Pennsylvania State Meet

Highlights: AAA - AA
DyeStat Elite Performances (111)

by Don Rich, PennTrackXC

AAA results

BOYS

Butler boys 7:40.22

photo by Don Rich

Team Champion: Cumberland Valley (go Eagles!)

Ryan Sherwood of McDowell, took over the top spot in the US by over
two-and-a-half feet with his throw of 229-10.00. That's 25 feet more
than he threw on May 4 at the Baldwin Invitational. He currently has
PA's only top ranked performance nationwide. The bad news for his
competitors? He's just a junior.

Ernie Terrell, the Penn-State bound (football & track) speedster from
Norristown, led his team to a second place finish with two individual
wins and a remarkable comeback in the 4x400 to overtake five runners in
the stretch for his third state championship of the day. Terrell clocked
a 47.43 in the 400, and a 21.64 in the 200. He was the defending
champion 200 and 400.

The distances saw the predicted winners in the 4x800, 1600 and 3200.

Three PA teams cracked the US Top 10 with their 4x800 performances.
Butler was favored, and delivered with a US#2 7:40.22. Cumberland Valley
challenged, but found themselves 20 meters shy of victory, still with a
US#5 7:43.20. The (somewhat) surprise of the event was a third place
showing by Haverford Township. All four runners posted PR's in the
three-senior, one pair of twins group as they set a school record of
7:46.69. Coach Mike Ahlum pointed out that, while pleased with the state
and national rankings (new US#8), he's especially happy to be first in
Delaware County (home to Cardinal O'Hara).

Sam Bair, a sophomore from Shaler HS, is showing early signs of
literally following in his father's footsteps, as he posted a 4:15.33
earlier this year in the 1600. Running a strong first lap at States, he
ran step for step with Baldwin's Dan Mazzacco for two 67 second middle
laps, before turning on the speed to close in a 59-point. Mazzacco, who
had challenged for the win, fell back over the final 300, as Bair easily
took his first state championship with a 4:14.36.

Mazzacco's Baldwin teammate, Ryan Sheehan, fared a bit better, as he ran
a strategic race to post his second fastest 3200 with a 9:16.56. Sheehan
had been challenged early by Northampton's Mike Vidumsky. Vidumsky went
out very hard on the first lap, fell back for a few laps, but battled
through the worst to make a two-lap charge before finally running out of
real estate and stamina. CB East's Karl Dusen nearly caught Vidumsky at
the line, both timed under 9:22. Disaster nearly struck Sheehan as he
hit the rail with 225 meters to go. "My stomach dropped. I thought I was
going to lose it all right there."

The Pole Vault boasted two national-caliber performances, as Brian
Mondschein, Hershey, went 15-03.00 and Steve Carlucci, McDowell, cleared
15-00.00.

INTERVIEWS:

Ryan Sheehan, Baldwin, 3200 Champion:
(on the race): I wasn't too worried (when Mike Vidumsky) went out fast
on the first lap. I was just trying to stay relaxed and get up on his
shoulder. My plan was to take control on the fifth lap. I had wanted to
go 9;10 today, but at the beginning, it went a little too fast.

(on his state championship): I was feeling confident after Indoors and
Cross Country. I started running well at the beginning of the year, and
I just kept gaining confidence. McDowell was a big one for me because I
ran 9:20 there, then at Baldwin I ran 9:15.

Dan Austin, Cumberland Valley, Discus Champion
(on his state championship): It felt soooo good to beat Sam (Segond). He
beat me at Penn, and I just wanted to give him a good run.

GIRLS

Paige Miller, Wissahickon, second row, R, waits patiently early
in the race to make her winning move on (R to L) Footlocker alternate
Angie Saterstad, Upper Dauphin, Lauren Schaeffer, West Allegheny, Katie
Ewart, Upper Dublin, and others.

photo by Don Rich

Team Champion: Erie McDowell (first girls' title in school history)

Let's just say that Tiffany Abney and Sheena Gordon are co-AAA girls'
athletes of the meet. (but those 4x800's were some of the best in the US
this year!)

Abney, the sophomore from Merion Mercy, merely defended three individual
titles and anchored her team's 4x400 to a state championship after
finishing second in 2000. Running preliminaries or semi's or both in all
her events, she ran the 7th fastest prep time in the US in the 400 with
a 53.94. Her 200 was a solid 24.55, and her 43.32 was over a second
better than her nearest competition.

