Versatile Manyeah highlights Penn Wood’s medal haul
THORNBURY >> Any track coach will tell you that it’s rare to find an athlete as versatile as Penn Wood junior Dennis Manyeah.
On the track, Manyeah can compete in every event from the 200 to the mile, although the 400 and 800 are his best events. He’s ranked eighth in the state in both events by pa.milesplit.com. In the field, Manyeah is tied for eighth in the state in the high jump.
“Nobody expected me to be a high jumper,” Manyeah said. “I’m an 800 runner and a 400 runner, and to be a high jumper, too, is unusal.”
Manyeah became a high jumper at the suggestion of Penn Wood coach Len Jordan. Jordan told Manyeah to try the high jump as a freshman and Manyeah went out and jumped 5-10 in his first attempt.
“After that, Lenny sort of made the high jump my thing,” Manyeah said. “I don’t really practice it, but over time I’ve just been getting better in the meets.”
Manyeah took another step forward Tuesday when he turned in a personal best jump of 6 feet, 6 inches to win the high jump title at the boys indoor Delco Track & Field Championships Tuesday afternoon in the Hayes Field House at Glen Mills.
It was his best effort by two inches. Not bad for an 800-meter runner.
“He’s a real bright kid and he has a combination of different abilities that makes him so versatile,” Jordan said. “He ran well in cross country. He was an 18 low, which isn’t bad. And he doesn’t complain. He just goes out and competes. He’s a coachable guy, very knowledgeable and he listens. Sometimes it takes a little while for it to sink in, but when he gets it, he runs with it.”
Manyeah also picked up gold in the 4 x 400-meter relay and earned a sixth-place medal in the 800 to highlight a big day for the Patriots. Ndiaga Seck and Jahi Smith went 1-2 in the 400. Seck crossed the finish line in 52.43 seconds. Smith was right behind in 53.22.
Sekou Kanneh nipped Springfield’s Ache Hall at the wire to win the 55-meter hurdles. Kanneh won in 7.92 seconds, the sixth-fastest time in the state. Hall finished in 7.95. That’s good for No. 6 in Pa. Seck, Smith and Kanneh also were part of the 4 x 400-meter relay team that claimed gold in 3:29.61.
Hall, who is looking at La Salle and Rhode Island, among others, came away with four medals. In addition to his silver in the hurdles, the senior won the triple jump in 43-11½. That’s a half-inch shy of his career best. He also was second in the long jump (19-7¾) and fourth in the 200.
Peter Merhige had an impressive day for The Haverford School. He led off the winning distance medley relay team and came back later in the meet to win the 3,000. Merhige won the 3,000 in 10:10.89. Dave Hogarth, Dan Whaley and Anthony Calvelli were also on that DMR that finished in 11:32.59.
For Calvelli, it was his first competition in a month.
“I had a year-end project to work on, was sick last week and our DMR did not qualify for the last chance meet,” Calvelli said. “I felt pretty good. As a solo I probably could have run a little faster, but I felt good.”
Keon Rantin, who’s ranked No. 2 in the state in the 200, highlighted a good day for Glen Mills with a victory in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.69 seconds. Teammate Demarli Springs won the 200 (23.57). Jhaquil was first in the long jump (20-0). Quadir Gibson earned gold in the shot put (49-10). Ryan Gillis, Springs, Jurnell Burnside and Rantin teamed up to win the 4 x 200 (1:32.84).
Billy Hallinan, Jack Crozier, Brian Barker and Connor Adams of Interboro held off Del Val rival Glen Mills to win the 4 x 800-meter relay. The Bucs’ winning time was 8:52.15. Meanwhile, pole vaulter Mike Chamberlain continued his steady improvement. The senior turned in a career-best vault of 13-6 to win his first Delco indoor title.
Radnor’s Peter Cooke edged Garnet Valley’s Jack Armand to take the 800. Cooke’s winning time was 2:00.28. Armand finished in 2:00.69. Syed Shah of Upper Darby claimed gold in the mile in 4:37.54.
Tamir Jones of Cardinal O’Hara came away with a pair of medals. He was second n the 200 and third in the 55-meter dash.
