Wissahickon races to multiple wins at Colonial Relays

PLYMOUTH MEETING >> Thrusting his head and shoulders over the finish line, edging hard-charging Ade Jones-Roundtree by just three hundredths of a second, Wissahickon anchor man Sam Kane helped push the Trojans to one of their most satisfying victories on Saturday.

“I ran for my life,” Kane said moments after he brought Wissahickon home in the 4×100-meter relay. “I was running my heart out and just tried to give it everything I could.”
Kane helped the Trojans to a winning time of 42.51 seconds, part of a dominant performance by Wissahickon at the Plymouth-Whitemarsh Colonial Relays on a windy Saturday at PW.
Rahsheed Wright led off the 4×1 for Wiss, followed by Darien Williams, Ethan Dolberry-Wescott and Kane, who was able to hold off Jones-Roundtree, the State Champion indoors in the 60-meter dash. Williams (200), Dolberry-Wescott (200) and Wright (400) would join Cam Christopher (800) to win the Sprint Medley, combining their efforts to go 3:36.70, winning the race by 22 seconds.
“We worked hard indoors and now we’re ready to get this next undefeated season,” Kane said of the defending Suburban One League American Conference Champs.
The Trojans certainly looked like a team chasing perfection on Saturday.
Said Kane with a smile: “I hope coach Bett (Don Betterly) is satisfied but he’s never satisfied. You just gotta keep working.”
Wissahickon also won the 4×110 Shuttle Hurdles, going 1:06.34, and the tandem of Yondell Dudley (127-5) and Bryan Haire (107-10) teamed up to win the Discus Relay, with a combined mark of 235-3. Daryl Baldwin (20-3) and Ahmir Johnson (19-8) took the Long Jump Relay title for Wiss, with a winning distance of 39-11.
Gwynedd-Mercy Academy began the day with a win in the Shuttle Hurdle Relay, as the foursome of
Gianna Esperanza, Julia Kohler, Shea Tomlinson and Maggie McGuire outraced Wissahickon for top honors by less than a second.
It was a day to branch out a bit.
“I’ve never done this relay before so that was really cool to do,” McGuire said. “I’ve only done hurdles a few times. There was one practice this week where that’s all we did and it really helped a lot, getting the rhythm down.”
GMA displayed its strength in multiple events, as freshman Julia Koller was the only one in the competition to clear five feet in the high jump on this blustery afternoon at PW. The Trojan duo of Lotte Black (4-10) and Jenna Feltes (4-4) teamed up for a 9-2, taking first in the event.
The Wissahickon girls also were winners in the Javelin Relay, as Helen Autieri (75-1) and Hannah Park (74-7) took top honors with a 149-8.
Abington shot put duo Sianni McLeon (36-6.5) and Rushell Morgan (27-10) were winners out in the field with a combined 64-4.5 while Norristown was a force in the sprints, as the girls 4×100 relay (48.75) and 4×200 relay (1:48.62) each raced to victory.