If it hadn't been for one of Abney closest friends, Dominique Darden of
Harrisburg, Gordon would have swept four individual titles. As it was,
Darden took the 100H in 14:53, just .03 ahead of Gordon. On the field
though, Gordon went three-for-three as she took the high jump with a
5-09.00, the Triple Jump with 42-03.50, and the Long Jump with18-07.50.
The Triple Jump is US#5. And only ten girls have high-jumped better.

In addition to her 100H title with a 14.53, Darden was 2nd in the 200
with a 24.97, and 3rd in the 400 with her 56.21. Her 4x400 team, the
defending state champs, had to settle for 2nd this year behind Abney's
Merion Mercy squad.

The girls 4x800 offered a glimpse of how good PA has become, and how it
continues to develop some of the top distance relay teams in the
country. Spring Ford withstood the pressure of being the top seed and
posted a 9:15.94, within a second of state leader William Penn, and
improving their own season best by almost 4 seconds. If they hadn't
improved, there would have been a very young, but incredibly talented
Haverford Township team ready to take the state title. With three
freshmen and one sophomore, Haverford started the final leg in the lead.
Their 9:19.19 is even with three seconds of the school record. Radnor,
also from the Philly-area's Central League, ran 9:22.00. All eight
medallists were under 9:30.

With 300 meters to go in the AAA 1600, Jessica Cickay, Council Rock, and
Ruth Loyer, Red Lion, both had leads on North Allegheny's Stephanie
Madia. Cickay, a stellar freshman, ran the race from the front. Loyer,
jumping up from the 800 in hopes of avoiding a second place finish
similar to the 2000 800, was also in great position to take the race.
And with her 800 speed, it was a sound strategy. But North Allegheny
junior, Stephanie Madia, sat back just off the leaders' pace until the
final 300 meters, when she unleashed a great long kick. All three
runners were under 4:59, and within .22 of each other. But it appeared
that Loyer lunged a bit early, and with Madia running through the
finish, she pulled out the win, and her first individual state
championship.

Evelyn Dwyer, Merion Mercy, held off a charging Meghan O'Neill of Spring
Ford in the 800. Her 2:11.88 was the fastest in the state this year.
O'Neill, who ran 2:12.39, made up 15 meters on the final lap, but Dwyer
was able to respond down the stretch. Duke-bound Paige Miller capped a
great senior year (AA Cross Country Champion, Penn Relays 300 Champion),
with a winning 3200 time of 10:39.61.

Emily Tharpe, McDowell (12-03.00), and Jackie Rodgers, Baldwin
(12-00.00) showed the crowd what all the excitement is about in the
girls' Pole Vault, with great efforts.

INTERVIEWS:

Stephanie Madia, North Allegheny, 1600 Champion:
(on the race): I knew that it was going to go out really fast, because I
heard that the girl from Council Rock (freshman Jessica Cickay) goes out
really fast, so I just laid back. I never run the first two laps really
fast.

(on the last lap): The fourth lap, I wanted it, and I just went after it
as much as I could. But in the first 100 of that last lap I was a little
discouraged. Then on the straightaway I picked up some energy, and when
I came around the bend and I heard everyone cheering and I just went on
adrenaline.

(on her first state championship): I came up here last year (2000) and I
got sprinted out in the 3200. It's (the championship) just something
that I wanted to do, and I just got it. I ran my best time.

Ruth Loyer, Red Lion, runner-up (by .05) 1600):
(on her decision not to double in the 800, where she was 2nd in 2000,
and the 1600): I decided not to do both races this year because the 800
is such a pack the last 100. Last year I was leading at 700 meters and
lost. I thought I could use my speed to better advantage if I just ran
the 1600 this year.

AA results

BOYS

Team Champion: Clarion

It was Jeremy Silverman's weekend, as he broke the state record in the
Shot Put (64-00.75) by over a foot, and took the Discus with a season
best of 185-00.00. His state record was still short of his PR set at
Districts of 65-04.50. The effort was a thrill for his Throwing family
of fans, especially his coach/father Dr. Robert Silverman and older
brother.

His father said the throws from the past two weeks were ten years in the
making since he started throwing. "But the most progress has been over
the last two years. You should have seem him two years ago. He was 315
with no upper body strength. He hit the weight room (we put one in the
house). Now he's a true thrower. Not a brute. It's speed and technique."

