Preview

by Don Rich, PennTrackXC / Milesplit network

AA Boys State Meet Preview: Radgowski-Fritz-Campbell-Weiss headline strong field @ Shippensburg If records are fall in AA Boys competition, it will probably involve Chad Radgowski, Ryan Fritz, Tommie Campbell or Jeff Weiss.

While most events seem to be wide open in Boys AA, there are a few that could be considered virtual locks... in sprints, relays, distance and the field.

The 4x800 doesn't have a team as dominant as Lewisburg was in 2004, although Springfield Montco is as close as you can get. They ran 7:54.6 at the SOL American Conference meet earlier this month... and that was without all four legs running their best. Should they falter, Greenville, with Jed Christiansen, or Lakeview will be more than happy to take their spot. The 4x400 is a toss-up, with top seeds Trinity, Southern Columbia, Christian School of York and Danville, all coming in with two seconds of each other. Good handoffs will make the difference. The 4x100 belongs to Tommie Campbell and his Aliquippa mates. Milton Hershey appears to be their closest competition.

Campbell should get one of two individual titles, and maybe take both the 100 and 200. He'll be running trials in both and the 4x100, but his closest competitor, Brad Kanuch of Westmont Hilltop, will be competing in the tiring Long and Triple jumps as well. In the 200, Holy Name's Chris Muvdi should be there for the win as well.

Scrape a hurdle in the 110, and it could cost you. The four with the best shot of winning are Windber's Nate Kiss, South Side Beaver's Andrew Gergen, Mohawk's Mike Butera and Brandon Lane of Engineering & Science. The call here is Lane. Lane is also one of the top seeds in the 300 Hurdles, although the only one in AA to crack 39 has been Mike Mitchell of Smethport. Bedford's Troy Harris, and Bible Baptist's Brandon Tress should also be in the mix.

The 400 is really Joey Wagner's to lose. The Biglerville star has been getting better each week. He has focused on this one, and knows that it's a fellow district 3 runner - Phil Leineweber of Christian School of York - who poses his greatest competition.

In the two, four and eight-lap races, there are some records that could fall, most likely in the 3200. McGuffey's Jeff Weiss will be chasing the 8:53-point mark set in 2004 by Lewisburg's Chris Spooner. The PIAA state meet mark is 9:04.09 which was set by fellow Foot Locker finalist Chris Dugan of Southmoreland in 1997. Giving chase will be Ellwood City's Jacob Walker. Don't be surprised if that record falls, or if Walker is the one to do it. Although with the 1600 on his plate, Walker could be a bit tired. His competition in the 1600 will be Jed Christiansen of Greenville. It's Christiansen's last meet, and he probably won't waste the opportunity. Both have broken 4:19, so it'll be fast. The 800 could be a test of lasting power as much as speed. Two of the top seeds, Ben McConnell of Danville and Mike Malizia of Springfield Montco are also running in the 4x800. That leaves Tim Majewski of Mercyhurst Prep with the fastest seed and the freshest legs. But whoever possesses the best 600-750 strength could take this one.

The field events provide some great matchups. Sprinter Kanuch is also Jumper Kanuch. He is the top seed in the Long Jump, with Northwestern Lehigh's Deerek Stellar his closest competition - and the top seed in the Triple Jump - at 47-04 - by a lot. Colin Dugan of Springdale and Joe Tuzze of Lakeland are the top Shot Put seeds in the mid-50's. Tuzze will be challenging Johnsonburg's Chad Yurchick and Forest Hills' Ben Baderia in the Discus. In the Javelin, South Park's Chad Radgowski is the top in the state so far, going 211-06. In the wings looking for big throws will be Lake Lehman's Brandon Burkhardt and Annville-Cleona's David Burrell. The two top seeds in the High Jump and Pole Vault should leave Shippensburg as State champs. Ryan Fritz is the only one in the state to clear 7-00, either AA or AAA. He had an off day at Districts. Don't expect a repeat of his 6-08. And defending champ Eric Sparks is jumping well. He has been over at 16-00 this month.

AA Girls State Meet Preview: Gwynedd-Mercy strong. Will E&S be better at Shippensburg? Gwynedd-Mercy returns a strong team while newcomers should surprise some vets in a few events. Philly's District 12 sends two strong teams.

There will be some surprised upperclassmen along with some impressed underclassmen after the AA Girlscompetition concludes.

