Darby. She scratched the 200 finals - the event she won in 2003 at States over Tiffany Abney. She did not run on the 4x400 relay that did advance to the state meet. Wissahickon finished 2nd in that event in 2003 to the Abney-anchored Merion Mercy Academy squad. If she improves before next week's state meet, should could run the 4x400 in addition to the 100.

photos by Don Rich

below Three class years of talent: Former Foot Locker finalist Jessica Cickay is back in the front pack heading to her final states. She took 2nd to Perkiomen Valley sophomore Kristin Reed (left) in the 1600, and 2nd to Unionville junior Katie Thaeder (right) in this race, the 3200, at the District One Championships 5/22 @ Coatesville.

above Defending champ Hatboro-Horsham is the favorite going into the AAA girls 4x800. They'll be led by junior Caitlin Klaas, here anchoring the District squad to a 9:12.32 win over last year's runner-up, Haverford, 2nd in 9:15.63. Those times are only two seconds and one second off their state times from 2003.

Meet Summaries

At District 6 AAA, Altoona sophomore Rachel Gehret will compete in two
individual events, the Triple Jump and High Jump. Her PRs this year
include a 25.71 200, 56-point split in the state-qualified 4x400, 5-06
High Jump, 18-03.75 Long Jump, and 36-11 Triple Jump. Her older sister
Lauren qualified in the LJ with a 17-03.00. Rachel had ND on three jumps
at the District meet.

5/18-Rogers/Clemons duel, with Rogers taking D7 AA 100 H; South Park
boys shine
Quaker Valley coach Bill Viccari reports that between the rain delays,
there was a pretty incredible track meet at the District 7 AA
Championships @ South Beaver HS. "The race of the day (but I am biased)
was the girl's 100 hurdles with Jasmine Rogers facing off against
Mycaiah Clemons, who is back at Valley High where she won the 2002 AA
state title after running at Penn-Trafford High last year." Viccari says
Rogers' start was impressive as she stayed with Clemons through the
middle part of the race before pulling away to post an impressive 14.18,
which is PA#1 and a WPIAL record. "Jasmine then jogged down to the
starting line, tried to regroup a little, prayed, got in the blocks, and
pulled away from Angela Harris of Farrell in the last 50 meters to win
the 100 in 12.43. " In the boys competition, South Park's Sean Strauman
took the 400 in 49.97 and the 800 in 1:57.07. South Side Beaver's Andrew
Gergen won both hurdles, going 14.97 and 39.84. And South Park thrower
Chad Radgowski threw the Jav 196-10.

5/18-Broussard PA#1 21.52;Dallas distance crew takes 4x800 & 3200.
Lakeland champ @ D2 AA @ N.Pocono
Andre Broussard, Meyers, smoked the 200 in a state-leading 21.52, and
also captured the 100 in 10.85 and and Long Jump at 21-07. The Javelin
saw a meet record of 192-10 by Lake Lehman's Brandon Burkhardt. The
Dallas distance crew is sending a relay and an individual from the group
to States, They took the 4x800 in a meet record 9:42.21. Lisa Giacometti
also ran an 11:00.34 to take the 3200. Elk Lake's Jessica Squier was 2nd
in 11:08.03. Lakeland and Meyers went one-two in the team race, as each
boasted five District champions, including elite performances by
Lakeland's Trina Carito, 5-03 High Jump; Lakeland's 4:05.78 Meet Record
4x400; and Meyers' Sameerah Woods with a 45.40 in the 300 Hurdles and
teammate Rose Morgans, 129-01 Javelin.

5/19-Nicole Smith and McDowell incredibly dominant @ D10 AAA @ Hickory
Nicole Smith, the McDowell scoring machine, churned out points in her
penultimate district championships, taking the 100 Hurdles in 15.29, the
High Jump at 5-06, and the Long and Triple Jumps with leaps of 18-10.75
and 37-03.50. Her McDowell teammates also qualified all three relays,
winning both the 4x400 and 4x800, and taking 2nd in the 4x100. Teammate
Alexandra Acker, just a freshman, cleared 11-9 to win the Pole Vault and
qualify for her first state meet. McDowell's girls tallied 177 points,
57 better than their nearest competition. Slippery Rock senior Erin
Cranmer-Hart went for the distance double at her final District 10 AAA
meet, and hit both with great times, a 5:09.47 1600 and an 11:19:55
3200, both for wins.