Jeremy, too was happy with his progress over the last 24 months. "When I
looked at the old record last year, it seemed very far. But I've worked
hard. The record was my goal for today. There was a lot of pressure
here."

Now it's on to Golden West and Adidas Nationals where he will compete
with the two guys ahead of him on the national list. "I'll give them a
run for their money."

In the sprints, Mercyhurst Prep's Levonne Rowan was also a double state
champ as he took the 100 in 10.98 and the 200 in 22.42.

Ron Cook, Girard College, took the Triple Jump with a leap of 47-05.00,
and was second in the 400 with his 49.66.

GIRLS

Cassie Richards went 19-07.00 to win another state title.

photo by Don Rich

Team Champion: Milton Hershey

Rochester senior Lauryn Williams finished her prep career with two state
records in her events (actually, three, if you count that she broke her
Friday 100 record again on Saturday). The 1979 record of Debbie Lewis
had been 11.87. Williams went 11.80 on Friday in the Preliminaries. She
tied the old record in the Semis, and then busted an 11.78 in the Finals
to solidify her place in state T&F history. The effort was the fastest
girls 100 of the meet.

In the 200, she broke her own record of 24.90 she had set in 1999 as a
sophomore with a 23.85 in Friday's Preliminaries. Williams will run for
the University of Miami.

Williams also anchored her 4x100 squad to a 49.86 state championship.

In the Javelin, Angela Hoover, Baldea, threw 146-06.00, a new US#6.
Ashley Colley, Smethport, was second with145-06.00. Libby Hauser,
Reynolds, was third:137-05.00.

Cassandra Richards, the Winchester-Thurston senior bound for Wake
Forest, finished her PIAA career with another state championship. She
went 19.02 before unleashing her winning jump of 19-07.00. She has gone
19-11.50 this season. Her PIAA state record of 19-10.75 still stands.
She also won the state championship in 1999 with a leap of19-01.00.

Other standout performances included junior Melissa Sopher, Slippery
Rock, with a 44.28 in the 300H; senior Kerry McKinney, Deer Lakes, a
2:14.54 in the 800; and junior Leah Kerstetter, Iroquois, a 4;59.48 in
the 1600.

DyeStat Elite Performances (111)

B-400 47.43 , Terrell, Ernie, 2001, Norristown PA - PA State 3A # 1

B-800 1:53.85 , Wilborn, Jeryl, 2001, Milton Area PA - PA State 3A # 2

B-Mile 4:15.96 c , Bair, Sam, 2003, Shaler PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-Mile 4:17.4 c , Erickson, Tim, 2002, PA - PA State 3A # 2

B-2Mile 9:19.96 c , Sheehan, Ryan, 2001, Baldwin PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-2Mile 9:24.98 c , Vidumsky, Mike, 2001, Northampton PA - PA State 3A # 2

B-300H 37.23 , Campisi, Jaret, 2001, Cumberland Val PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-300H 38.15 , Patterson, Jesse, 2002, Cheltenham PA - PA State 3A # 2

B-HJ 6' 8 , Fedeli, Tyler, 2002, Altoona PA - PA State 3A # 1

B-TJ 47' 5 , Cousin, Steve, 2001, Truman PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-TJ 47' 5 , Cook, Ron, 2001, Girard College PA - PA State 2A # 1

B-PV 15' 3 , Mondschein, Brian, 2001, Hershey PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-PV 15' 0 , Carlucci, Stephen, 2001, McDowell PA - PA State 3A # 2

B-SP 64' 0.75 , Silverman, Jeremy, 2001, Annville PA - PA State 2A # 1
B-SP 59' 3 , Reed, Tyler, 2001, Thom. Jefferson PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-SP 57' 9.5 , Gullette, Omain, 2002, Glen Mills PA - PA State 3A # 2
B-SP 57' 9.25 , Segond, Sam, 2001, E. Stroudsburg PA - PA State 3A # 3

B-DT 185' 0 , Silverman, Jeremy, 2001, Annville PA - PA State 2A # 1
B-DT 183' 9 , Austin, Dan, 2001, Cumberland Val PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-DT 178' 2 , Segond, Sam, 2001, E. Stroudsburg PA - PA State 3A # 2
B-DT 170' 2 , Brown, Ed, 2001, PA - PA State 3A # 3