Gwynedd-Mercy is the defending state champ in both the 4x400 and 4x800. But this year, they have a new challenger in both races, Carver Engineering & Science (E&S for short) from Philly's District 12. Gwynedd got the better of the two at the Penn Relays, both under 9:13. But E&S has a 3:57.37 4x400 coming into the meet. Both races should be incredible.

In the 4x100, Lewisburg is not only the defending state champ, they are the top seed coming into this meet. Others to watch include Gwynedd-Mercy, Quaker Valley, Wyomissing and Milton Hershey.

Every year there are freshmen who make an immediate impact. One of those will probably be Devin Coon of Schuylkill Valley. She is the top seed in the 100 and is the 2nd seed in the 200. She'll face tough races in the 100 from Ruth Brown of Milton Hershey and Melissa Miller of Athens, which was AAA last year. In the 200, she will face Milton Hershey's Abibail Johnson, the top seed. Last year's state champ in the 200 and 100 medalist, Mary Dell of Boiling Springs, is injured. Johnson also is a top seed in the 400. She will be head-to-head against Kameesha Worthington of E&S. Defending champ Lacey Cochran of Freeport is also in the race.

Another newcomer to the PIAA state meet will make an impact in the Hurdles. Masterman's Dara Wilson is the only one under 15 - at 14.79 to be precise - in the 100 Hurdles. Milton Hershey's Crystal Polite is the 2nd seed. Wilson is also a top seed in the 300 Hurdles, with Amanda Seigworth, Northwestern, and Dailyn Cooney, Wellsboro, in strong competition.

Katie Roll of Shady Side Academy has been on a... well, you know. She is the top seed in the 3200, and has run 11:03 this season. Closing in on her with two PRs in her last two races is frosh Kara Millhouse of Boiling Springs. The 4th seed in the race isn't a newcomer to the challenge because has a championship under her belt from cross country in AA, Rachel Erny of Brentwood. Roll faces the prospect of the 1600 as well. She will be racing against the defending champ, Kate Vernon of Gwynedd-Mercy; Saint Basil's Christina Morelli, and Fairview's Ashley Keck. In the 800, Vernon will be defending another title. Back again is Springfield Montco's Faye Korich. The top seed, however, is E&S frosh Benita Taylor. Her teammate, LaVaughn Jones, is also in the race, along with Quaker Valley senior Eryn Correa.

There are two girls over 18 feet in the Long Jump, including Kelsey Buffenmyer of Donegal and Holly Motter of Mount Union. Top leapers in the Triple Jump are Brianna Liebold of Chartiers Houston, Megan Brown of Northwestern Lehigh, and Jill Albee of Hanover.

In the Shot Put there will probably be a 40-footer to win as defending champ Bradlee Foerschner of North East will face Allyn Laughlin of Center and Natalie Clickett of Union City.

Clickett is the defending champ in the Discus. She will have a challenge from Nicole Wilson of Iroquois and Becky Rautzhan of Lewisburg. Penn Relays champ Elisha Jones of Eisenhower is the 2nd seed in the Javelin. The top seed is Northern Cambria's Susan Yuhas who has thrown 142-01 this season.

The High Jump could come down to Lakeland sophomore Trina Carito, the defending champ, and Kelsey Buffenmyer of Donegal and Brittany Maun of Reynolds.

The Pole Vault top seed is sophomore Amber Gaffey of Susquehanna Community.

None of the four class meets has more locks in it than the AAA Boys... especially the 100, 200, 1600 and the Shot and Discus.

The 4x800 is not one of them. While Conestoga Valley ran an incredible 7:45.26 in their District 3 meet, logic says it wasn't entirely necessary. Will that effort, mentally and physically -- along with the challenge of experienced teams who are looking to vastly improve this weekend -- cost them when they try to close the deal. Easton and North Penn looked great at their district meets. And the North Penn group has been aiming for these two days since the start of indoor.

In the 4x400, teams had better take care of the stick in the prelims, or there won't be a finals. But expect four teams to throw it all against the wall, including West Mifflin, Cumberland Valley, Simon Gratz and North Penn. Gratz simply has more tools with which to build this title. The 4x100 will see two of the same four teams in a spirited final. CD East, West Mifflin and Simon Gratz are the class of this field. Pick 'em.

The locks begin in the 100 and 200. If Knowledge Timmons is defending anything, it doesn't show. He ignored the hype of last year and simply went out and won. He'll do the same this year. Convincingly. Yes, his 10.47 was wind-aided. And so was his 21.18. But look at those numbers again. It wasn't a hurricane behind him, just a breeze. Lock these two. Fighting for 2nd will be Central Dauphin's Jordan Mitchell, West Mifflin's Montel Williamson and Plymouth-Whitemarsh junior De'Rel Scott. That's in the 100. In the single-curve sprint, Gratz's Rashine Turner, West Mifflin's Brandon Turner, and Mitchell are 2-3-4.