For the boys, General McLane took the team titles
with help from senior Hayden Harrison, who took the 1600 in 4:25.03, and
joined teammates Garrett Reinsel, Bill Dillen and Danny Skelton to take
the 4x400 in 3:27.50, and with Reinsel again, along with Pat Hager and
younger brother Hadley to post a 7:56.78 4x800 win. Ben Maljovec,
Warren, took both the 110 Hurdles (14.03) and 300 Hurdles (40.18).
Hickory wil be sending two pole vaulters, and nearly had a third, as
Andrew Rademacher won with a clearance of 15-08, and junior Eric Sparks
took 2ndat 15-03. Sophomore Justin Fike finished 5th in the competition,
getting over at 13-03.

5/19-Mock and Kunich lead Westmont Hilltop @ D6 AA @ Altoona
(meet delayed from 5/18 because of rain) Westmont Hilltop has a
superstar. You're probably thinking David Mock. And you'd be right. The
William & Mary bound senior did win two events. But we're talking the
next Westmont Hilltop star, Brad Kunuch, a sophomore who came within.01
of winning four events at his District meet. His only loss, by that
merest of margins, to Todd Koenig of Bishop Carroll, who took the 100 in
10.93. Kunuch came back to win the 200 over Koenig in 22.27 (22.22
trials); between taking the Long Jump with a leap of 21-08, and the
Triple Jump, covering44-09. And Mock, well he did the distance double in
a neat and fast 4:17.61 and 9:20.91. Ligonier Valley senior Chris
Morrissey went 38.69 for a fast 300 Hurdles. Another rising star,
sophomore Amanda Sgroi of Richland, won the sprint double with with a
12.57 and 26.52 (26.19 trials). As usual, the Javelin is shaping up to
be spectacular at States, as Angela Hoover, the Bald Eagle senior
uncorked a 150-02. And Bishop Guilfoyle senior Sonja Hinish went 5:27.02

5/20-West Mifflin, Fitzgerald light up the track with lots of company @ D7 AAA @ Baldwin
Districts 3 and 1 are the only two big enough to record the number of
top performances as WPIAL, but this year's group also recordeed five
WPIAL records, which is saying something. The five were a 41.83 by a
hot-talking (we run the talk) squad from West Mifflin; Ian Fitzgerald,
North Hills, with another step toward the state 3200 record, going
9:04.45; New Castle's Ross Crist wwith a Javelin throw offf 188-04; the
Penn Hills girls recording a 47.67 4x100; and Ringgold senior Bev Rogers
going 141-05 to break a former Ringgold throwers' WPIAL record in the
Javelin. West Mifflin also took the 4x400 in 3:2.98. Upper Saint Clair
threw showed the state 4x800 field for champ candidates is pretty big
this year, getting 9:23.53 without sophomore star Katie Orchowski, who
took 2nd in the 400 in 57.70. Andrew Johnson, North Hills, and Robert
Staten, Bethel Park, traded championships with Johnson taking the 100 in
10.73 (Staten 10.83), and Staten taking the 200 in 22.03 (Johnson
22.04). Three guys go 1:55-point, with Ken King, a Connellsville junior
at 1:55.10, Shaler senior John Balouris at 1:55.64; and Latrobe senior
Mack Brickley at 1:55.83. North Allegheny ran 7:54.18 to show they're
ready for a run at States.