B-JT 229' 10 , Sherwood, Ryan, 2002, McDowell PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-JT 221' 1 , Hostettler, Eddie, 2001, Selinsgrove PA - PA State 3A # 2
B-JT 214' 2 , Ryncavage, Justin, , Coughlin PA - PA State 3A # 3
B-JT 211' 4 , McCray, Derek, 2001, Corry PA - PA State 3A # 4
B-JT 207' 8 , Rogers, Kirk, 2001, PA - PA State 3A # 5
B-JT 206' 7 , Zimmerman, Brad, 2002, Warwick Lanc PA - PA State 3A # 6

B-4x100 42 , Boys Relay, , Cumberland Val PA - PA State 3A # 1

B-4x400 3:18.19 , Boys Relay, , Norristown PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-4x400 3:18.32 , Boys Relay, , Glen Mills PA - PA State 3A # 2
B-4x400 3:18.69 , Boys Relay, , Strath Haven PA - PA State 3A # 3
B-4x400 3:19.46 , Boys Relay, , Cumberland Val PA - PA State 3A # 4

B-4x800 7:40.22 , Boys Relay, , Butler PA - PA State 3A # 1
B-4x800 7:43.2 , Boys Relay, , Cumberland Val PA - PA State 3A # 2
B-4x800 7:46.69 , Boys Relay, , Haverford PA - PA State 3A # 3
B-4x800 7:47.32 , Boys Relay, , Mt. Lebanon PA - PA State 3A # 4
B-4x800 7:48.14 , Boys Relay, , Strath Haven PA - PA State 3A # 5
B-4x800 7:48.52 , Boys Relay, , McCaskey PA - PA State 3A # 6
B-4x800 7:50.21 , Boys Relay, , North Penn PA - PA State 3A # 7
B-4x800 7:52.34 , Boys Relay, , Hempfield PA - PA State 3A # 8
B-4x800 7:56.27 , Boys Relay, , Liberty PA - PA State 3A # 9

G-100 11.78 MR , Williams, Lauryn, 2001, Pitt Rochester PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-100 11.93 , Bailey, Jakki, 2002, Kennett PA - PA State 3A # 1

G-200 24.27 MR , Williams, Lauryn, 2001, Pitt Rochester PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-200 24.55 , Abney, Tiffany, 2003, Merion Acad PA - PA State 3A # 1

G-400 53.94 , Abney, Tiffany, 2003, Merion Acad PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-400 55.47 , Rodgers, Danielle, 2002, Penn Wood PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-400 56.21 , Darden, Dominique, 2002, Harrisburg PA - PA State 3A # 3
G-400 56.46 , Barnes, Miriam, 2001, Harrisburg PA - PA State 3A # 4

G-800 2:11.88 , Dwyer, Evelyn, 2002, Merion Acad PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-800 2:12.39 , O'Neil, Meghan, 2002, Spring Ford PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-800 2:14.13 , Siebert, Danielle, 2002, PA - PA State 3A # 3
G-800 2:14.54 , McKinney, Kerry, 2001, Deerla PA - PA State 2A # 1

G-Mile 4:59.68 c , Madia, Stephanie, 2001, N. Allegheny PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-Mile 4:59.73 c , Loyer, Ruth, 2001, Red Lion PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-Mile 4:59.9 c , Cickay, Jessica, 2004, PA - PA State 3A # 3
G-Mile 5:01.08 c , Kerstetter, Leah, 2002, Iroquois PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-Mile 5:04.07 c , Yester, Jessica, 2003, Downingtown PA - PA State 3A # 4
G-Mile 5:04.2 c , McCandless, Maureen, 2001, Nazareth Acad PA - PA State 3A # 5
G-Mile 5:05.16 c , Powell, Rebecca, 2003, Pennsbury PA - PA State 3A # 6
G-Mile 5:05.38 c , Marlow, Joanna, 2004, Newhop PA - PA State 2A # 2

G-2Mile 10:43.01 c , Miller, Paige, 2001, Wissahickon PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-2Mile 10:52.36 c , Ewart, Katie, , Dublin PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-2Mile 10:53.3 c , Muchal, Stacey, 2002, Jermyn PA - PA State 3A # 3
G-2Mile 10:55.08 c , Schaffer, Lauren, 2001, W. Allegheny PA - PA State 3A # 4
G-2Mile 11:00.44 c , Saterstad, Angela, 2001, Upper Dauphin PA - PA State 3A # 5
G-2Mile 11:04.56 c , Christiansen, Jesi, 2003, Greenville PA - PA State 2A # 1

