Dominic Perretta of Beaver Falls (in orange) threw down a massive kick to nearly steal the 800m win at SPIRE. Nick Wagner (in green) was third (Photo by Shawn Conlon)
MileSplit Scholastic Showcase (at SPIRE)
PHOTO ALBUM by Christian Lisle
BOYS PHOTO ALBUM by Shawn Conlon
GIRLS PHOTO ALBUM by Shawn Conlon
WATCH ALL RACE VIDEOS from SPIRE
The SPIRE Institute hosted another big meet at their facility in Geneva, Ohio, Some big PA names made it out for the action.
BOYS
Geist won yet again on Saturday at SPIRE (Photo by Shawn Conlon)
All eyes were once again on Jordan Geist. The Knoch thrower didn't have his best day, but the thing about Geist, is that his OK days are still better than most everyone's best days. Geist won the shot put easily, throwing 69-7.5, which still beats the previous state record. According to PennTrackXC's Phil grove, Geist's shortest throw would still be US#1 by almost a foot. Hickory's Evan Blaire was afifth overall, just off his season best with a throw of 59-7.
Sanford gets air in the pole vault (Photo by Shawn Conlon)
Caleb Sanford of McDowell has already been the most consistent performer in the state in the pole vault. On Saturday, he added to his own PA#1, clearing 15-6, putting a half a foot between him and the next closest vaulter in the state. Sanford took second overall in the competition to Matt Peare, who cleared 16-0. How much better can Sanford do? We'll find out soon.
The 800 meters didn't disappoint at all. Cameron Cooper of Oak Park gapped the field on the final lap, but Dominic Perretta launced a crazy kick to take himself from seventh up to second. Down the stretch, Perretta came up just short, but still running a new PA#1 of 1:54.13. Nick Wagner of Penn Trafford, having a great season already, was third in a PA#4 1:55.16.
Jace Roundtree of Kiski continued his tear of a season, taking fourth in the hurdles against a very solid field. His time of 8.24 betters his own PA#2 (Mason Weh of Upper Darby took over as PA#1 on Friday night).
In a fast 1600m race, Waynesburg Central's Ben Bumgarner took fourth in the second heat to place him ninth overall in a time of 4:23.15. Tristan Forsythe of Winchester Thurston was11th overall in 4:24.14.
Winchester Thurston's Will Loevner (above in No. 14; photo by Christian Lisle) kept up his impressive season with a 9:24 3200m. He took tenth in the race in a time that's six seconds faster than the time he ran over the same distance at outdoor states last year. Suffice to say, Loevner is in great position to place high at states in a few weeks.
GIRLS
Madeleine Davison returned to the track and came away with a big win in the 1600 meters (Photo by Shawn Conlon)
Madeleine Davison raced again on Saturday. This time is was about 9 meters shorter than her debut race at the last TSTCA meet. Davison took the win in the 1,600 meters in a field where four girls broke five minutes and few more came awfully close. Davison's 4:54.24. Claire Brown of Villa Maria was seventh in a 5:05.33 and Megan Aller of Kiski was 17th in 5:12.68. Davison talked about her race afterwards.
In the 3200, Ava Pietrzyk of North Hills was the top PA finisher, running a 10:53.29 for second overall. Marianne Abdalah of Vincentian Academy took sixth in 11:00.49 and Lauren Gronbeck of Eden Christian wasn't far behind her, placing seventh in 11:02.12
The Hickory girls ran a PA#15 in the 4x400, finishing in eighth with a time of 4:08.96.
In the shot put, Hickory's Tori McKinley was second with a throw of 43-9.5. Burrell's Elizabeth Weimer (41-11.25) and Hickory's Cailen Blaire (39-4) placed fourth and seventh, respectively.
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TSTCA Indoor Meet (at Edinboro University)
GIRLS
Seton-LaSalle's Raja Rutherford pulled off an impressive double running the fastest time of the day in both the 60 dash (PA#9 7.85) and the 200 meters (26.05). She placed second in the finals of the 60 meters to Butler's Emily Horstman, who won in 7.89, a PA#11. Horstman then took second to Rutherford in the 200 meters. Rutherford kept up her big day, winning the long jump, as well, with a jump of 16-8.
Penn Hills' Jayla Ellis notched a win in the 60m hurdles, bettering her PR in the event and winning in a time of 9.20, a PA#6. Ashley Amato, of Plum, who beat Ellis in the first TSTCA meet was second in 9.28.
In the pole vault, Cassandra Phelan of Laurel Highlands and Molly DeBone of Hempfield tied for the win, both clearing 11-4.
Maura Kimmel of Montieau bested Hempfield's Samantha Orie in the shot put. Kimmel threw 41-3.5 to Orie's 40-5.
Chloe Grzyb of Peters Township outlasted Grove City's Catie Jaskowak in a close 3000 meters. Grzyb won in 10:50.73 to Jaskowak's 10:51.28.
BOYS
Nick Wolk of Peters Township won both the mile and 3000, completing the nice double victory. Wolk was a runaway winner in the mile, clocking a 4:26.24. In the 3000, he had the company of Plum's Jake Susalla. Wolk won the 3K in 9:04 to Susalla's 9:06.
Micah Watts of West Mifflin was another double winner. He took the win in the 60 meters (7.14) and followed that up with a victory in the 200 meters (23.17). North Allegheny's Ayden Owens won the 60 hurdles in 8.37 and took second to Watts in the 200 with a 23.37.
In the 800, Michael Bove of Fox Chapel improved 8 seconds from his time at the first TSTCA meet. He won in a time of 2:00.71.
In the pole vault, Hempfield's Hayden Fox took the decisive win, clearing 14-3. Dom Marshall, also of Hempfield, won the shot put with a throw of 57-10. AJ Byham of Meadville, who cleared 6-8 at the first TSTCA meet, stayed hot winning the high jump with a respectable 6-5.
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Youngstown State High School Meet #4
There were a few notable performances at Youngstown this weekend.
Mount Lebanon switched gears and went to Ohio instead of Edinboro. Claire Dougherty won the 800 meters, bettering her time from a few weeks ago, winning in a 2:17.00. Kelsey Potts too first in the 1600 meters in a time of 5:10.75. The Mount Lebanon 4x400 then ran a PA#5, winning in a 4:03.93.
Julia Howard of Greensburg Salem was a double winner, taking first place in the long jump (PA#8 17-5.5) and the triple jump (35-8)