One of the changes to the state format this season is that the 100/110mH will race only prelims before finals. In previous years there was also a semi-final round. Central PA should walk away with a large medal haul from the hurdle events.
100/110mH
Prelims – Friday 10:45am (AA Girls-AAA Girls-AA Boys-AAA Boys)
Finals – Saturday 10:00am (AA Girls-AAA Girls-AA Boys-AAA Boys)
AA Girls
Remingtyn Smith (sr, Forest Hills) leads the local contingent into states this weekend in the 100mH. She took home the District 6 title in 15.78. The Bermudian Springs duo of Lilly LaBure (sr) and Lilyana Carlson (fr) went 1-2 at the District 3 Championships, setting PRs along the way. LaBure used an explosive final 2 hurdles to claim the win.
AAA Girls
Maddy Brooks (jr, Bishop McDevitt) has been the top female hurdler in Central PA all season. She could compete for state gold in this event. Both Bryna Kelly (sr, Garden Spot) and Olivia Kay (sr, York Suburban) have come on strong in recent weeks and ran PR’s at District 3. All 3 are well-positioned to bring home state medals this weekend. Maya Richwine (jr, New Oxford) and Kara Brown (jr, Wilson) also PR’d last weekend. With slight PR’s again on Friday they could make their way into finals. Freshman Sarah Tate (State College) dipped under the 16-s mark at the District 6 Championships.
AA Boys
The class AA 110mH finals at District 3 produced 2 of the top 3, and 3 of the top 7 entries for Friday’s prelims. District 6 champ Jon Wess (jr, Central Cambria) enters as the #6 seed. This could end up being a big event for Central PA. Michael Carlson (sr, Bermudian Springs) and Danny Britten (sr, Trinity) battled it out to a 1-2 finish at District 3 with both setting new PR’s through the rounds. Carlson ran 14.61 in finals and Britten ran 14.64 in semis. Daquan McCraw (jr, Steel High) ran his PR of 15.24 in the finals and is the #7 seed.
AAA Boys
I am saying this for the final time of this season (I promise) – boys hurdling in Central PA has been on fire this season! 6 of the top 10 seeds are District 3 athletes. Harrisburg’s Demaris Waters (sr) will look to take down the PIAA record of 13.69. He PR’d at Districts, winning in 13.83. He owns a 0.62s advantage over #2 seed Bernard Bell (jr, South Western). Bell has had a terrific post-season, significantly improving upon his previous PR and could be in for a big state’s weekend. Ethan Conrad (sr, Bishop McDevitt) dropped under 15s for the first time this year at districts, and did it in back to back rounds. His 14.68 time earns him the #4 seed. Twin Valley’s Matthew Crow (sr), Chambersburg’s Jermere Jones (so) and Darion Baumgartner (jr), and Manheim Central’s Landon McGallicher (jr) all should be picturing themselves on the medal stand. Crow’s season best is 14.71; Jones season best is 14.84; Baumgartner’s season best is 14.84; McGallicher’s season best is 14.92.
300mH
Prelims – Friday 2:00pm (AA Girls-AAA Girls-AA Boys-AAA Boys)
Finals – Saturday 1:25pm (AA Girls-AAA Girls-AA Boys-AAA Boys)
AA Girls
Emma Dennison (sr, Fairfield) was never really challenged at the District 3 Championships and ran 47.11. She looks to be in great position to earn a state medal this weekend. Remingtyn Smith ran 47.29 at LHACs. A performance like that could place her on the awards stand as well. Greenwood freshman Rebekah Brinser placed 2nd to Dennison at District 3 in a new PR of 48.00.
AAA Girls
Maddy Brooks owns a season best of 44.84 which is a PA#6 time. She will be looking to bring home medals in both hurdle events this weekend. She could bring home a 3rd as a member of McDevitt’s 4x100m relay team. Hailey Kravetz (Altoona) and True Benshoff (Waynesboro), both sophomores, ran PR’s at their respective district meets. They could sneak onto the award’s stand with a good performance Friday. Keep an eye out for Eva Leatherman (sr, Carlisle). She gutted out a strong leg on the Thundering Herd’s 4x800m at districts and then came back to PR in the 300mH with a 46.61. She won’t have the 4x800m to contend with before the 300mH this weekend.
AA Boys
Daquan McCraw and Hunter Shawley (sr, Bellwood Antis) will both be looking to dip under 40-seconds this weekend and bring home state medals. The District 3 and 6 champions are seeded 3rd and 5th, respectively.
AAA Boys
Waters could make it 2 for 2 for gold medals on the weekend. He dropped a new PR in winning the District 3 title of 38.11 and enters just over a half of a second behind top seeded Devin Nugent. Bernard Bell, Enrico Faccio (sr, Ephrata), and Ryan Lindenberg (sr, State College) have all posted times on the season that could earn them a top 3 finish. Landon McGallicher and Kyle Emrey (jr, Manheim Central) could also work their way into the top 8. This should be yet another awesome hurdle competition!