G-100H 14.53 , Darden, Dominique, 2002, Harrisburg PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-100H 14.56 , Gordon, Sheena, 2002, McDowell PA - PA State 3A # 2

G-300H 43.32 , Abney, Tiffany, 2003, Merion Acad PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-300H 44.28 , Sopher, Melissa, 2002, Slippe PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-300H 44.29 , Troutman, Meredith, 2002, Meyres PA - PA State 2A # 2
G-300H 44.48 , Kelchner, Lauren, 2001, PA - PA State 3A # 2

G-HJ 5' 9 , Gordon, Sheena, 2002, McDowell PA - PA State 3A # 1

G-LJ 19' 7 , Richards, Cassandra, 2001, Win-Thurston Pitt PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-LJ 18' 7.5 , Gordon, Sheena, 2002, McDowell PA - PA State 3A # 1

G-TJ 42' 3.5 , Gordon, Sheena, 2002, McDowell PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-TJ 38' 9.75 , Edwards, Denise, 2002, Pottstown PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-TJ 38' 7.75 , Benson, Farren, 2001, Chester PA - PA State 3A # 3
G-TJ 38' 6.5 , Smith, Janine, 2001, Henderson PA - PA State 3A # 4
G-TJ 38' 1 , Gee, Jamie, 2003, Wissahickon PA - PA State 3A # 5

G-PV 12' 3 , Tharpe, Emily, 2001, Erie PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-PV 12' 0 , Rodgers, Jackie, 2001, Baldwin PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-PV 11' 6 , Stuyvesant, Kimberly, 2001, Fairview PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-PV 11' 0 , Ewing, Natalie, 2001, Northridge IN - PA State 3A # 3
G-PV 11' 0 , Fardbee, Rachel, 2001, Butler PA - PA State 3A # 4

G-SP 42' 5 , Hepler, Marci, , Kiski PA - PA State 3A # 1

G-JT 146' 6 , Hoover, Angela, 2004, Bald Eagle PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-JT 145' 6 , Colley, Ashley, 2001, Smethport PA - PA State 2A # 2
G-JT 142' 10 , Crocus, Beth, 2003, PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-JT 139' 1 , Salak, Monica, 2003, PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-JT 138' 8 , Cekan-McMaster, Melissa, 2001, N. Allegheny PA - PA State 3A # 3

G-4x100 47.96 , Girls Relay, , Lower Merion PA - PA State 3A # 1

G-4x400 3:49.04 , Girls Relay, , Merion Mercy PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-4x400 3:50.62 , Girls Relay, , Harrisburg PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-4x400 3:54.49 , Girls Relay, , Abington PA - PA State 3A # 3
G-4x400 3:55.02 , Girls Relay, , Chester PA - PA State 3A # 4
G-4x400 3:55.83 , Girls Relay, , Cocalico PA - PA State 3A # 5
G-4x400 3:56.12 , Girls Relay, , Strath Haven PA - PA State 3A # 6
G-4x400 3:56.79 , Girls Relay, , Norristown PA - PA State 3A # 7

G-4x800 9:15.94 , Girls Relay, , Spring Ford PA - PA State 3A # 1
G-4x800 9:19.19 , Girls Relay, , Haverford PA - PA State 3A # 2
G-4x800 9:22 , Girls Relay, , Radnor PA - PA State 3A # 3
G-4x800 9:22.12 , Girls Relay, , Villa Maria PA - PA State 3A # 4
G-4x800 9:23.42 , Girls Relay, , McDowell PA - PA State 3A # 5
G-4x800 9:23.61 , Girls Relay, , Pennsbury PA - PA State 3A # 6
G-4x800 9:25.72 , Girls Relay, , Nazareth Acad PA - PA State 3A # 7
G-4x800 9:25.81 , Girls Relay, , Hempfield PA - PA State 3A # 8
G-4x800 9:30.5 , Girls Relay, , Manheim Twp PA - PA State 3A # 9
G-4x800 9:32.58 , Girls Relay, , Gwynedd-Mercy PA - PA State 2A # 1
G-4x800 9:33.81 , Girls Relay, , Cheltenham PA - PA State 3A # 10

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