Strath Haven’s grasp of girls title to get stiff test at Delcos

UPPER DARBY >> With one day of the Delco Girls Track and Field Championships in the books Thursday, the team rankings offer so much and yet so little. The standings presage a battle on Saturday’s final day between Strath Haven, the six-time reigning champion, and Upper Darby, the host keen on an upset. The Central League rivals are separated by a single point, 30-29, after five finals. But deep in the recesses of the standings are two bona fide title challengers.

The strengths for Cardinal O’Hara and Penn Wood lie on the track, not the field events contested Thursday. O’Hara got a four-point boost from shot putter Lorielle Laforest, but Penn Wood remains in search of its first point, which will arrive in short order when finals resume Saturday evening. And when the points start flowing, the totals will balloon rapidly.

The four combatants introduce numerous possibilities on the final day of the meet. And there are a plethora of factors that could tip the scales:

A cardinal strategy >> Few teams have the luxury of shifting reigning champions out of events in search of more points, but that’s what O’Hara has done. Olivia Arizin won the 800 last year and holds the Delco record, but she’s eschewing that to take on Penn Wood’s Terri Turner in the 400. Christine Mancini will carry the flag in the 800, while Grace Mancini will defend her 1,600 title with sister Elizabeth chasing.

A safe Haven in distance >> Five medalists in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 last season were underclassmen, packing the ranks for what should be scintillating finals. Maia Mesyngier enters as the reigning champ in the 3,200, though she posted the fifth-fastest time this season. Elizabeth Mancini is the top seed, six seconds slower than Mesyngier’s winning time. Jaime Green of Ridley and Sacred Heart’s Emma Seifried could play spoiler, while Eleanor Mancini is also in the mix.

Pitt’s response >> Penn Wood freshman Janae Pitt entered the 200-meter dash with the second-fastest seed. She ended prelims 17th, well behind the 12 qualifiers. Pitt qualified first in both hurdles events, both ahead of triple jump silver medalist Victoria Robinson of Upper Darby. With the 4×100 also off the table for Penn Wood thanks to a dropped baton, how Pitt and her teammates respond to compensate for dropped points is vital.

A long challenge for Gibbs >> Strath Haven’s Maura Gibbs finished third in the triple jump behind Sugar Henry and Robinson. She’s seeded third in the long jump, trailing Henry and Michelle Brown-Jones. Spoiling a Royal 1-2 would represent big points for Haven.

Gambacorta’s quest for two >> Nina Gambacorta went undefeated over two dual-meet seasons in the shot put and the discus. She won the shot with a comfortable margin and looks to do the same in the discus, where the Garnet Valley senior has the longest throw this season by more than 16 feet ahead of Strath Haven’s Natalie Kent. Haven could medal three, and Rachel Vresilovic, who skipped the javelin to focus on the discus, is one to watch, seeded third.

Is there a surprise performer beyond the top teams? >> All this emphasis on the top teams, and someone has to spring a shock gold, right? Notre Dame’s Aliyah Stokes and Springfield’s Danielle Peyton are behind Jerenita Stokes of UD in the 100 dash. No one would be shocked to see Penncrest’s Alicia Collier repeat as 200 champ, but Maggie Linton of Delco Christian took the top seed in the 800, though Notre Dame’s Mikayla Schneider, Haven’s Maddie Forbes and Penn Wood’s Agnes Mansaray will likely have something to say about that in finals.