5/20-Gehrets send two to States in four events after D6AAA @ Altoona
Less than a dozen schools remain in AAA status in District 6, but that
doesn't stop them from throwing in some of the best performances in the
state. The Gehrets of Altoona (mom and dad) were coached by retiring Tom
Musselman, who, after 30 years at the helm, is calling it a career this
season. Two of the Gehret daughters are heading for states. The youngest
is making quite a name for herself as a sophomore. Rachel
hopped back and forth between the Triple Jump and High jump for more
than an hour and proceeded to win both, the former with a 36-11 effort,
and the latter a 5-06 clearance to hold off junior Kristin Johnson of
Somerset, who PRed on two of her final three jumps at the same height.
Rachel was the favorite coming into the Long Jump but missed the takeoff
on three tries and scratched. Good thing older sister Lauren was there,
because she went 17-03 to get third and also qualify for states. Rachel
also anchored the winning 4x400 to a 4:03.10 win. The High Jump also
reached greeat heights for the boys as West Scala, a State College
junior cleared 6-07. Teammate Tony baaney won the Javelin with a PR of
170. Altoona's Tyrone Midder record a 15.23, 39.04 110-300 Hurdles
double. Altoona won both boys' and girls' team titles over State College
in both instances.

5/20-Koons: 2:14.28 - 4:49.85 - 10:35.25 triple + anchors 9:28.43 4x800 @ D11 @ Blue Mountain
Allentown Central Catholic's Frances Koons posted a two-day 2:14.28 -
4:49.85 - 10:35.25 triple + anchored her winning 4x800 to a 9:28.43. The
1600 is a District 11 record. The Regan sisters went one-two in the Pole
Vault, with Lindsay over 13-0 for the second time. Courtney cleared 12-0
for the first time this season, and appears ready for a good run at
States. Parkland's Scott Ragosta cleared the magic 15-0 to take the AAA
Pole Vault. The Easton girls also won the 4x400. Boys' AAA District
records came from Steve Stern of Parkland in the 400 with a quick 48.76;
Rich Ryan of Easton, going 4"15.35 in the 1600; and the Southern Lehigh
4x400 boys with a 3:21.17 4x400 (Parkland 3:21.73). Sam Luff, the Emmaus
junior, won the 3200 in 9:20.29; while Parkland's Jon Carelli doubled
with a 45-07 Triple Jump and 6-04 High Jump. In AA boys, sprinter
Brandon Carter of Bethlehem Catholic went 11.14, 22.42, and helped the
4x400 take a win in 3:26.64. For the AA girls, Samantha Snukis of
Nativity had a nice double, 45.37 300 Hurdles and 59.50 400. And Christa
Plummer, Palisades, set a District 11 AA record in the 1600 with her.

5/22-Papay 64-11 / 181-11 DT / 190-06 JT provides triple thriller @ D10 AA @ Hickory
Auston Papay looks like he's getting a good handle on the Javelin just
as well as his Shot and Discus. His three throws, the first two District
Records, 190-06, 64-11 and 181-11 were a combined 53 (or so) feet better
than his nearest competition. Eisenhower's Grant Allen finished his
District 10 career with a championship in the 1600, going 4:25.52 to
narrowly escape the next generation, Fairview's Lane King, just .06
back. Junior Jed Christiansen won the 3200 in 9;34.44. Kelby McClelland,
Mercer Area, won the 110 and 300 Hurdles, going 14.70 and 39.49. In
girls' action, Fairview junior Aryn Gruneisen scored two wins, the 1600
in 5;13.28 and the 3200 in 11:44.09. Kate Funk, Titusville, also won
twice, in the 100 (12.60) and the 200 (25.96); as did Wilmington's Sunny
Dauugherty, with a 15.63 100 Hurdles, and a jump of 36-09.25 in the
Triple. Soph Natalie Clickett sent the Discus 127-03.