You had to see the look in his eyes when he won both races in convincing fashion at District 1. Carrington Queen is a Chichester man on a mission. He has run 14 and 38 low. And 2nd place just isn't on his agenda. Mark it down... Queen is King of the Hurdles.

That same look possessed Reggie Carter of Bensalem in last week's District 1 meet. He is seeded 2nd to Cumberland Valley's David Stonfer. And there are Javan Carter of Susquehanna Township and Khaliff Featherstone of Gratz to consider. But the gut says Carter.

More locks in the distance races. The 800 title will be successfully defended by Connellsville's Ken King. Andy Miller of Cedar Crest ran a great race in nearly beating Craig Miller at the District 3 meet, but he'll need another second to catch King at the end. This is a race for the experienced.

In the 1600 we're going out on a limb. Craig Miller, the ultra-talented Manheim Township junior, can simply run whatever he needs to run in Pennsylvania. Watch him watching his competition, and you know. Last year he went eight seconds negative on his 800 splits. He has some goals to go for... and this is where it really gets scary... Manheim Township scratched from the 4x800. Miller ran the 3200 at Districts, breaking the meet record of Steve Spence - but scratched the event for states. And there is no 4x400. Which means HE WILL BE RESTED. The meet mark is 4:03.22 run by current Upper Dublin girls' coach Paul Vandegrift in 1987. That is also the best-ever in PA. And in the 3200, a healthy Sam Luff of Emmaus will challenge the 1983 state meet mark of Upper Perkiomen's Mike Connelly - an 8:58.90. Remember, he may actually be chasing a new record if Jeff Weiss and Jacob Walker have their say in AA. The state-best mark is 8:53.5c by Lewisburg Chris Spooner.

Naffee Harris of Lancaster McCaskey is over 23 feet in the Long Jump. Hershey's Zach Myers is close, as is Wilson's Shawn Smith. The Triple Jump could bring the house down if you're sitting on the visitor's side of the stadium. Defending champ Darnell Johnson of Gettysburg has gone 46-06 this season. But McCaskey's Ceasar Westbrook, Parkland's John Carelli and Coatesville's Clarence Smith have all gone over 47 feet, while Nate Gilbert of Emmaus has cleared over 48 feet.

If Miller is a lock in the 1600, what does that make Ryan Whiting of Central Dauphin in theShot Put and Discus? Right... my thoughts exactly.

Defend. Defend.

Over 70. Over 205.

The PIAA record of 66-05.50 set in 1972 by Baldwin's Ron Simkiew is probably gone. The state best by Simkiew of 70-01.7 could be gone as well. He'll break his own meet record of 193-02, and could have a good look at the state best of 207-04, set in 1991 by Fort LeBoeuf's Brian Milne.

I may miss some races to watch these.

In the Javelin, Josh Hostetler of Selinsgrove has thrown 205-11. Jersey Shore's Sam Eck was 3rd last year. He could improve two spots.

The High Jump will be a battle. At the center will be Gettysburg's Derrick Sistrunk, Parkland's Tyrone Faverly, Truman's Bayshawn Johnson - all of whom have cleared 6-08, and John Carelli of Parkland, a challenger at 6-06.

Lock up the Pole Vault as well. Baldwin's Ron Walter set a WPIAL record at 16-03. That's two inches above the PIAA-best 16-01 by Laban Marsh of McDowell, set in 1997, but half a foot below the state best. Go Ron!

If you're patient, you get your year to be the best in the state. Then again, patience is overrated. In the AAA Girls competition, you'll see both this weekend.

While most were watching to North Penn guys run the 4x800 this year, the girls were just under radar (just me, not opposing coaches). What they popped at Districts, an eight-second drop from the Penn Relays, was impressive and a sign that Hatboro-Horsham is going to have to run their best race to claim the the title. In the 4x400 defending champ Conestoga is not here, but Wissahickon is, complete with the top sprinter in the state - Krista Simkins - at anchor. They maintained contact at District 1, and then Simkins blew by the field before 200 meters, and the 3:55.66 was on the board. Norwin, Council Rock North and Upper Saint Clair will all give chase. But it's exactly that, all chase. Henderson is putting on a show in the 4x100 this year. They own a non-West Catholic PA best of 48.06. Penn Hills has gone 48.15. But will the controversy surrounding their qualification for WPIAL's - legal and gracious as it was - hurt them in the final. I think now. Can't pick this one.

