Boyertown’s Shalaway, Pottsgrove’s Hedgepeth, Spring-Ford’s Power pick up titles on Day 1 of PAC-10 Championships
PHOENIXVILLE: The first day of the Pioneer Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships can only provide a glimpse into who seems to be the strongest contender to win the team championship.
That race will fully take shape when the competition gets rolling full steam Saturday back at Phoenixville, but the first day is always a good one to finally shine more spotlight on some of the throwers and jumpers, who often don’t get enough credit for their wins in the dual meets, with the runners stealing most of the show.
And several great boys PAC-10 champions were crowned Friday.
Boyertown junior Elijah Shalaway captured the discus with a 148-3, up five feet from his previous best, holding off Spring-Ford’s Brandon Leacraft (141-9) and Pottstown’s Alex Humma (134-10), while all last year’s winner Madison Kelsey could do was watch, sidelined with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Pottsgrove senior Anthony Hedgepeth won the triple jump with a 44-6 in his first and only track and field season for the Falcons basketball standout. He edged Methacton teammates John Lozinak (44-2¾) and Dontae Thomas (42-7¾).
In the only running final Friday, Spring-Ford’s Paul Power won the 3,200 with a 9:41.98 to keep his long winning streak going and holding off Methacton’s Jeff Kirshenbaum (9:46.44), who moved up from seventh a year ago. Perkiomen Valley’s Jeff Montgomery crossed third (9:51.44).
In the team standings, Methacton claimed 27 points on Day 1 to hold a slim lead on Spring-Ford (25). After the two frontrunners, Pottsgrove (17), Boyertown (11) and Perkiomen Valley (11) rounded out the top 5.
Last season, Shalaway, mostly known as a standout javelin thrower, didn’t even make it to the finals in the discus. This year he is the champion.
“I did a lot of work in the offseason, definitely in the fall,’ Shalaway said. “We have a good throwing coach staff at Boyertown. I learned a lot of things from them and that helped. And during the bigger meets it’s easier to throw better because there is better competition. I enjoy throwing with people who are better than me so I have someone to chase after.
“During the regular season, there is definitely a lack of publicity for the throws. The throwing is always outside the stadiums so no one gets to really see it. Some people don’t even know what a discus, javelin or shot put is.’
On Saturday, Shalaway and Leacraft will battle it out again in the javelin where Leacraft placed second, Shalaway third last year.
“I really wanted first,’ Leacraft said. ‘But Elijah wanted it, too. Last year I was seeded first in the discus, but didn’t finish high, so I did do better this year. I’m just going to come out (Saturday) and have a great throw in the javelin because I know we need the points and try to even the score with Elijah.
“Then we’ve got we got districts and states. And me and Elijah are just going to help each other out.’
Humma moved up from fifth last season, to third this time and made sure Pottstown also got some points that first day.
“Last year I threw 126, so it was about eight feet better this year,’ Humma said. “I worked really hard all year, worked on my spins, worked on my feet, tried to get the angle right.
“I was trying to make it to districts, but I was two inches short. A little disappointed. I did get some points for my team and that was important. I wanted to help my teammates out as much as I could to make this year as good as it could be.’
For Hedgepeth, it was quite a track and field debut season. He was the top seed with a 43-4 coming in.
“I was coming in hyped up for this meet, knew I was going to jump farther than 43-4,’ he said. “I was too focused on basketball to do track before this year. I love basketball so much, I’m going to college for it. With my long legs and because of basketball, triple jump came easy. So many people kept telling me come out for track. And now I’m the champ,’ he said with a smile.
The 3,200-meter finals wrapped up that first day.
“Today I was just running for first, I wasn’t running for time,’ Power said. “I had to lock up 10 points. That was on my mind. I just wanted to stay with the leaders, then on lap five and six I started to pull away.
The team championship is what we’re going for. A couple of guys will have to step it up, but we’ll see what happens.’
Spring-Ford isn’t just the defending PAC-10 champion, but the four-time defending champion. But the Rams’ boys had their 49-dual meet winning streak broken a couple weeks ago by Perkiomen Valley.
“It was disappointing, but we had to put it behind us and focus,’ Power said.
Kirshenbaum fought his way to second in the 3,200 because he knows his Warriors are in contention for the team title.
“It feels great,’ Krishenbaum said. “I was in such pain, more than I ever had in my life. But it feels great, especially this year because there are so many fantastic runners in the PAC-10. It means a lot that I was able to put up a good showing against all these fantastic runners in the league.’
NOTES >> Only the top four teams after the regular season can win the championship: Perkiomen Valley (9-0-0), Spring-Ford (8-1-0), Methacton (6-2-1), Pottsgrove (6-2-1). The final day of competition start Saturday, 9 a.m., at Phoenixville High School.