5/22-Young blood and talented vets taste success on hot day @ D1 @ Coatesville
New blood and experienced vets competed under hot, humid conditions, and
each had success. Young talent took championships in the girls AAA 800
and 1600 as Wissahickon sophomore Serita Lachesis beat junior Caitlin
Klaas, Hatboro-Horsham, by a second, going 2:14.01. Upper Perkiomen
sophomore Kristin Reed went 5:02.99 to win the 1600 over resurging
Jessica Cickay of Council Rock, 2nd in 5:07.22. Cickay was also 2nd in
the 3200 in 11:07.36, a race won by Unionville junior Katie Thaeder in
10:55.35. Hatboro cruised in the 4x800, beating rival Haverford Township
by over three seconds, going 9:12.32. In the field, Chanel Williams,
Plymouth-Whitemarsh, went 44.19 to win the 300 Hurdles. Tayvon Gray, the
Coatesville junior, won the Shot with a 40-03.50 throw and the Discus
with a District record 141-10. Meredith Ryan won the Long Jump with a
leapof 18-01.25. It was the team's only individual title, but the team's
depth helped them to the AAA title. In AAA boys, Phoenixville senior
Quenton Boyer went 10.77, 22.52 for the 100 and 200 titles. A quck 48.31
by Tracy Robinson of Henderson to take the 400. North Penn is setting up
for states, taking the 4x800 in 7:53.84. Coatesville junior Clarence
Smith leapt 46-06.74 to take the Triple Jump. Harriton junior Kevin
Baidoo ran 11.05 and 22.59 for a double, as did teammate Danny Weiss in
the Hurdles, going 15.90 and 41.75. Jump specialist Jim Dubinski, Saint
Pius X, went 21-05 and 39-11.75. In AA girls, Gwynedd-Mercy junior Kate
Vernon ran 2:14.72 and 5:02.56 for the 800-1600 double. Sophomore Erin
McMahon of St. Basil Academy went 16-08.25 and 35-01.25 in the Long and
Triple Jumps.

5/22-Whiting incredible - Miller twins are BACK - Timmons/Beltz double, Hodge triple @ D3 @ Ship
Ryan Whiting of Central Dauphin is throwing better each week, taking the
top spot in PA in both the Shot Put (65-00) and the Discus (194-03).
They're back! Craig and Brad Miller, the talented sophomore twins from
Manheim Township, helped get their 4x800 into the state meet in AAA, but
also showed they're once again contender in the open events. Craig, who
set the frosh US record for 1600 in 2003, won that event in 4:14.59. 2nd
place went to Brad in 4:18.06. Knowledge Timmons, William Penn (York),
took the 100 in 11.00 and the 200. 21.76. Harrisburg junior David Potts
came within a whisker of getting PA #1 with a 48.57 400. Cedar Crest
posted a quick 42.12 4x100, and Central Dauphin went 3:18.39, the top in
PA. Harrisburg was less than a second back. CD's 7:52.85 is PA#2. Brian
Dodds, Wilson, and Troy Litten, Gettysburg, both cracked 15' in the Pole
Vault by three inches with Dodds getting the district title. St. Joe's
recruit Adriene Beltz, Hamburg, posted a 5:01.13 - 10:52.18 1600-3200
double. Ashley Hodge, a Carlisle senior, went triple with her 12.23,
25.53 and 55.40. Jen Gray of Cumberland Valley knows who will carry her
mantle for the Eagles in 2004, because frosh Abby Huber was right behind
her in the 800, as the two went 2:15.95 - 2:17.79. Brianna Flagg took
the Shot Put with a throw of 43-03, while Cedar Crest junior Becky
Eisenhaur threw 41-08. In AA, there's a new sprinter in town in the form
of Mary Dell of Boiling Springs, who posted a 12.69 - 25.94 double.
Kutztown's Lauren Mohler ran 5:09.50 - 11:21.22. Wyomissing's Claire
Abribat went 36-05 in the Triple Jump, and 45.41 300 Hurdles. Camp Hill
sophomore Adam Smith ran 1:54.73 to win the 800.