The 100 and 200 will be owned by Simkins. 11.66 and 23.81 at Districts. She ran a 23.62 two weeks ago at her conference meet. All were wind legal. She'll face a tough challenge from Breehana Jacobs of Laurel Highlands, who went 11.75 at Baldwin... and Great Valley's Janessa Murphy. But these are two races that you just have to see.

Sha-Tira Snell of Penn Hills is the defending champ in the 100 Hurdles. But there are a few athletes who will have something to say about a possible repeat, including Valley's Mycaiah Clemons, Methacton super-frosh Ryann Krais, Plymouth-Whitemarsh's Chanel Williams, and Reading's Jasmin Hunt. Clemons and Krais have both gone faster than Snell's winning time in 2004. And Williams, who had to drop the 300 final at Districts due to an injury, will be focused on making something of her final race at States. In the 300 Hurdles with 2004 champ Williams out, the field should be wide open. Now it's not. Krais ran 42.26 at her conference meet. She could go for the PIAA record here. Schenley junior Kaetlyn Brown is the defending champ in the 400. Simkins chose not to run what is her best event at Districts to concentrate on the short stuff. She'll race at Nike Outdoor and Junior Nationals in the 400. But with here 53.23 gone, it's wide open this year.

The 800 will see the introduction of one of the newcomers. Easton frosh Chanelle Price went 2:10.75 indoor, and she has been heading for this race with improving times. Gwynedd-Mercy's Liz Kearins is not defending. Watch for D1's Serita Lachesis of Wissahickon. This one will be fast. The 1600 is wide open. The finals should include Strath Haven's Lisa Vienneau, Chamberburg's Sarah Morrison, Allentown Central Catholic's Meghan Burns and Marcy Sobrinski, Emmaus' Christina Bortz, Hershey's Sam McMillan, and Freedom's Lauretta Dezubay. Dezubay nearly pulled off the nearly impossible distance double in 2004. She is stronger and more experienced. Says here it's a race for the tape between Morrison and Dezubay. In the 3200 Dezubay is defending, but will have her hands full with a healthy, quickly improving Lauren Bowles, of Upper Dublin. She ran 10.51.04 alone at D1.

We can cover most of the Long Jump, Triple Jump, and High Jump with three names. Nicole Smith of McDowell, Rachel Gehret of Altoona, and Erin Hannon of Bradford. One senior on a mission, and two juniors who aren't intimidated in the least. In the Long Jump, Smith was 3rd last year, Hannon 7th, and Gehret missed after an off day at Districts. This year, Smith has long-jumped 19-10.50, Gehret 18-09.50 and Hannon 18-05. The only one who could break up this threesome is Great Valley's Janessa Murphy who has gone 19-00.50. In the 2004 Triple Jump, Gehret, Hannon and Smith went 1-2-3. This year, Smith is over 40 by a half inch, Hannon has a best of 39-02.75 and Gehret has leapt 38-07. Also in the mix will be Megan Van Buskirk of Pottsgrove, who had gone 38-11.25. In the High Jump, Nicole Smith is the defending champ. Smith has already cleared 5-10 this year. Hannon and two others, Kendall Butch of Butler and Katie Dempsey of Pleasant Valley are in the 5-08 club. And Gehret has cleared 5-06, but she had gone 5-07 at the state meet in 2004. Both Smith and Hannon have been over at 5-10, going one-two at the Indoor state meet this year.

The Shot Put will feature a great contingent of 40-foot throwers. But one has stepped to the front, and it's another freshman. Penncrest's Karen Shump threw 48-00.25 earlier this month. No one is within four feet of that. She is chasing the US Freshman junior record of 49-04. The best of the rest are Baldwin's Jordan Veney at 43-05.75; Samantha Fetter, Hempfield 43-01; Amy Backel, Northern, 42-03; and Becky Eisenhauer, Cedar Crest 42-02.75.

Defending champ Tayvon Gray of Coatesville is back in the Discus. But Veney has thrown 152-09. That is big. There will be a great battle in the Javelin between Meghan Briggs, Palmyra (140-00), and Backel, who has thrown 141-09.

How about a national record to open the day on Saturday. It could happen in the Pole Vault from defending champ Lindsay Regan of Easton, who now owns the PA-best outdoor state record of 13-06. You'll know the height when she gets there.