5/19-Sophs Miller, Eck, Radocaj's come up big @ D4 AAA @ Bucknell
Athens sophomore Melissa Miller not only qualified in three events, she
won her three individual races, taking the 100 in 12.42, the 200 in
25.21 and the 400 in 59.43. Williamsport senior Ruby Radocaj won two and
took runner-up in another. She took her specialty, the Jav, with a throw
of 128-09; put the Shot 33-02.50 for the win, and was second to Jersey
Shore junior Becky Heisey in the Discus 113-07 to 116-05. Her brother,
Marco, will also be going to States. He won the 100 in 11.39; won the
Long Jump at 21-02.25; and was 2nd in the 300 Hurdles in 40.59 (Ryan
Drzeweicki-Selinsgrove 40.53). Sam Eck, the Jersey Shore sophomore, won
the Javelin with a big throw of 190-09.

5/20-Spooner 1:54.79-4:19.03-9:36.62 triple lead Lewisburg @ D4 AA @ Bucknell
Lewisburg won the boys and girls titles, each by a comfortable margin.
Point machine Chris Spooner obviously could only contribute to less than
a third of the points. Not to worry, his mates on the fastest 4x800
squad in the state went two-three behind him in the open 800. Spooner
cruised to a 1:54.79, followed by Chris Moreau in 1:58.09 and junior
Kevin Schoenfelder in 1:58.13. Spooner also ran 4:19.03 and 9:36.62 to
take the 1600-3200 double. Plans call for Spooner to race two relays
(4x800 and 4x400) and two individual races (800 and 1600) at States.
(His sub-9:00 two-mile will stand quite nicely as his statement at that
distance). Lewisburg won both longer relays, going 3:26.29 and 8:04.57.
Shamokin senior Dan Wilk ran the fastest 100 and 200 times of the day,
but it only brought him one win. His 11.12 in the prelims turned into an
11.23 2nd place to Dane Grandezio, Bloomsburg senior, who went 11.13.
Wilk did take the 200 over Grandezio 22.61 to 22.91. North Penn junior
Tricia Learn won the 3200 in 11:23.89.

5/20-Drazdowski takes 800-1600, gets 2nd in 3200 # D2 AAA @ North Pocono
Crestwood's Elizabeth Drazdowski was less than a second away from a
triple sweep of the distance races. She took the 800 in 2:22.64 and the
1600 in 5:15.50, but came up just short (11:38.09) to Brenae Edwards of
Hazleton in the 3200, who won in 11:37.96. Wyoming Valley West's Paul
Connolly won the Javelin with a toss of 181-08.

5/23-Leach, Thomas, Hallinan star as O'Hara takes both titles PCL Champs @ Widener
Nicole Leach and Latavia Thomas did everything possible to try to help
their West Catholic team win the girls title, but they came up a point
short as Cardinal O'Hara finished 3rd in the 4x400 to tally 98 points.
Leach and Thomas most won everything in sight (with obvious help from
the relays). Leach ran 12.10, 24.43, 54.32 and 1:00.63 400 Hurdles,
breaking her own league meet record in each event. Thomas won the 800 in
2:17.19 and was 2nd in the 400 Hurdles in 1:02.29, and anchored the
winning 4x400 to a 3:55.99 meet record, breaking the West Catholic mark
set in 2000. Thomas also picked up 3rd place points in the Mile, going
5:19.83. Amy Kelly, St. Hubert's won in 5:02.58. Senior Steve Hallinan
led the O'Hara boys to the PCL title. He dueled Carroll senior Mike
Tilger in the fast Mile, winning in 4:14.08 by 1.8 seconds. His mark
broke the 11 year old record set by Bonner's Brendan Benner. Hallinan
also captured the 800 in 1:55.60. Bishop McDevitt's Julian Edwards won
three events, the 100 in 11.23, the 200 in 22.5, and the 400 in 49.0.
Juan Cave set a meet record by clearing 6-08.50 in the High Jump. He
also anchored the winning 4x100 for St. Joseph's Prep. Kevin Moore,
LaSalle, unleashed a 195-04 Jav; while Bonner's Earl McNeil won the Shot
(49-04.75) and the Discus (145-08).